Safer & Stronger Communities
Shaping and supporting the sector’s work on victims, witnesses, offenders and the justice system.
Our priority is that the VCFSE sector is a key part of building a system and influencing decisions to ensure that victims and witnesses receive the best treatment; while work with offenders is focused on justice, rehabilitation, and reducing recidivism.
This workstream is designed to ensure that the VCFSE is appropriately represented within the structures related to victims, witnesses and offenders. Representation is key to system change within the judicial sphere.
The work also aims to connect VCFSE organisations who are engaged in working together with local people and partner agencies to build the safest communities in Britain; whether that is as part of the Criminal Justice System, services utilised by victims or perpetrators of crime or disorder; or community and civil cohesion.
These are the main objectives of this work
- Ensure VCFSE representation on all key Greater Manchester structures related to victims, witnesses, offenders and community safety.
- Create a whole-system approach to knowledge dissemination within the Greater Manchester VCFSE sector related victims, justice, community safety and other areas
- Create a closer working relationship between VCFSE and Greater Manchester Police to tackle, for example, Gender-based Violence (GBV), and deliver on the crime and police plan
- Increase opportunities for the VCFSE to be included in training and delivery
Organisations involved
Get involved and play your part in building a safer and stronger Greater Manchester
If you're a leader in a VCFSE organisation that's connected to the world of victims, perpetrators, prisons, prison leavers, justice, community safety, get in touch with ceo@wearesurvivors.org.uk to join the mailing list.
News, events and opportunities
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Key contacts
This work is being led by VSNW on behalf of the Leadership Group but cuts across all working groups and accord delivery.
Duncan Craig OBE
Jenny Higson
Request VCFSE participation
For Statutory agency or other partner requesting VCFSE participation
The role of the statutory agency or other partner requesting participation.
- Use GM VCFSE Leadership Group as the first point of contact to set up VCFSE sector participation on a board/group
- Recognise the independence of GM VCFSE Leadership Group in selecting participants in whom members of the VCSE sector have trust and confidence. In certain cases, the board/ group will work alongside GM VCFSE Leadership Group to ensure that the appropriate participant is selected
- Provide the information requested in the below form (as far as possible) when making a request for VCFSE sector participation to the GM VCFSE Leadership Group
- Offer an induction for the participant and identify key documents the participant should be familiar with prior to starting to attend meetings
- Recognise the different issues associated with consulting and representing a ‘sector’ as opposed to a single agency and take these into account in terms of the expectations of the VCSE sector’s role (This may mean ensuring the participant has time to undertake consultation: the participant cannot offer guarantees or any such undertakings without consultation)
- Be clear about any requirements for confidentiality
- If possible, aim to financially support representation of VCFSE sector through offering an annual bursary
- Work with GM VCFSE Leadership Group to identify capacity building issues and way in which these can be supported
Dispute resolution
If there are concerns about anyone participating on behalf of the VCFSE sector, or if the participant has concerns about their role in the Board/Group, the situation will be dealt with informally in the first instance through discussions with the GM VCFSE Leadership Group and the group/board’s chair.
Please enter the below details if you are looking to request VCFSE participation on your board or group. We will get back to you:
