Newsletter – 15 JANUARY 2026
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY
The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (JRCT) is inviting applications from organisations committed to creating a fairer, more equitable society. You don’t need to be a registered charity to apply. Please note that you need to register with them by 16 February 2026, and the deadline to apply is 2 March 2026 (10am). JRCT supports work that tackles systemic injustice and promotes transformative change in areas such as: ✅ Power and Accountability ✅ Rights and Justice✅ Sustainable Future If your organisation is passionate about addressing root causes of inequality and driving long-term impact, this could be the perfect opportunity to secure funding for your mission. https://lnkd.in/eDYdGPhR
FOOTBALL IN PRISON + A STAR
Michael Sheen supports a five-a-side football team of ex-prisoners run by the charity Switchback because sport is a “great leveller”, offers structure, teamwork, discipline, and a sense of community. These attributes help individuals reintegrate into society by finding positive role models and combating homelessness, a major issue for them. Sheen highlights how these sessions build camaraderie and provide crucial support that counters the stigma of having “prisoner written on your forehead”. He sees football as a tool for rehabilitation, building essential life skills beyond just health, offering a positive outlet and a supportive community, crucial for a successful reintegration back into society. sian@switchback.org.uk
RUGBY + A JOURNALIST
From Joe Maksymiw, Three Pillars Project: Our Rugby Academy been featured in the latest issue of Rugby World Magazine. In this article :https://www.rugbyworld.com/featured/i-played-a-game-of-fullcontact-rugby-in-prison-and-this-is-what-i-learned-181177 fellow members will discover that rugby serves as a powerful vehicle for positive change within the CJS when combined with structured mentoring,. It strengthens self-regulation, supports community building and fosters positive behaviours. The journalist Joseph Robinson offers a unique perspective, having not only observed the programme but actively taken part in the tournament at HMPYOI Isis. As we enter our 10th anniversary year, this feature is a meaningful reflection of the purpose, impact, and values that underpin our work. joe@3pillarsproject.com
LIFE CHANGES IN 2025
From: Natausha van Vliet CEO PACT: Thanks to our generous supporters, during 2025 we placed 80 children with 60 loving families. Steve, who became an adoptive dad this year, said: “My husband and I have recently adopted two older siblings and it has been truly magical. I can’t imagine our lives without them!.” BB4K has directly supported 143 children to heal from the trauma of domestic abuse. And 174 women were empowered by Alana House to make positive changes to their lives. One woman said: “We truly wouldn’t be where we are today without the support you provide. You’ve built such a strong and compassionate network from every angle, and that makes all the difference. Thank you again for having me.” Natausha.vanvliet@pactcharity.org
From Anne Fox, CEO Clinks: We have just published a report produced from our newest RR3 Special Interest Group (SIG) on a ‘Whole Systems Approach’ for women in contact with the criminal justice system. The SIG brought together 44 experts from voluntary and statutory sectors and heard evidence from WSA delivery by the Nelson Trust in Avon and Somerset, Women in Prison and Advance in London and the St Giles Trust in York and North Yorkshire. To transform outcomes for women at risk of entering the criminal justice system and those subject to criminal justice processes, there is a need for systemic change at local level. This can be delivered through whole system multi-agency approaches, with properly resourced women’s centres and specialist women’s organisations operating at the heart of both service design and delivery. Such approaches can deliver the essential gender-responsive assessment, case management and trauma-informed support which properly accounts for women’s needs, strengths and risk factors and identifies intersectional needs linked to age and race. Clicks has made several recommendations in our full report, here.
ENABLING SECOND CHANCES
From Paula Harriot CEO Unlock: Fifty years after the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act promised second chances, the digital age has made that promise fragile. Search engines, news archives, and social media mean that spent convictions can remain visible indefinitely, undermining rehabilitation and perpetuating stigma. See attached briefing which explores:
- How online data impacts employment, housing, and wellbeing
- Why current GDPR delisting processes fall short
- Unlock’s recommendations for digital rehabilitation reform, including:
- Modernising the ROA for the internet era
- Clear public interest tests for retaining historic conviction data
- Stronger ICO powers and ethical standards for reporting
Rehabilitation is not about erasing the past, it’s about recognising change and enabling second chances. Without urgent action, algorithms – not law – will decide who gets to move on. Paula.Harriott@unlock.org.uk
FREE EMPLOYMENT WEBINAR
From Jazz Singh, Chief Partnership Officer, Fair Chance Business Alliance: We invite fellow members to a free webinar on Thursday 29 January 2026 from 14:00 – 15:00. Online via Teams (with preregistration –( RSVP here) this webinar aims to engage and build our collaborative purpose with Voluntary, Charity and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations, particularly those working to support employability and sustainable employment. The webinar will over We an understanding of how VCSEs can partner with us, introduce some core partners as well as the collective role we can play in enabling employment pathways for people with criminal records. Further Information: We look forward to welcoming you on 29 January and working with us to deliver meaningful system change. For full details of content please email: Jazz.Singh@fairchancealliance.co.uk
A VISIT TO REMEMBER
From Sid Singh, Lived Experience Ambassador The Forward Trust: I was invited to HMP Highdown for a group tasked with making T-Shirts to display for our National Reunion in Hackney on Jan 24th. It took me back hearing where they are and how long they have left, their hopes, frustrations and their questions. These ranged from who employs people with convictions, where to get a driving licence to can I get money for tools. I reeled off a dozen or so charities, some within The Corbett Network, which could help them and how they could one day share their journey and inspire others the room . One chap kindly made me aTsuru (Japanese for crane). He said “Thankyou for bringing us hope Sid, may this bring you peace.” And added: “There is life after Prison, it doesn’t need to be a sentence without a full stop, but you have to work at it.” As I drove back I reflected on their journey and my own, it was both humbling and nostalgic – I love this line: “You have to go through it to grow through it” info@forwardtrust.org.uk
LOOKING BEYOND A TOUGH YEAR
From Andy Gullick, Founder RIFTSE: Like many organisations across the social enterprise sector last year, we faced tough decisions, shifting funding landscapes, and moments that tested our resolve. But it was also a year of progress. See in our 2025 review how we supported 494 people into self-employment, delivered over 2,600 one to one sessions, expanded our work across prisons and communities, and took meaningful steps to influence national policy. You will also see how we are embracing technology, strengthening partnerships, and building a more resilient organisation for the future. All of this is grounded in the same belief that has always driven us, that everyone deserves the chance to believe in their own future. AGullick@RIFTSE.co.uk
UNDERSTANDING OLDER PRISONERS
From Winona Ingle, Recoop: With 24% of the prison population aged 50, and numbers rising, we can no longer ignore that older inmates are in jails that were never built for them. Their complex health needs, social care requirements and need for meaningful activity are too often overlooked. Staff turnover, admin pressures and limited training on age-specific needs leave older prisoners missing out.. Our ‘Finding Meaning Behind Bars’ report makes it clear that prisons must equip staff to understand the physical, mental and emotional challenges of ageing behind bars. When officers are supported and correctly trained, they can create build relationships and restore hope for older prisoners. Find out more about our staff training here: https://lnkd.in/efp7fPWf
BUILDING A READING CULTURE
Storybook Dads/ Mums is one of the effective reading-related interventions that prisons are using to help build a strong reading culture and support rehabilitation. That’s in the January 2026 report from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons report on Reading for Rehabilitation. It adds that giving parents an opportunity to record a story for their children often motivates them to improve their reading. It’s more than just an educational tool — it’s valued for its role in family engagement and emotional connection, reinforcing that reading isn’t only about literacy but also about maintaining relationships and purpose. In the most successful prisons they have reading embedded as part of rehabilitation rather than treated as peripheral to the regime. So we hope more prisons will prioritise reading in general and help Storybook Dads/ Mum to be even more widely utilised. info@storybookdads.org.uk
IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN!
Calling all members: Your organisation paid to be a CN member for the past year and we hope you’ll continue the journey with us by renewing your membership. It takes only a couple of minutes to stay connected and the £60 annual fee breaks down to just £5 a month—about the same as grabbing a coffee at Starbucks, but with the added benefit of being part of a supportive network. We don’t want you to miss out on: Bi-weekly Newsletters. Interactive Zoom sessions. Regional meetings. Flagship National Conference on April 29. Keeping your logo on our website and importantly, staying in touch with fellow members. We will keep your spot open for two more months, but if we don’t hear from you by then, we’ll (reluctantly) move your membership to inactive. We’re here to help so if you are experiencing any issues with renewing, please contact support@corbettnetwork.com.
DIARISE 2026 NETWORK DATES
NATIONAL MEMBER CONFERENCE:
Wednesday April 29, Leathersellers Livery Hall London 11 am – 4.30 pm
ZOOM SESSIONS – All Thursdays from 12.30-1.30 pm
March 19
May 14
July 9
September 30
November 12
December 10