[WiLT] Third sector strategy - Ministry of Justice Consultation

[WiL Admin]

Third sector strategy

Open date: 20 December 2007
Close date: 20 March 2008

A consultation to enable the Ministry of Justice to finalise its third
sector strategy for England and Wales, to strengthen the way the
ministry works with voluntary and community groups to secure better
public services and improve its policies.

Consultation paper
* Third sector strategy consultation paper [PDF 0.23mb, 30 pages]
http://www.justice.gov.uk/docs/cp3307.pdf
* Questionnaire [Word 0.05mb, 3 pages]
http://www.justice.gov.uk/docs/cp3307-questionnaire.doc

Contact details:
A: 3rd Floor, Selborne House, 54-60 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6QW
F: 020 7210 8780
E: thirdsector at justice.gsi.gov.uk

Source: http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/cp3307.htm


Press Release:

Thursday 20 December 2007 11:54 Ministry of Justice (National)

Better public services through social partnership

Strengthening the way the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) works with
voluntary and community groups - known as the third sector - forms the
basis for proposals released today for consultation.

Ministers want voluntary organisations and other social groups to
contribute to government policy as a way of developing how the
department works. The MoJ provides many different services, whether
through the courts and tribunals, prisons and probation, to legal aid
and mental capacity.

Third sector organisations have a critical role to play across the
business of the department and the consultation paper is aimed at
making the MoJ better at engaging with the sector.

Among its aims, the strategy will help to build community cohesion
through local mentoring and volunteering schemes, and involve the
third sector in policy development and design of public services.

Justice Minister Bridget Prentice said:

"An independent and diverse third sector already helps the department
to realise its ambitions, and often with volunteers, but we believe
that the sector's contribution can be enhanced to inform policy
development and enable the design and delivery of quality services.

"The Government wants to improve the public's understanding of the
justice system by working more closely with voluntary groups and
community organisations. Real change can be achieved by the voluntary
sector and the state working together at all levels."

The Ministry of Justice and its agencies already work with the third
sector in a number of ways:

* The Legal Services Commission spends more than £80 million annually
with the third sector and the amount of advice given by third sector
bodies on civil and family legal problems has increased by 50 per cent
in two years.

* Nationally, the department works with Victim Support providing
services to victims of crime and encourages voluntary organisations to
form local partnerships.

* Her Majesty's Prison Service chaplaincy manages some 7,000
volunteers from nearly 500 churches and faith communities.

* Devon and Cornwall Criminal Justice Board works with the Prison
Advice and Care Trust in providing professionally managed advice desks
in courts, staffed by volunteers to assist defendants and their
families.

The National Offender Management Service published a third sector
action plan last month, which will contribute to the overall MoJ
strategy.

http://www.gnn.gov.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=340319&NewsAreaID=2