A comprehensive package of measures to help the voluntary sector and mutuals compete for contracts to cut reoffending has been announced by the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Justice.
This follows proactive engagement with a range of organisations from the voluntary sector, social enterprises and entrepreneurial staff in probation trusts looking to form new mutuals.
The measures will support new and existing providers from the voluntary, social enterprise and private sectors, radically changing the way offenders are rehabilitated through the gate and into the community, delivering better value for taxpayers through payment by results.
The Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) are providing support to:
• develop a financial modelling tool to enable voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs) to assess sub-contract offers
• provide a central legal function to check VCSE organisations’ contractual terms and conditions with main providers
• run a series of workshops to help VCSE organisations understand the reform process and develop the vital skills they will need to compete for and deliver rehabilitation services
• create a database of VCSEs and mutuals involved in the rehabilitation of offenders to help organisations form partnerships and consortia
The Cabinet Office’s Mutuals Support Programme is providing intensive one-on-one support to prepare the first cohort of 7 fledgling probation mutuals for competition. This includes providing professional services, such as legal, commercial and tax advice, on behalf of the potential mutuals. As well as access to the Cabinet Office’s network of commercial experts, delivering capability-building workshops and one-on-one coaching.
Separately, there will also be up to £6 million available to assist VCSEs to bid for contracts or to secure social investment through the Investment and Contract Readiness Fund (for further information, visit: www.beinvestmentready.org.uk) and at least £1 million to support these organisations using social action in the rehabilitation of offenders through Cabinet Office’s Centre for Social Action (for further information, visit: https://www.gov.uk/centre-for-social-action)
To read the full story, visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cross-government-reforrms-benefit-charities-and-mutuals