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Community Programmes Awards
This is the Howard League for Penal Reform award for the country's most successful community programmes. The competition was launched in November 2005 as part of the Howard League for Penal Reform's aim of increasing public and government support for community sentences. These annual awards celebrate best practice in community sentencing and champion the cutting edge of the criminal justice system, with work in the community that challenges and changes people for the better – be it unpaid work, drug and alcohol treatment programmes, or restorative justice.
By finding outstanding community programmes that work with individuals who have committed crime, it is hoped that the Community Programmes Awards will not only celebrate success but also promote positive practice in the delivery of community sentences. We believe that well-resourced and well-structured programmes will raise public protection, bringing down the rate of reoffending, and repay the damage done by crime in a way which custodial sentences cannot.
The Community Programmes Awards 2010 are supported by the Magistrates’ Association and were launched at their Annual General Meeting in Birmingham on 14 November 2009.
You can read the press release here.
You can read the Community Programmes Awards appeal letter here. You can make a donation to the appeal here.
Objectives
The objectives of the Community Programmes Awards are to:
- encourage and foster good practice
- improve awareness and understanding of community programmes
- encourage confidence in their use
- share information between practitioners
- stimulate publicity amongst practitioners and specialist media
- stimulate public debate and support for community interventions
- promote excellence and creativity
- celebrate and recognise outstanding schemes
Awards categories
An effort has been made to make the Community Programmes Awards truly reflective of the great work being carried out across the criminal justice system. This year we have introduced the following categories to reflect this work which include:
- Children and young people
- Adults - sponsored by Probation Association
- Women - sponsored by Corston Independent Funders' Coalition
- Education, training and employment
- Unpaid work
Supported by:
What are the criteria?
- Programmes need to be part of a community sentence
- They should be rehabilitative and help prevent future offending
- They should involve users in planning and evaluation
- Encourage offenders to think about the consequences of their crime
- Be based on restorative principles
- Work collaboratively with the community
For a full criteria list please follow the entry guide below.
Judging panel
The schemes are judged according to the criteria above but submissions do not have to meet all the criteria listed. A panel of experts comprising of the country’s foremost experts will judge the entries including:
Professor David Wilson (chair), UCE in Birmingham and vice-chair, The Howard
League for Penal Reform
Baroness Veronica Linklater
- John Thornhill JP, Chairman, The Magistrates' Association
- Yvonne Thomas, Director, Offender Management for Wales and Director, Probation Trusts Programme
- His Hon Judge John Samuels QC
- Christine Lawrie, Chief Executive, Probation Association
Lorna Hadley, Head of Vulnerable Young People & Youth Offending, Newham Youth Offending Service
Antonia Bance, Advocate, Corston Independent Funders' Coalition
Entry guide
Nominations are now closed. Thank you to all projects who took the time to enter the awards this year. Details of the 2011 Awards will be available in due course.
Community Programmes Awards 2010 - shortlisted projects
From the many nominations received, only the best were shortlisted. We are pleased to announce 20 projects were shortlisted. Please follow this link to find out more.
Community Programmes Awards 2010 winners announced!
We are happy to announce the winning schemes of the Community Programmes Awards 2010. From the 20 shortlisted projects 8 programmes were awarded.
Past awards winners
2009 - The awards were not held this year.
2008 award winners
Community Programmes Handbook
Detailed information on previous awards winners can be found in the Community Programmes Handbook which identifies positive, creative and effective community programmes from across the UK. This is an essential read for practitioners and students as well as those commissioning and designing services.
A roundtable parliamentary meeting, hosted by Baroness Linklater, to discuss the Community Programmes Handbook and to celebrate good practice was held on Wednesday, 4 February 2009 in the House of Lords.
The Howard League online