NIACRO Launches Plan for Next Three Years

NIACRO, the voluntary organisation which works to reduce crime and its impact on people and communities, today launched its Corporate Plan for 2015 to 2018.

The Plan outlines what the organisation intends to achieve in the next three years, with a focus on delivering effective services to children and young people, families and adults to reduce the risk of offending, as well as influencing others in relation to practice and policy.

Following a significant loss of funding earlier in the year, the Plan for the incoming period reflects a particularly volatile environment, while also recognising a heightened need to continue and develop a range of services to support individuals and families most at risk of offending or becoming victims.

Presenting the Plan at an internal meeting of NIACRO’s members today, Chief Executive Olwen Lyner said:

“This is without doubt one of the most turbulent times the voluntary and community sector has ever experienced. However, despite the financial pressures that we have felt recently, NIACRO will continue to advocate on behalf of those affected by the criminal justice system.

“In the last few months, we have worked hard, alongside partners, to establish new services to ensure there is some continuation of the effective support we have been providing for many years. We have seen areas of our service provision grow, particularly in relation to early intervention with young people and intensive support for those leaving prison.

“As the grip of austerity tightens, there is a real risk that the marginalisation of those already affected by the criminal justice system, or who are likely to offend, will intensify. Our role as advocates and policy influencers has therefore never been more important.”

Noting the context of the next three years, the Corporate Plan lists its strategic aims for service delivery based on the following priorities:

• Providing early intervention to prevent offending behaviour;
• Supporting access to stable accommodation to reduce the risk of reoffending;
• Developing financial management skills to ensure stability for individuals and families;
• Supporting access to the labour market to reduce crime; and
• Supporting families to maintain positive relationships with imprisoned relatives to ameliorate the impact of offending on crime and families and to promote effective resettlement after release from custody.

“We have demonstrated the quantifiable contribution we make to reducing crime and we will continue to do so,” said Olwen Lyner. “We look forward to the challenges the next three years may bring and believe this Corporate Plan will help us achieve our goals.”

Notes to editors:

1. A copy of the NIACRO 2015-2018 Corporate Plan is available here.
2. For more information or to arrange a media interview, please contact Julia Kenny on julia@niacro.co.uk or 028 9032 0157.