PBNI: Fresh Start Women's Project
Overview
The Fresh Start Panel Report on the Disbandment of Paramilitaries (2016) highlighted the extent to which certain disadvantaged areas across Northern Ireland continue to be under the influence of paramilitary groupings. The report recommends that greater support is needed to build the capacity of women in communities where paramilitary influence remains strong, stressing the “importance of the equal participation and full involvement of women in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security.”
PBNI invite submissions from organisations in the Community and Voluntary Sector who can demonstrate an ability to deliver projects/services that address the needs of women in the justice system, can demonstrate measurable outcomes, and have a regional reach into local communities.
The successful applicant will deliver the required service initially from 1st October 2017 – 31 March 2018, although there may be scope to extend for up to a further three years depending on performance and availability of funding.
The grant award for this service will be made on the basis of merit demonstrated by the content and quality of the submitted application.
Criteria
The successful bid should demonstrate that it can deliver a measureable outcome to women leaving the justice system to ensure they are equipped with the resilience to:
- withstand the pressure of paramilitary influence when they return to their communities;
- play a positive and active role within their communities; and
- be a positive influence on their children in supporting them away from paramilitary influence.
The programme will deliver these through:
- Increased confidence and self-worth amongst the women;
- Increased understanding of the role of parenting through enhanced participation in family visits and parenting support;
- Successful reintegration back into their communities through engagement with local community groups/women’s centres;
- Reduced risk of reoffending and a reduction in first-time entrants to the criminal justice system;
- Understand the importance of their role as women and mothers within their families and communities, and the impact their involvement with the Criminal Justice System has had;
- Address the underlying factors which have ultimately led to them becoming involved in offending behaviour and ending up in the Criminal Justice System – research shows that women in custody are more likely have been victims of violence and abuse (Corston, 2008);
- Equip them with the skillset and techniques they need to successfully reintegrate back into their communities and take on a positive role; and
- Enable those who are already mothers, those who decide to become mothers, and those with children in their wider family circle to support and encourage their children away from becoming involved in paramilitarism, or paramilitary-organised activity such as rioting.
Further detail is set out in the application form