Cash will fund pilot project
A charity supporting people who have had experience of the criminal justice system has secured vital funding from the lottery.
The National Lottery Community Fund has awarded over £35,000 for Next Chapter Scotland to undertake a 12-month pilot project.
The pilot, which will launch in September, will enable the charity to listen to the experiences of a broad range of individuals to develop an evidence base to demonstrate the extent to which people across Scotland are facing stigma and discrimination as a result of their involvement with the criminal justice system.
The funding will also enable the creation of a piece of training to help people to defend their rights when their rights have been violated. It will be the only training of its kind in Scotland, specifically tailored to the needs of people who have been involved with the criminal justice system.
Next Chapter’s founder, Eppie Sprung, said: “Secure employment, a stable home, a supportive social network and access to appropriate health care are all factors that make re-offending less likely but they are also things that are much more difficult to achieve once someone has a criminal record.
“We know that people face stigma and discrimination every day as a result of their criminal record and we want to be able to tackle those challenges head on.
"However, given that one in three men and one in 10 women in Scotland have a criminal record, we need to hear the experiences of as many people as possible to be sure that we’re taking on the challenges that most affect people.
“This project will allow us to listen to the experiences of people right across Scotland and identify the most prevalent challenges.
“We want to hear from as many people as possible so that, when we do ultimately try to tackle the stigma and discrimination people are facing, we are doing so with a collective voice; echoing the experiences of the many, rather than just a few.
“Furthermore, the training we will develop will help people to self-advocate and defend their human and other legislative rights when those rights are violated.”
Alongside this pilot project, Next Chapter Scotland has also launched a support helpline to provide non-judgmental, personalised support to people who are facing challenges in relation to their own or a loved one’s criminal record.
The helpline is able to provide information, support and signposting on every aspect of life that’s impacted on by involvement with the criminal justice system.
