Rachel Cass's blog

IARS responded to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) national consultation on the rights of victims and witnesses. As an expert in restorative justice and human rights, IARS' response focused on these two fields of practice. Our cover letter to Hon Ken Clarke, Justice Minister, is found below.

Dear Minister,

The fourth annual event of Charlton Athletic Community Trust's (CACT) Street Violence Ruins Lives Campaign - which educates young people about street violence and the dangers of carrying weapons - was held on Saturday 31st March. The event marked the announcement of the winner of IARS' first 99% Campaign Award.

Many people turned up to the event, including Mayer of Bexley Ray Sams, CAFC Chaplain Matt Baker, Police Borough Commanders from Greenwich, Bexley and Merton and Tom Storey and Guy Jackson from REDS10 and Patrons of the Crime Reduction programme. The event was also attended by Sally Knox, Isaac Attram and George and Debbie Kinsella who have all lost their sons to street violence.

The youth-led 99% Campaign, which challenges negative stereotypes of young people in London, is pleased to announce that on 31 March 2012, Vincent Sam, aged 17 from Thamesmead, will be awarded the 99% Campaign Award for Positive Contribution to the Local Community at the 4^th annual event of The Street Violence Ruins Lives Campaign.

Vincent is one of the outstanding graduates of the 2011 Charlton Athletic Community Trust National Citizens Service (NCS). After running several projects for his community he became a Young Advisor.

IARS and Catalyst - a consoritum of youth organisations working with the Department for Education (DfE) - have put together a response to the Big Lottery Fund's Consultation on Building Impact and Legacy for the Voluntary Sector.

In response to London Councils Grants Consultation 2013/15, IARS have written to Mark Brangwyn Head of Grants at London Councils, to highlight the key issues raised in our consultation response:

Dear Mr. Brangwyn,

RE: LONDON COUNCILS GRANTS CONSULTATION 2013/15

Thank you for the opportunity to feed into the London Councils’ grants consultation 2013/15. As a major player in London’s youth policy and voice sector, IARS wishes to highlight a few key factors which we feel need to be considered. We hope you find our attached response useful. This has been put together having considered evidence from London’s young people and organisations serving them.

ACEVO's Commission for Youth Unemployment has published their report on youth unemployment in Britain, drawing on the results of the consultation they carried out into this issue in 2011.

The Runnymede Trust have published a new report entitled 'Criminal Justice v. Racial Justice; Minority ethnic overrepresentation in the criminal justice system'. The report includes a number of papers which address the scope of racial inequality in the criminal justice system as well as the range of solutions available to address this problem.

Following IARS' publication Restorative Justice and the Secure Estate: Alternatives for Young People' Crispin Blunt, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Ministry of Justice, writes to IARS.

IARS has drawn on the voices of young Londoners to submit a joint response with StopWatch to the Home Office's

IARS young people welcome the Government’s Positive for Youth