Amy’s Message 14th January 2022

Happy New Year to you all and a big thank you again to everyone who worked during the Christmas period to keep delivering frontline services – I know this will also have been hugely appreciated by lots of vulnerable people across our communities. Congratulations to all HMPPS and partnership recipients of the Queen’s New Years Honours List 2022 and the Butler Trust Awards including our very deserving Probation winners – Al Reid, Kathryn Munson, Lilian Malama and Vicky Walton – I am really proud of you all.

Nominations have now opened for this year’s Prison and Probation Awards, another opportunity for you to nominate your brilliant colleagues to be recognised for their work.  You have until 23 February to get your nominations in via your PDU Head or your Head of Service so please do get involved – find out more here.

Unfortunately we start the year continuing to respond to COVID in our personal and professional lives.  We have had to reinstate Exceptional Delivery Models for some of our work in England and Wales as a temporary measure but we are keeping this under close review.  There have been lots of developments with staff testing during recent weeks so please do make sure you understand how testing applies to you and your workplace – you can find out more in this week’s Probation News. Finally please can I continue to encourage you to take up the COVID vaccination and booster when this is offered to you – this remains our primary defence against the virus so do get yours and please remember to record this on SOP.

Notwithstanding the ongoing challenges of COVID, there are also positive updates to share with you as we begin 2022.  We have commenced a big recruitment campaign this week to employ  500 new Community Payback staff.  These roles help us make a huge difference to communities and support people to make positive changes to their lives. If you know people who may be interested please let them know we are looking.  Details can be found  here.

Staying with recruitment, January also sees the launch of the PQIP 12 recruitment campaign – for trainee Probation Officers.  We have three strands to this month’s campaign starting with applications for the PSO progression route which is live now and closes on the 16 January.  Applications for other internal MoJ colleagues open on 17 January and the external campaign opens on 31 January – find out more about all the routes and how to apply on the Probation Hub.

Kim Thornden-Edwards and team are making good progress with the Prioritising Probation work which we launched last month to look at practical ways in which pressure on front line staff can be reduced. You can read an update from Kim on the work here.

Finally, looking ahead to February, it is LGBT+ History month.  The Pride in Prisons and Probation staff network together with NOVUS have been working on a collective outcome for the month focusing on the theme of belonging.  This has included an Art Project for which they have had some excellent responses from people in probation and in prisons, but they would also like to include your thoughts on the theme which will take the form of postcards in the final collection. If you would like to share a few words on what ‘Belonging and Inclusion’ mean to you then please send your thoughts to pipp_hmpps@justice.gov.uk (please let them know when sending your email if you would like your name included in the postcard or whether you would prefer to remain anonymous.)

There will be lots of events and other opportunities coming up during February for you to celebrate the rich history of our LGBT+ community so please look out for more information coming soon.

Thank you as ever for all you are doing

Amy