Community Probation & Psychological Services (CPPS) has funding available to approved agencies supervising community work offenders. The following information is for existing agencies and for organisations considering becoming agencies.
About community work
Community work is one of the community-based sentences that CPPS manages. It requires offenders to complete a set number of hours unpaid work that benefits the community.
Community work can be done in groups supervised by CPPS staff or through individual placement with a community group acting as an agency. (The law defines an agency for community work purposes.)
CPPS supports a wide range of projects for community work offenders and encourages a diverse range of agency placements to match the different skills and abilities of offenders.
A small amount of funding has been made available to help approved agencies offer more placements for community work offenders.
What is the funding for?
This funding is to support agencies that sponsor community work offenders on agency placement projects, with the view to expanding placements and assisting with work projects that are undertaken by offenders.
Applications can be made for such items as overalls, cleaning supplies, tools, equipment and other items used by offenders working for the agency.
An agency may also apply for funding toward a special project, or hire equipment that can be used by offenders during their work placement.
For agencies that provide transport for offenders, or that have staff who incur travel costs to supervise agency offenders, the agency can apply for petrol vouchers to assist with this cost.
How to apply
Agencies who want to apply for funding can obtain a Community Work Funding Application form from their nearest CPPS service centre or download it from the website (Microsoft Word document - 622KB).
Applications can be made at any time directly to the CPPS Area Manager for your community.
Contact details for your nearest area office can be provided by your nearest CPPS service centre or on the Corrections website.
Completing your application
The information needed in each application will depend on what resources are sought. Each application must include:
Tools and equipment
Where the agency is requesting tools, equipment, overalls, high-visibility vests, cleaning products and other supplies, the agency will need to provide details about the:
Monetary grants
Where an agency is applying for a monetary grant to go towards a big project or is seeking funds for hire equipment, the agency must outline:
Fuel
Agencies who are applying for petrol vouchers will need to include in their application details of the total distance travelled, vehicle size and number of people transported.
Not included
CPPS will not fund heavy hire or specialist equipment, or equipment that may jeopardize the safety and wellbeing of offenders as detailed in the OSH and Health and Safety regulations.