Justice Futures

??New blog alert! We were excited to partner with T2A - Transition to Adulthood and Barrow Cadbury Trust recently at the Systems Innovation global conference to explore using system change approaches to fund and tackle complex issues in the justice system. We held an 18th 'birthday party' for attendees and led a guided visualisation to help them reflect on their own transition to adulthood. Nadine Smith then highlighted the distinct needs and potential of young adults in the criminal justice system and we facilitated an actor mapping empathy exercise to consider key stakeholders' power, values, incentives and mental models. We explored what is needed to invest meaningfully in system-change work, discussing findings from the Institute For Voluntary Action Research's report on Barrow Cadbury's long-term, adaptive and collaborative approach as a 'system change partner'. Attendees shared several examples of other funders also embracing complexity and shifting power dynamics with grantees, which was great to hear. If you have other examples, please let us know! Read more in our blog below: Gemma Buckland Anita Dockley Nina Champion Shona Minson Debbie Pippard Laurie Hunte Sara Llewellin Joss Colchester Diana Ruthven https://lnkd.in/e2HXgMgK

We have been working with Harry Annison and Dr Kate Paradine at University of Southampton Law School to think about how systems approaches can be used to develop the ideas in their Growing Hope and Power research into tangible and practical actions. Our article in The Magistrates' Association's magazine describes how we might do this and suggests that practitioners, in this case magistrates, might start to see, think and do things differently to deliver justice. Please take a read and let us know if you want to learn more about our work! Anita Dockley Gemma Buckland Nina Champion One Small Thing

This time last week I was at the thought-provoking Systems Innovation Network Global Conference. I've penned a few reflections on embracing complexity from the talks and workshops I attended. The key themes were: The problem with 'problems and solutions' The journey of 'seeing' systems 'Complexity literacy' Incremental improvements v. incremental transformations Moving mindsets Hope & imagination Many thanks to the inspiring speakers and facilitators I mentioned in this article: Joss Colchester, John Mortimer, Zeynep Falay von Flittner, Jen Jeng, Tom Inns, Kate Wolfenden & Josiane Smith. I look forward to putting all I'm learning about embracing complexity into practice with Justice Futures - launching officially later this year - along with Gemma Buckland and Anita Dockley.

This time last week I was at the thought-provoking Systems Innovation Network Global Conference. I've penned a few reflections on embracing complexity from the talks and workshops I attended. The key themes were: The problem with 'problems and solutions' The journey of 'seeing' systems 'Complexity literacy' Incremental improvements v. incremental transformations Moving mindsets Hope & imagination Many thanks to the inspiring speakers and facilitators I mentioned in this article: Joss Colchester, John Mortimer, Zeynep Falay von Flittner, Jen Jeng, Tom Inns, Kate Wolfenden & Josiane Smith. I look forward to putting all I'm learning about embracing complexity into practice with Justice Futures - launching officially later this year - along with Gemma Buckland and Anita Dockley.

Brilliant to be at the Systems Innovation Network conference yesterday facilitating a workshop exploring the complex issues of transition to adulthood in the justice system and funding systems change work over the long term. ? We started with a visualisation exercise remembering turning 18 .. key memories included: testing boundaries; feelings of overwhelm; yoyo of emotions; experimenting with responsibility and consequences; having undiagnosed mental health issues; and not yet feeling like 'an adult'. ?? Nadine Smith discussed the realities for young adults in the justice system during the crucial period of brain development and developing maturity, drawing on her work at Leaders Unlocked, supported by T2A - Transition to Adulthood, putting young people with lived experience at the centre of influencing systemic change. ?? We then did some actor mapping, thinking about the values, incentives, mental models and power of different stakeholders in the justice system including young adults, policymakers, practitioners, sentencers and funders. As one attendee said ‘one of the most powerful exercises you can do is to step into other people’s shoes in the system.’ ?? We ended by using the Two Loops Model to explore shifting the paradigm from 'funders' to 'systems change partners' and shared some key lessons from the Barrow Cadbury Trust recent report on Funding Systems Change (https://bit.ly/3MAgaxL) ?? including: ‘Relationships have to be front and centre if you want to get system change.’ ‘Systems change efforts have too often neglected the expertise of people with lived experience of these systems. ‘A long-term view can absorb the ups and downs and the capacity to build relationships.’ ‘Working in and with complexity requires a different mindset and a different approach: dynamic, adaptive, emergent.’ ‘Funders need to make a conscious and sustained effort to shift the paradigm in their interactions with others – from oversight to partnership.’ Laurie Hunte explained how the Trust worked collaboratively with other funders like Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales and AB Charitable Trust to level the playing field and better support 'by and for' grassroots organisations working on racial justice issues. It was inspiring to hear from attendees about several global and UK funders shifting the paradigm towards taking a more systemic approach. Wonderful to see Shona Minson, a friendly criminal justice face, too! Lots of people from climate justice, health and other sectors. At Justice Futures we want to be a catalyst to spread systems thinking and tools across the criminal justice sector, helping better understand and tackle complex issues, such as meeting the distinct needs and strengths of young adults. Blog to follow, but thanks again Joss Colchester. We look forward to day two! Nina Champion Gemma Buckland Anita Dockley

Justice Futures is looking forward to working in partnership with T2A - Transition to Adulthood to deliver an interactive workshop at the sold-out Systems Innovation conference on Friday at The Foundry! We will be doing some actor mapping around the issues of young adulthood and criminal justice, supported by the brilliant Nadine Smith. We will also look at shifting the paradigm from funder to system change partner with Dame Sara Llewellin from Barrow Cadbury Trust who recently published the report 'Funding for Systems Change'. We can't wait to meet and network with other systems innovators across different sectors to exchange ideas and expertise. Many thanks Joss Colchester for the opportunity and all your hard work organising this unique gathering! Nina Champion, Gemma Buckland and Anita Dockley are the Co-Directors of Justice Futures Community Interest Company. We will officially launch our CIC and website this autumn - more details to follow!