Sova to provide support to sex offenders in Merseyside

Sova forms part of the Circles UK Consortium Big Lottery Award for Community Sex Offender Programme.
 
Hot off the press! The Circles UK Consortium has just been awarded Big Lottery Funding for a new Community Sex Offender Programme.  The Circles UK Consortium consists of Sova, Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT), Safer Living Foundation (SLF), Yorkshire and Humber Circles, and the Cumbria Reducing Offending Partnership Trust (CROPT). The unique evidence based method for reducing child sexual abuse has gained a massive boost thanks to the £2 million grant from the Big Lottery Fund, over a 5 year period.  
 
Sova's Chief Operating Officer, Sophie Wilson says “we are delighted to be contributing to creating a safer community in Merseyside as part of the Circles UK consortium.  Using the expertise of Circles UK model, we will ensure that service users with a sexual conviction are encouraged away from harming any further children.”
 
As a member of the consortium, Sova will be recruiting and training volunteers to deliver support to high risk sex offenders in Merseyside – a new region for Sova.  We will be working together with Circles UK and the National Probation Service to support and monitor sex offenders leaving prison, ensuring that individuals are accountable for their actions.  We aim to help service users maintain their treatment objectives and license conditions with the aim of successfully reintegrating into the community safely and positively.
 
A group of trained volunteers will work to rigorous national standards approved by the Ministry of Justice to offer support for up to 18 months, providing a unique, supportive and accountable social network to counteract the isolation and alienation that many people with a sexual conviction face.
 
Sova will be bringing our experience and expertise of managing volunteers and supporting people with complex needs, including sexual offending behaviour from both prison and community settings.