The Power Of The Collective – My Reflections On The NWJC’s Work

It was a privilege to spend the start of the year on a project that required me to conduct a deep dive into existing evidence-based resources to support the launch of the NWJC’s new Resource Library, and to then source and catalogue the very latest reports and research on supporting women and girls in contact with the criminal justice system (CJS).

One of the primary purposes of the NWJC Resource Library is to make it easier for women’s organisations and the wider sector to find and cite existing evidence that helps to strengthen collective arguments for community-based alternatives to prison.

Using the Resource Library as the basis for my research, I was then asked to consolidate the collective wisdom of women’s organisations into a series of briefing papers to support the NWJC’s shared messaging on how women’s centres work and why women’s specialist services need sustainable funding; how women in contact with the criminal justice system experience disadvantage and inequality; and why partnership working and a Whole Systems Approach is vital to supporting women effectively.

Amplifying a collective voice
The NWJC was originally established in 2021 to elevate and strengthen the voice of specialist women’s organisations and women’s centres working with women in contact with the criminal justice system. As of May 2024, the coalition has 26 partner organisations, each expertly supporting women in a gender and trauma informed way.

As the coalition’s Development Manager, Abbi Ayers is laser focused on helping to strengthen the coalition’s impact and influence and has project managed the launch of the Resource Library, the publication of the first set of NWJC briefing papers, the design and development of the Women’s Services Map and the establishment of the NWJC’s Voice & Advisory Panel. All of these projects have provided practical ways for the coalition to create impact and drive improvements for the way criminal justice involved women are supported and understood.

I have no doubt that NWJC’s investment in projects like these will help wider women’s organisations to attract funding, increase their influencing and campaigning reach, and improve services for more women and girls.

Collaborating with heart
In the world of advocacy and activism, the power of coalitions cannot be overstated. One of my absolute highlights of this work has been learning more about the collaboration taking place in the women’s sector. Such collaboration not only takes place within women’s centres and specialist services to provide women with the wrap-around support they need to remove themselves from damaging situations and cycles of reoffending, but it is also prevalent and good practice within alliances and coalitions like the NWJC.

It has been fascinating to see feminist leadership in action and examples of women choosing to do things differently, using and embedding principles of collaboration in the face of a very challenging social and political climate.

Centring women’s experiences
The NWJC has done a brilliant job of establishing its National Voice and Advisory Panel, and panel members shared their thoughts and reflections for each of the briefing papers we developed in the What women tell us sections. There is nothing more powerful than a firsthand account, opinion or perspective, informed by an authentic lived experience, particularly when such voices can speak for marginalised or underrepresented groups.

Including the voices of those with lived experience in each of the NWJC briefing papers provided refreshing clarity and insight and reduced the risk and temptation to default to jargon and repetition. To that end, I’d encourage you to read Lilly Lewis’s blog on why women’s centres work.

In conclusion…
Supporting the NWJC has been a dream role for me. Collaborating to achieve more gives me so much hope! In a social climate defined by complex challenges, the coalition’s work proves that harnessing the strength of diverse and collective voices and amplifying a series of shared messages has the potential to drive the transformational and systemic change we need to see within the women’s sector.