Centre for Social Justice

The Centre for Social Justice is a centre right British political thinktank set up by Iain Duncan Smith, a former leader of the Conservative Party to concentrate on finding and supporting new and innovative grass-roots approaches to fighting poverty. Though set up and run by prominent Conservatives, the CSJ has also worked with figures from other parties, such as Labour MP Frank Field MP, former Labour Minister of Welfare Reform between 1997-1998, lending it credibility as a cross-party body.

Activities

* The CSJ holds an annual awards ceremony, the CSJ Awards, to recognise, reward and celebrate grassroots organisations making an exceptional contribution to tackling poverty. For the 2008 Awards a prize fund of £50,000 is available.

* The CSJ Alliance, launched in June 2005, provides a forum where established organisations in the field of poverty relief can work together to build long-term relationships with each other, and to provide an expert voice for politicians to be able to 'tap into' the relevant fields of expertise.

* The Inner City Challenge places MPs with a charity or voluntary group for a 4-day placement, giving them first hand experience of effective community work

* Works published by the CSJ include 'Whatever Happened to Compassionate Conservatism?' (2004) by Tim Montgomerie, and 'Good For Me, Good For My Neighbour' (2005) by Iain Duncan Smith and Danny Kruger, 'Breakthrough Manchester' (2007), 'Breakthrough Birmingham' (2007),'Breakthrough Glasgow'(2008), 'Breakthrough London' (2008), 'Fathers Not Included' (2008).

* The Griffiths Commission on Personal Debt, launched by Oliver Letwin in 2005, was supported and championed by CSJ. CSJ staff were seconded to the Commission

* The [http://www.effectivegiving.co.uk www.effectivegiving.co.uk] website was launched by CSJ to showcase worthy organisations for potential donors

* The CSJ hosted the Secretariat of the Social Justice Policy Group, which was commissioned by Conservative Party leader David Cameron in January 2006 to conduct research and formulate policy on Britain's social problems, including addiction, debt, economic dependency, educational failure, and family breakdown. The Policy Group's interim report [http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/default.asp?pageRef=236 Breakdown Britain] was published in December 2006 and its final report [http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/default.asp?pageRef=226 Breakthrough Britain] contained 192 policy recommendations published in July 2007. [ [http://www.povertydebate.com poverty debate ] ]

Policy

The CSJ currently has the following Working Groups due to report in 2008 and 2009:
* Asylum
* Criminal Justice: Police Reform
* Criminal Justice: Courts and Sentencing
* Criminal Justice: Prison Reform
* Criminal Justice: Youth and Gang Crime
* Early Years Commission
* Economic Dependency and Worklessness
* Family Law Review
* Housing
* Looked After Children

This builds on the following areas of policy expertise:
* Educational Failure
* Addiction
* Gambling
* Family Breakdown
* Debt
* Voluntary Sector

People

Advisory Board

* Iain Duncan Smith (Chairman), former leader of the Conservative Party
* Rt Hon William Hague MP, former leader of the Conservative Party
* Lord Bruce-Lockhart, Chairman of the Local Government Association
* Johan Eliasch
* Mark Florman, International Care and Relief
* Robert H Halfon
* Rt Hon Oliver Letwin MP
* David Willetts MP

Staff

* Philippa Stroud (Executive Director)
* Cameron Watt, Deputy Director
* Chris Bullivant, Projects Director
* Juliette Ash, Alliance Director

Working Group Chairmen

* Jonathan Aitken
* Simon Antrobus
* Dr Stephen Brien
* Dr Samantha Callan
* Kate Davies
* Martin Howe QC
* Ray Mallon
* Julian Prior
* Ryan Robson

References

Philippa Stroud (Executive Director)

External links

* [http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk Centre for Social Justice] website.
* [http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=people.person.page&personid=5015 Conservative Party - Iain Duncan Smith] profile
* [http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/default.asp?pageRef=236 Breakdown Britain] , December 2006
* [http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/default.asp?pageRef=226 Breakthrough Britain] , July 2007