The Centre for Social Justice is an independent, not-for-profit thinktank

Think tank

A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...

 set up by the Rt. Hon Iain Duncan Smith

Iain Duncan Smith

George Iain Duncan Smith is a British Conservative politician. He is currently the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and was previously leader of the Conservative Party from September 2001 to October 2003...

 MP, to advance the education of the public in the subject of social justice

Social justice

Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...

 and to promote the role of the voluntary sector. The CSJ involves figures from across the political spectrum in its governance structure, research and events, such as Labour

Labour Party (UK)

The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...

 politicians Rt Hon Frank Field

Frank Field (UK politician)

Frank Ernest Field DL is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Birkenhead since 1979. From 1997 to 1998, he served as the Minister of Welfare Reform, before leaving the Government, following differences with Prime Minister Tony Blair...

 MP, Lord Reid of Cardowan (John Reid

John Reid (politician)

John Reid, Baron Reid of Cardowan, PC is a British politician, who served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament and cabinet minister under Tony Blair, most notably as Defence Secretary and then Home Secretary...

), and Rt Hon David Blunkett

David Blunkett

David Blunkett is a British Labour Party politician and the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, having represented Sheffield Brightside from 1987 to 2010...

 MP, and Liberal Democrat

Liberal Democrats

The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...

 politicians Menzies Campbell

Menzies Campbell

Sir Walter Menzies "Ming" Campbell, CBE, QC, MP is a British Liberal Democrat politician and advocate, and a retired sprinter. He is the Member of Parliament for North East Fife, and was the Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 2 March 2006 until 15 October 2007.Campbell held the British record...

 MP and Rt Hon Charles Kennedy

Charles Kennedy

Charles Peter Kennedy is a British Liberal Democrat politician, who led the Liberal Democrats from 9 August 1999 until 7 January 2006 and is currently a Member of Parliament for the Ross, Skye and Lochaber constituency....

 MP.

Activities

• The Centre for Social Justice conducts social research to provide evidence and solutions that will help to overcome the causes of poverty and to promote social justice. Their research uses a wide range of methods and draws on the expertise of academics, practitioners, CSJ Alliance members, the voluntary sector and the general public.

• The CSJ holds an annual awards ceremony, the CSJ Awards
  CSJ Awards
  The CSJ Awards are an annual event organised by the Centre for Social Justice, a centre right British political thinktank, where grants are awarded to organisations working in the field of poverty relief. In 2009 a Channel 4 documentary series was made by filmmaker and TV presenter Sadie Kaye about...
  
  , to recognise, reward and celebrate grassroots organisations making an exceptional contribution to tackling poverty. For the 2010 Awards a prize fund of £70,000 was available. The 2011 CSJ Awards will be hosted in July 2011. A short Channel 4
  Channel 4
  Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
  
   documentary series about the work of the CSJ and its 2008 awards winners was made by TV presenter & filmmaker Sadie Kaye
  Sadie Kaye
  Sadie Kaye is a comedic TV performer , documentary filmmaker and social entrepreneur. Raised in Hong Kong, she was a performer with the Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation , before reading History at Cambridge University, where her friends included Sacha Baron Cohen and Claudia Winkleman...
  
   in 2009.

• 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. Over 20 MPs have taken up the placement programme.

Publications

The CSJ has published works on family, welfare reform, criminal justice, educational reform, gang culture and children's welfare. They maintain a list on their website of these.

Policy

The CSJ has published policy on the following areas:

• Addiction
• Asylum
• Children in Care
• Community Cohesion
• Criminal Justice: Police Reform
• Criminal Justice: Courts and Sentencing
• Criminal Justice: Prison Reform
• Criminal Justice: Youth and Gang Crime
• Criminal Justice: Youth Justice
• Debt
• Education
• Early Years Commission
• Economic Dependency and Unemployment
• Family Breakdown
• Family Law Review
• Gambling
• Looked After Children
• Mental Health
• Older Age
• Social Housing
• Social Return on Investment
• Sport
• Voluntary Sector

People

Board of Directors

• Mark Florman, Chairman
• Louise Hobbs
• Ryan Robson
• Sam Clarke (Company Secretary)

Advisory Council

CHAIRMEN

• Rt Hon David Blunkett
  David Blunkett
  David Blunkett is a British Labour Party politician and the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, having represented Sheffield Brightside from 1987 to 2010...
  
   MP, Co-Chairman of the CSJ Advisory Council
• Philippa Stroud, Co-Chairman of the CSJ Advisory Council

MEMBERS

• Tom Attwood, Managing Director, ICG plc
• Camila Batmanghelidjh
  Camila Batmanghelidjh
  Camila Batmanghelidjh is a British businesswoman, charity leader and author of Iranian and Belgian origin. She has been living in England since the age of 11 and founded two charities - the place2b and Kids Company where she and her team care for 14,000 vulnerable children and young people in London...
  
  , CEO, Kids Company
  Kids Company
  Kids Company is a charity organisation that works with young ex-offenders and disadvantaged children through inner-city schools in London, a drop-in centre in Camberwell, and the Urban Academy in Southwark...
  
  
• Johan Eliasch
  Johan Eliasch
  Johan Eliasch, born in Sweden in 1962, is the Chairman and CEO of Head N.V., the global sporting goods group, and is the former Special Representative of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom....
  
  , Chairman and Chief Exec, Head N.V ; Chairman, Cool Earth; Prime Minister's Special representative on deforestation and clean energy
• Rt Hon Frank Field MP, Member of Parliament for Birkenhead (Labour)
• Rt Hon William Hague
  William Hague
  William Jefferson Hague is the British Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State. He served as Leader of the Conservative Party from June 1997 to September 2001...
  
   MP, Foreign Secretary, former leader of the Conservative Party, Member of Parliament for Richmond, Yorkshire (Conservative)
• Robert H Halfon MP, Member of Parliament for Harlow (Conservative)
• Gaby Hinsliff, Former Political Editor of The Observer
• Syed Kamall
  Syed Kamall
  Dr Syed Salah Kamall is a British Conservative Party politician, Member of the European Parliament for London.Kamall was born and brought up in London. He is married with two children. He was educated at The Latymer School, Edmonton...
  
   MEP, Co-founder of Global Business Research institute, MEP for London (Conservative)
• Fraser Nelson, Editor The Spectator
• Paul Marshall
  Paul Marshall
  Paul Marshall may refer to:*Paul Marshall , British financier and philanthropist*Paul Marshall , English footballer*Paul Marshall , Irish rugby union footballer...
  
  , Chairman of Management Committee of Centre Forum; Adviser to Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Liberal Democrat Party
• Malcolm Offord, Partner, Charterhouse
• Patrick Regan, CEO of youth charity XLP
• Sir Kevin Tebbit
  Kevin Tebbit
  Sir Kevin Reginald Tebbit, KCB CMG ) is a former British civil servant.-Career:He was educated at the Cambridgeshire High School for Boys and St John's College, Cambridge. From January to July 1998, Tebbit was director of GCHQ...
  
  , Former Director of GCHQ and former Permanent Under Secretary of the Ministry of Defence
• Her Grace the Duchess of Westminster

Staff

• Gavin Poole, Executive Director
• Dr Jeffrey Bailey, Deputy Director
• Cara Usher-Smith, Director of Business Development
• Christian Guy, Director of Policy
• Juliette Ash, External Affairs Director
• Dr Samantha Callan, Chairman in Residence
• Zoe Briance, CSJ Awards and CSJ Alliance Manager

Working Group Chairmen

• Dr Jeff Bailey
• Dr Stephen Brien
• Dr Samantha Callan
• Michael de Giorgio
• Sara McKee
• Mike Royal
• Andrew Wallis

Awards

• The CSJ won Prospect Magazine Think Tank of the Year 2009
• The CSJ won Prospect Magazine Best Publication of the Year 2008

See also

• Addaction
  Addaction
  Addaction is a British charity founded in 1967 and working with people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. The charity works extensively throughout England and Scotland, with administrative base in Farringdon, central London.- Beginnings :...
  
  
• Broken Britain
  Broken Britain
  Broken Britain is a term which has been used in The Sun newspaper, and by the Conservative Party to describe a perceived widespread state of social decay in Britain...
  
  
• Centre for Crime and Justice Studies
  Centre for Crime and Justice Studies
  The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies is a charity based in the United Kingdom focusing on crime and the criminal justice system. It seeks to bring together people involved in criminal justice through various means, including publications, conferences, and courses.The Centre was established in...
  
  
• Centre for Mental Health
• Howard League for Penal Reform
  Howard League for Penal Reform
  The Howard League for Penal Reform is a London-based registered charity in the United Kingdom. It is the oldest penal reform organisation in the world, named after John Howard. Founded in 1866 as the Howard Association, a merger with the Penal Reform League in 1921 created the Howard League for...
  
  
• Nacro
  Nacro
  Nacro is a registered criminal justice charity operating in England and Wales. It is not formally linked with Sacro in Scotland or NIACRO in Northern Ireland.-History:...
  
  
• Prison Reform Trust
  Prison Reform Trust
  The Prison Reform Trust was founded in 1981 in London, England by a small group of prison reform campaigners who were unhappy with the direction in which the Howard League for Penal Reform was heading, concentrating more on community punishments than on traditional prison reform issues...
  
  
• Revolving Doors Agency
  Revolving Doors Agency
  The Revolving Doors Agency , also known as Revolving Doors, is a charitable organisation in the United Kingdom which works across England and Wales...
  
  

External links

• Centre for Social Justice website.