Peer Supporter Coordinator- HMP Send and HMP Coldingley

Location: Bisley, Woking

Salary: £12,000 per annum plus benefits

Vacancy Type: Permanent, Part Time

We are recruiting for a Peer Supporter Coordinator at HMP Send and HMP Coldingley.

Here at Forward Trust, we deliver a complex range of drug and alcohol services in the unique prison environment. Our support includes providing advice, health and wellbeing, motivational work, clinical services, and a wider range of group work and treatment programmes.

The Forward Trust services which are delivered within prison settings are commissioned by NHS England and are delivered in partnership with primary healthcare providers and HMPPS. Integration and partnership are integral to the work we do.

We believe that everyone can live a fulfilling life, whatever their past. Our work in prisons aims to support those affected by drug or alcohol issues to create lasting change and reduce dependency, homelessness, unemployment and re-offending."

Role Responsibilities

Working within an integrated healthcare framework to provide support to drug and alcohol users aged 18 and over, the Integrated Substance Misuse Service is designed to deliver a combination of clinical, Psychosocial Substance Misuse and Health and Wellbeing Interventions and Accredited Treatment Programmes for offenders coming into prison that are identified as having an alcohol or drug problem.

As a Peer Coordinator you will support the team and the prison to champion the integrated service and train service users to become peer supporters who deliver peer-led interventions and become peer supporters across all wings of the prison. You will also support and develop Health & Wellbeing Champions within the prisons. Their roles will be to motivate and encourage clients to start taking greater responsibility for their health and wellbeing whilst in custody, and they will discuss and share the issues which they are concerned about by signposting and supporting them to the relevant services within the prison, and with agreement from the prison deliver interventions to other peers.

The role is vital in improving the links between the integrated service and the service users within the prison. This role will be based on site working as part of the wider substance misuse services team. The role will operate over multiple prisons which may include HMP Bronzefield, HMP Send and HMP Coldingley therefore travel will be required. Flexibility will be required in this role and may include some evening/weekend shift working on rota basis and with reasonable notice.

Please note the location of the Prison is hard to get to via public transport so a car driver is preferred and this is a part time contract of 17.5 hours.

The Ideal Candidate

Please see a list of skills and experience needed for this role below;

Essential

• Ability to develop, coordinate and deliver the training on a peer support programme
• Experience of delivering structured interventions to service user
• Experience of facilitating groups
• Good organisational and communication skills
• A strong personality, including the ability to set and stick to professional boundaries
• Understanding of, and commitment to, the principles of equal opportunity and client confidentiality
• Ability to work effectively with key partners in order to successfully deliver projects
• Experience of communicating with people from a range of backgrounds in a sensitive and supportive way
• Commitment to the process of recovery from addiction and ability to work with a non-judgemental approach

Desirable

• Experience of working within a secure setting
• Knowledge of the key issues relevant to field of substance misuse and /or criminal justice
• Knowledge of recovery approaches and/or national substance misuse service agenda/frameworks
• Relevant experience in the criminal justice sector
• Experience of working within the substance misuse services

About Us

We are The Forward Trust, the social enterprise with charitable status that empowers people to break the often interlinked cycles of crime and addiction to move forward with their lives. For more than 25 years we have been working with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past. We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands of people to make positive changes and build productive lives with a job, family, friends and a sense of community.

We are committed to our cause and the work we carry out as a charity. Equally the wellbeing and the employees who work for us are also important. Joining us an employee, we will offer you the following benefits -

• • Flexible working
  • Training and development opportunities
  • Simply Health Cashback Scheme (optional)
  • Season Ticket Loan Scheme
  • Cycle to work scheme
  • Crisis Loan Scheme
  • Electric Car Scheme
  • 3 x Wellbeing Days (pro rata'd for part time employees)
  • Access to Blue Light Card
  • 25 days (rising to 30 with length of service) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays
  • Contributory Pension Scheme - Employer matched contributions of up to 6% in the first two years’ service and up to 9% thereafter
  • Death in Service Payment (2x annual salary)
  • Critical Illness Insurance (subject to qualifying criteria)

  To Apply

  If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for the Forward Trust, please click apply to be redirected to their website to complete your application.