RECONNECT Worker- Bedfordshire & Milton Keynes – Bedfordshire
Permanent26,000
Were looking for a passionate and proactive RECONNECT Worker to join our team working across Bedfordshire & Milton Keynes on a full-time basis (35 hours per week).
This role is based across HMP Bedford, HMP Woodhill and Yarls Wood IRC, with some remote working included. A full UK driving licence and access to your own vehicle is essential.
This is an opportunity to make a genuine difference to people leaving custody by helping them access the healthcare, wellbeing and community support they need to successfully rebuild their lives. Youll provide tailored, person-centred support both before and after release, ensuring service users are connected into the right services at the right time.
What Youll Be Doing
- Managing referrals and carrying out in-depth assessments
- Creating bespoke care and support plans centred around individual needs
- Supporting service users for up to 6 months post-release
- Building strong partnerships with prisons, healthcare teams and community agencies
- Helping individuals access healthcare, housing, wellbeing and recovery services
- Maintaining accurate case records and outcome reporting
- Identifying safeguarding concerns and escalating where appropriate
- Working collaboratively with colleagues, mentors and peer supporters to deliver a high-quality service
What Were Looking For
Were seeking someone who is:
- Compassionate, resilient and highly organised
- Confident working with vulnerable or hard-to-engage individuals
- Experienced in support work, criminal justice, healthcare, recovery or community services
- Able to manage competing priorities and work independently
- Skilled at building positive relationships with stakeholders and partner agencies
- Committed to improving outcomes for people leaving prison
This is more than a job; its an opportunity to help break the cycle of crime and support lasting positive change. Youll join a supportive team environment where collaboration, wellbeing and professional development are genuinely valued.
If youre ready to make an impact and help people reconnect with the support they need, wed love to hear from you.
Please see attached Job Description for full details
All prison-based roles are subject to enhanced DBS checks and HMPPS security vetting. These checks can take up to 5 months to complete. Any offer of employment will be conditional upon the successful completion of both checks.
Please note if you have lived overseas within the last 5 years then checks may take longer.
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
- BHSF 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)
Please note that we may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.
Diversity at Forward Trust
The Forward Trust commits to providing opportunities to everyone. We want to ensure we have a diverse team with a range of lived and professional experiences. This includes those with Lived Experience of addiction, offending, or homelessness.Some of our roles may require a minimum period of sustained recovery (normally around3years). This is assessed on a case-by-case basis, and exceptions may be considered depending on the role and individual circumstances.
When we recruit, we welcome applications from everyone. This is inclusive of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion and/or belief, marriage and civil partnerships, pregnancy and maternity and socio-economic background. Where operationally possible, we will consider flexible working requests and make reasonable adjustments for all roles.
To find out more about Forwards commitment to being an inclusive employer and our current EDI strategy clickhere.
We want our recruitment process to be accessible to everyone. If you require any reasonable adjustments at any stage, please let us know.
Employee Screening and Eligibility to Work
Dependent on role you may be required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service Check, details of which will be shared with you at interview.
If successful in your application, you will be required to provide eligibility to work evidence in line with the Eligibility to Work in the UK requirements.
Our Commitment to Safeguarding We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and adults at risk. Forward Trust follow safer recruitment practices and support a culture of openness and accountability.
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