Base pay range
Are you looking for a dynamic and rewarding role working for an organisation with the feminist agenda at the core of its ethos? Then Advance Charity could be the career choice for you!
We are looking for a Specialist Prison & Probation Advocate.
Salary: £27,000 - £29,000 (pro rata)
Location: HMP Bronzefield
Hours: 21 hours per week
Contract: Fixed Term – until 31st March 2027
This post is open to female applicants only as being female is deemed to be a genuine occupational requirement under Schedule 9, Paragraph 1 of the Equality Act 2010.
Please note: Any offer of employment will be made subject to references, confirmation of the right to work in the UK, and satisfactory enhanced DBS check. This role is also subject to Police Vetting.
About Us
Advance is an award-winning and innovative women-only organisation, established in 1998, providing emotional and practical support to women and girls survivors of domestic abuse and supporting women with short-term sentences to reduce offending. We act to empower women and girls to lead safe, non-violent, equal lives so that they can flourish and contribute to the community. We are a community-based organisation that leads in best practice approaches to supporting women in their local community, meeting and supporting women in local settings and at our women’s centres, and by working in close partnership with other agencies. Our values are to listen and support, empower and respect, collaborate, innovate, and be accountable.
About the role
The Advance Prison Advocate will support sentenced women facing imminent release from custody, providing pre-release support focused on Accommodation, Finance, debt & benefits, Family & significant others, and Social inclusion. The role includes developing a referral pathway with the Offender Management team within the prison, working in partnership with existing service providers, co-designing a person-centred support and action plan, and delivering through-the-gate support. It combines casework with signposting and advice for women in custody.
You will have demonstrable experience and understanding of working with women in a challenging multi-agency environment, ideally with prisoners and/or their families. You will build strong relationships with Pre-Release teams to ensure access to accommodation, finance, benefits and debt, family and social inclusion support, including negotiating on behalf of the women. Interventions will be responsive to diverse and minoritised backgrounds, with referrals to wider partner organisations to ensure post-release continuity of support. A car may be desirable but is not essential.
About You
To be successful as the Advance Prison Advocate you will need the following experience and skills:
* Knowledge and experience of the criminal justice system obtained through study or work within the system.
* Experience as a caseworker delivering gender-specific and trauma-responsive interventions to support resettlement and rehabilitation of female adults in the criminal justice system, whether in the community or in prisons.
* Excellent organisational and communication skills and the ability to work in a prison environment while remaining calm.
* Knowledge and understanding of managing a caseload, maintaining records, staying focused on action plan goals, and meeting deadlines.
* Ability to complete trauma-informed support and action plans with women to address multiple needs and enable engagement with services to achieve timely outcomes.
Interviews will take place on a rolling basis.
What we can offer you - Employee Benefits
* 35-hour working week
* An exceptional 30 days of paid holiday per year (pro rata for part-time), plus public holidays
* Additional days off for International Women’s Day, religious observance, and moving home
* Perkbox - employee discounts, rewards, and savings
* Pension scheme
* Enhanced maternity/adoption provision
* Access to our Employee Assistance Programme
* Employee eye-care scheme
* Clinical supervision for frontline staff and first-line management roles
* Refer a Friend Scheme - £250 for referrals that pass probation
* Organisation-wide away days
* One-week paid carers’ leave
* Career development pathways
Under the Equality Act 2010, we will make reasonable adjustments for applicants with disabilities. Please email the Talent Acquisition Team via the Advance website with any needs.
Diversity, Inclusion and Equal Opportunities
We are committed to equality of opportunity and actively seek to recruit people from groups underrepresented in our current team.
Safeguarding
Advance is committed to safeguarding and to zero tolerance of harm. We follow rigorous safer recruitment practices, including pre-employment checks such as references, DBS checks, and identity checks, and mandatory safeguarding training.
Roles and location details
Seniority level: Entry level
Employment type: Part-time
Job function: Legal
Industries: Individual and Family Services
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