Prison Link Worker - London Prisons
Location: London
Salary: £25,154 per annum
Vacancy Type: Permanent
About The Role
Are you passionate about helping people navigate life after prison?
The Forward Trust is looking for a dedicated Prison Link Worker to support men leaving custody at HMP Thameside, HMP Belmarsh, and HMP Isis, working full-time, 35 hours per week.
You’ll work onsite in the prisons and in the community, guiding clients from pre-release to successful reintegration, ensuring continuity of care and helping them stay engaged with treatment and support services.
What you’ll do:
* Build strong relationships with clients before release and “handhold” them through the first 24 hours in the community.
* Deliver 1:1 support, group work, and practical assistance to help clients stay engaged with treatment and support services.
* Conduct risk assessments and develop SMART action plans for each client.
* Coordinate with multi-disciplinary teams in prison and community settings to ensure smooth transitions.
* Provide meet and greet support and accompany clients to appointments.
* Promote harm reduction, overdose awareness, and recovery education.
* Maintain accurate records in electronic case management systems and ensure reporting meets compliance standards.
You’ll need:
* Confidence working autonomously in prison environments as the sole representative of the service.
* Strong understanding of barriers to care and strategies to improve continuity.
* Excellent communication and relationship-building skills with clients and partner agencies.
* Flexibility to work across pan-London prisons as needed.
* Full eligibility for prison vetting and key-holding within custodial settings.
This role offers the chance to make a tangible difference in reducing reoffending and supporting recovery, while working as part of a dynamic, multi-disciplinary team. You’ll engage with clients in meaningful ways pre- and post-release, helping them take real steps toward recovery and reintegration, with opportunities for training, development, and career progression along the way.
If you’re committed, proactive, and ready to make a real impact, we want to hear from you. Step into a role where your work directly changes lives for the better.
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
* 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)
Please note that we may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.
To Apply
If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for Forward Trust, please click apply to be redirected to our website to complete your application