About us Changing Lives is a nationwide charity helping people facing the most challenging of circumstances to make positive change - for good. We believe that everyone deserves a safe home, a rewarding job and a life free from addiction or abuse. We know that given the right support, anyone can change their life for the better. Our services across the country help thousands of people each year who are experiencing a wide range of complicated challenges, including homelessness, drug and alcohol addiction, unemployment, involvement with the criminal justice system, sexual exploitation and domestic abuse. By focusing on their strengths, potential and opportunities, we support the people we work with to overcome their problems and live safe, successful, independent lives. Our charity is powered by over 600 passionate colleagues who bring a diverse and inclusive environment for our colleagues to grow. We are proud to say that many have actual lived experience of the challenges faced by those we support. We are looking for committed and compassionate professionals to join our team, who share our enthusiasm for changing lives. About the Service - Criminal Justice Services Changing Lives delivers a range of projects that support women involved in the Criminal Justice System. We believe that individuals become involved in the Criminal Justice System for a complex range of reasons. Our experience has taught us that to help women stop offending and to rebuild their lives, we must address the underlying causes of crime. Our services are underpinned by an in-depth understanding of trauma and we support women to address challenges such as domestic abuse, homelessness or poor housing, helping women to develop tools to ensure that trauma in their past does not define the rest of their lives. We know that with the right support around them, women so often are able to break the cycle of crisis and crime. We currently deliver diversion from custody schemes, education, training and employment services, and holistic services to women serving community sentences or following release from custody. We also provide some pre-release services and have a presence across a number of women’s prisons nationally. Our criminal justice services cover Northumbria, Cleveland, South Yorkshire, West Midlands, East Midlands, Warwickshire, Staffordshire and Leicestershire. About the Job We are looking to expand our team of Specialist Custody Coaches based within HMP/YOI Low Newton to undertake accommodation, family and significant other and finance, benefit and debt work for women being released from custody and remanded in custody to the Northumbria and Cleveland areas. We are seeking dynamic, personable, tenacious, highly motivated and empathic individuals to do these roles, who can manage their own workloads but who also value being part of a multi-disciplinary team in prison and a wider community Changing Lives team and partners. Custody Coaches will also assist in the coordination of pre-release social inclusion engagement work, working closely with Changing Lives and A Way Out Women’s Community Coaches to support women make a successful transition into the community, and comply with their Licence requirements. At Changing Lives we value a diverse workforce and are keen to recruit people of all ages and from all backgrounds, abilities and ethnicities. Key activities: Assess women’s accommodation needs and develop an action plan to work with them to identify and secure appropriate, safe accommodation for release in agreement with their Probation Officer, taking into account risks, restrictions and vulnerabilities. Assist women to in identifying their own needs and supporting them to progress using a strength based and trauma informed approach to reduce the likelihood of further offending. Work with Housing Providers, including the Private Rented Sector, local authority Gateway’s, Supported Housing to secure accommodation or safeguard existing accommodation. Assist with finance, benefits and debts needs and make appropriate referrals where necessary. Assist with obtaining appropriate ID and bank accounts. Make referrals to community floating support provision including Changing Lives specialist support. Recognise the signs and refer into Domestic Violence services such as MARAC and Safeguarding. Undertake Duty to Refer requirements and make BASS referrals as appropriate. Liaise with Health and DART teams in custody. Coordinate the provision of social inclusion support with Community Coaches. Work with colleagues from within the team to review and monitor individual’s progress against agreed support plans. Be responsible for own caseload but also cover colleague’s workloads as required. Build and develop participant’s personal strengths, social networks and capital. Identify and build support systems and structures that are responsive to the needs of individuals with different levels of risk, complexity, severity, and strengths. Promote the service & maintain professional relationships with key stakeholders in custody and the community. Keep accurate records, updated within specified deadlines, keep the National Probation Service informed of participant’s attendance, prepare reports and contribute to all information sharing forums. To work to the performance standards provided and requested by Changing Lives, Ministry of Justice and National Probation Service.