Peer Advocate Coordinator

Location: York

Salary: £24,000 - £28,647 per annum

As part of a ground-breaking and hugely transformational partnership with Mitie Care & Custody and People Plus, Forward have been successful in its bid to be a top table delivery partner in the operation of HMP Millsike, a brand-new Resettlement Prison situated on land opposite the existing HMP Full Sutton, currently in construction and due to open in April 2025.

This represents a chance for Forward to evolve our mission in a way that will be an integral part of a completely new way of delivering prisons within the prison system, and one that will be a huge reputational boost for our organisation, as the first to have a top table seat in our sector.

Forward Trust is a social justice charity that helps thousands of people to recover from addiction and mental health problems, leave behind crime, find jobs, homes, and a sense of belonging.

We campaign to change public attitudes and policy so that people, who are often written off by society, can access support that transforms lives. We are proud to be the UK’s leading addiction recovery charity, improving public awareness and understanding, demonstrating the potential of people to recover and rebuild their lives.

We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change, as celebrated in our More Than My Past and Taking Action on Addiction campaigns. Forward Trust now have over 70 service delivery projects, with more than 20,000 clients per year supported by 700 staff and 150 volunteers. We are proud that around 30% of our workforce have lived experience of the issues we seek to address.

What you will be doing

As a key stakeholder you will support HMP Millsike's Reducing Reoffending strategy, working closely with Residence and Wellbeing, Practice Plus, Tees Weir Valley Health and People Plus you will deliver Forward Trust's innovative 'One Millsike' offer. You will support the mobilisation and deliver our Forward Trust interventions, working in partnership with Mities Care and Custody and HMPPS to successfully mobilise, open and operate HMP Millsike.

Mobilisation has already begun, and the first prisoners will arrive in April 2025. The prison is being constructed and is nearing completion.

You will be part of the team creating a strong recovery ethos (or 'ecosystem’) across the prison with a particular focus on our Designated Recovery Wing (The Bridge Unit) as well as Recovery Zones, working with and alongside the separately commissioned Drug and Alcohol Service (part of Whole Healthcare).

Delivering our Substance Dependence Treatment Programmes, supporting participants with substance dependence, delivering an intensive 20-week structured programmes meeting CSAAP standards, as well as Incentivised Substance Free Living (ISFL).

The Bridge Unit builds on Forward’s experience of running 'Recovery Wings’ in a number of other prisons. Ensuring a thriving recovery mutual aid and stakeholder network. promoting engagement with Forward Connect post release.

What we are looking for

The Peer Advocate Co-ordinator role sits within the Connections Family and Relationship Service, which will provide support to prisoners at HMP Millsike to build and maintain relationships with their families and/or significant others to support their rehabilitation.

The role will report to the Connections Family and Relationship Manager. It will be supported by our central Peer Mentor Lead and team of Peer Co-ordinators.

As the Peer Advocate Co-ordinator you will work in partnership with other Peer Advocate Co-ordinators across Millsike to recruit, train, support and develop Peer Advocates to support with the delivery of Forwards Connections Families and Relationships Service.

The Peer Advocate role is a paid prisoner role and designed to support the delivery of prison services and engagement of other prisoners in these services.

In your role as the Peer Advocate Co-ordinator will also support with the co-ordination of service user involvement, such as collecting feedback and running service user panels, in partnership with the Peer Advocates.

What we offer

• Training and development opportunities
• Flexible working
• Simply Health Cashback Scheme (Optional)
• Season Ticket Loan Scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Crisis Loan Scheme (subject to criteria)
• Electric Car Scheme (subject to criteria)
• 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 Pro-rata for part time employees)
• 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.

*We reserve the right to close this vacancy early