Family Support Volunteer

Family support makes a difference by supporting families to maintain family ties, alleviate worries and concerns, answer questions, provide advice and 1:1 support to help prisoners and families cope with the impact of a custodial sentence both during the sentence and leading up to release and resettlement.

Volunteers in this role will offer 1:1 support, information and guidance to families of prisoners, and this may develop to offering support to prisoners.  The volunteer will be offering a listening ear and emotional support as well as signposting people to other agencies, and offering some practical support.

Main tasks will include:

• To listen to prisoners and their families either face to face or on the phone
• To provide human support and to ensure that children and families of prisoners are treated with respect, dignity and care
• To research information about local support services for families
• To offer practical support in accessing visits
• To assist staff to organise and deliver a range of special visits including  parent/child visits, family learning visits, new/first time dad visits, special family visits and adult only family visits
• To assist with the delivery of our heading home project which helps the prisoner and the family prepare for the release by discussing expectations and concerns of a prisoner being released
• To follow any prison protocols, rules and policies
• To ensure that concerns raised about a child’s welfare and safety are dealt with in accordance with NEPACS safeguarding policy
• To offer administrative support to the family support worker

Skills

• Friendly
• Reliable
• Non judgemental
• Well developed communication skills
• Ability to write up brief  but clear case notes
• Empathy with prisoners families serving the ‘unseen sentence’
• Ability to listen actively and to empathise
• Calm and positive in their approach
• Approachable on the phone
• Some understanding of the visits process at the prison
• Ability to work individually but also contribute to the team
• Some experience of work (paid or unpaid) in a support role in the community

Locations:

HMP Durham,HMP&YOI Low Newton in Durham (no current spaces), HMP Holme House in Stockton, HMYOI Deerbolt in Barnard Castle, HMP Kirklevington Grange in Yarm and HMP Northumberland.