Hertfordshire RECONNECT Peer Support Worker

Forward Trust; England; Remote; GBP 24,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Training and development opportunities

Cycle to work scheme

Contributory pension scheme

Health cashback (Simply Health)

Season Ticket Loan Scheme

Wellbeing days

Blue Light Card access

Death in Service (2x salary)

Critical Illness Insurance

Job summary

Forward Trust is seeking a Peer Support Worker for the RECONNECT service to support people leaving prison in Hertfordshire and beyond. The role combines custody and community work, delivering person-centred care and coordinating with health and social care services.

You will assess, co-create care plans, and provide up to six months post-release support, contributing to health equity and successful reintegration with a compassionate, collaborative approach.

Qualifications

• Lived experience aligned with our EDI values.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
• Confidence working across custody and community settings.
• Compassionate, collaborative and reliable approach.

Responsibilities

• Deliver a person-centred RECONNECT service in custody and the community.
• Complete assessments and co-produce tailored care plans.
• Support service users for up to 6 months post-release.
• Manage a varied caseload and coordinate with community services.
• Lead and support the prison Peer Support Programme.
• Recruit, train and support prison peer supporters.
• Build strong partnerships with prisons, healthcare and external agencies.
• Maintain accurate case notes, assessments and risk documentation.
• Support Meet & Meet and “Meet at the Gate” releases.

Skills

Lived experience

Communication

Organisation

Relationship-building

Job description

About The Role

Do you have lived experience of health challenges, substance use, or the criminal justice system, and want to use it to make a real difference?

Forward Trust’s NHS-commissioned RECONNECT service is looking for a passionate Peer Support Worker to help people leaving prison reconnect with vital health and wellbeing support.

This is a rewarding, frontline role where your experience, empathy and insight will help shape a truly person-centred service across HMP The Mount and the wider Hertfordshire community.

What you’ll do:

• Deliver a person-centred RECONNECT service in custody and the community
• Complete assessments and co-produce tailored care plans
• Support service users for up to 6 months post-release
• Manage a varied caseload and coordinate with community services
• Lead and support the prison Peer Support Programme
• Recruit, train and support prison peer supporters
• Build strong partnerships with prisons, healthcare and external agencies
• Maintain accurate case notes, assessments and risk documentation
• Support Meet & Greet and “Meet at the Gate” releases

What we’re looking for:

• Relevant lived experience aligned with our EDI values
• Strong communication, organisation and relationship-building skills
• Confidence working across custody and community settings
• A compassionate, collaborative and reliable approach

Be part of a values-led organisation making a real impact on health inequalities and successful reintegration.

Please note: Prison Vetting is required for this role which is managedby HMPPS & can take between 8-12 weeks to process.

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 -

• 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)

Diversity at Forward Trust

The Forward Trust commits to providing opportunities to everyone. We want to ensure we have a diverse team with a range of lived and professional experiences. This includes those with ‘Lived Experience’ of addiction, offending, or homelessness. When we recruit, we welcome applications from everyone. This is inclusive of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion and/or belief, marriage and civil partnerships, pregnancy and maternity and socio-economic background. Where operationally possible, we will consider flexible working requests and make reasonable adjustments for all roles.

To find out more about Forward’s commitment to being an inclusive employer and our current EDI strategy click here .

Employee Screening and Eligibility to Work

Dependent on role you may be required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service Check, details of which will be shared at interview.

Our Commitment to Safeguarding

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and adults at risk. Forward Trust follow safer recruitment practices and support a culture of openness and accountability.