Programme Facilitator – Probation Service
Are you passionate about rehabilitation? Could you help people make meaningful and sustained changes in their lives? If so, then a career as a Programme Facilitator in the Probation Service is for you.
Responsibilities and Activities
- Plan and deliver Interventions in either group or one‑to‑one sessions to people on probation.
- Develop and maintain a therapeutic and safe working environment in line with operational manuals and learning needs of participants.
- Adhere to the Probation Service statutory safeguarding responsibilities for children and adults.
- Manage group dynamics and the complexities and needs of participants, ensuring that learning outcomes are achieved.
- Continuously monitor risk, safety and wellbeing throughout the intervention and provide informed, evidence‑based recommendations for sentence management.
- Maintain timely and accurate records of attendance, feedback, risk issues and produce reports that meet QA requirements.
- Liaise and provide timely communication of participants’ progress and concerns with Probation Practitioners, courts, criminal‑justice agencies and other stakeholders.
- Deliver workshops and briefings to Probation staff and external stakeholders about intervention content and purpose.
- Demonstrate pro‑social modelling by reinforcing positive behaviours and challenging antisocial behaviours.
- Participate in regular video‑monitoring feedback sessions to ensure audit standards are upheld and to reflect on own practice.
- Complete all programme‑specific training (approximately one week per programme) and pass the required assessment centre.
- Travel extensively across the region and work unsocial hours (evenings and weekends).
Qualifications and Requirements
- Experience
- Experience dealing with challenging behaviour from individuals with a range of personal challenges.
- Experience collaborating with teams and maintaining effective relationships.
- Understanding of the criminal justice system, safeguarding principles and sentence types.
- Experience assessing and analysing information from multiple sources to inform decisions.
- Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
- Experience using Microsoft Office and similar IT applications.
- Experience implementing new learning to improve performance.
- Planning and prioritising tasks effectively in a changing environment.
- Skills & Abilities
- Strong communication and influencing skills.
- Ability to manage a quality service and work collaboratively.
- Strong self‑development and ability to learn new skills.
- High literacy skills – reading, interpreting policies, writing reports and correspondence.
- Confidence in spoken English (and Welsh, where required).
- Technical
- Pass an assessment centre before training.
- Become an Accredited Programme Facilitator.
Assessment Process
The selection process includes a facilitation exercise and an interview. Applicants must arrange a presentation on a topic to be emailed once an interview slot is booked. Assessment will test behaviours of Communicating and Influencing, Managing a Quality Service and Developing Self and Others.
Working Hours & Travel
- Full‑time, 37 hours per week (unsocial hours – evenings and weekends).
- Travel across the region (travel expenses reimbursed).
Benefits
- Annual leave 25 days (increases to 30 after 5 years).
- Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
- Extensive training and development opportunities.
- Family‑friendly policies (reduced hours, job sharing).
- Paid maternity, paternity, adoption leave.
- Free annual sight tests for screen users.
Equal Opportunities
The Probation Service is an equal opportunities employer. We value diversity and are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for disabled candidates.