RECONNECT Team Leader

TipTopJob; Peterborough; Hybrid; GBP 28,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking social enterprise dedicated to empowering individuals to overcome the challenges of crime and addiction. As a RECONNECT Team Leader, you will play a crucial role in providing tailored support to clients transitioning from prison to the community. Your leadership will help build strong partnerships with various agencies, ensuring clients receive comprehensive care and support. This position offers a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact in people's lives while working in a dynamic and supportive environment. If you are passionate about social justice and have a knack for team management, this role is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• Experience in client-facing roles with a focus on health and well-being.
• Strong ability to build partnerships with external agencies.

Responsibilities

• Implement strategies in line with the RECONNECT contract.
• Manage a team, ensuring high-quality service delivery.
• Collect and report data for KPIs and monthly submissions.

Skills

Client Assessment

Communication Skills

Team Management

Partnership Building

Data Reporting

Education

Relevant Social Work Qualification

Job description

Location: Hybrid working Cambridgeshire

Salary: A GBP 27,992 per annum plus benefits

Vacancy Type: Permanent, Full Time

We are currently recruiting for a RECONNECT Team Leader to cover the Cambridgeshire area, with hybrid working including HMP Whitemoor, HMP Peterborough (male and female), HMP Woodhill, and HMP Littlehey.

We are Forward, a social enterprise that empowers people to break the cycle of crime and addiction to move forward and live fulfilling lives.

RECONNECT is a care after custody service that seeks to improve the continuity of care for people leaving prison or an immigration removal centre (IRC) with an identified health need.

About The Role

You will be responsible for providing a comprehensive, inclusive, and bespoke RECONNECT service, including advice and guidance to Forward Trust clients across HMP Whitemoor, HMP Peterborough (male and female), HMP Woodhill, HMP Littlehey, and community services in the local area. There may be occasions where you could be asked to assist with other establishments and regions, either remotely or in person.

RECONNECT enables service users to access and sustain supportive interventions upon release from prison, addressing physical or mental health needs and general well-being support.

The service will offer signposting, GP referrals, accompanying clients to appointments, meet and greet at the gate, aftercare support, and connections to the wider Forward community. Following a referral 12 weeks prior to release, the service will identify clients' needs via a robust assessment and work in partnership with many agencies to create a bespoke, client-centered care plan.

Key Responsibilities

As a RECONNECT worker, you will contribute to the targets set by Forward and local commissioners to make this service successful. You will be client-facing, assessing and responding directly to the needs of service users, while communicating with internal and external agencies to ensure high-quality service delivery. You will actively seek Service User feedback during and after engagement to identify good practices and areas for improvement.

Some of the key responsibilities include:

• Implement a comprehensive, robust strategy in line with the RECONNECT contract.
• Build and maintain excellent partnerships with external agencies and stakeholders.
• Recruit and develop a network of lived experience volunteers and peer support workers.
• Manage a team of workers in your area(s), including supervision, quarterly reviews, and team meetings.
• Implement and maintain clear referral pathways for stakeholders, including custodial partners, family members, and self-referrals.
• Lead your team by example in line with Forward Trust values and mission.
• Deliver a high-quality, safe service by working closely with peers and external stakeholders to share best practices, create risk assessments, and ensure safeguarding.
• Ensure teams are connected with local services in preparation for clients' release into the community.
• Support recruitment, training, and retention of staff and volunteers.
• Collect and report data for monthly submissions and KPIs, and respond to other information requests from your line manager.
• Support your line manager and assist with any duties as deemed appropriate.

All prison-based roles require an enhanced DBS and HMPPS security vetting, which can take up to 8-12 weeks. Offers are subject to receiving both vetting and DBS clearances. You will need to provide personal, financial, police, and criminal information as part of the checks.