Prison Support Volunteers/ Family Support Volunteers
About organisation / project
West Yorkshire Community Chaplaincy Project is an independent resettlement organisation, based at HMP Leeds, which reduces re-offending. We are a ‘through the gate’ project; providing practical support and encouragement to men leaving HMP Leeds, pre and post release to help them cope with life in the community without offending. We work particularly with offenders serving less than twelve months who have limited access to statutory support and tend to re-offend regularly. We use volunteers – volunteer link workers – to support ex-prisoners in the community and encourage applications from ex-offenders.
Further information and full details of the application process can be found on our website at www.wyccp.org.uk.
Details Hide[-]
The primary role of volunteer link workers is to work alongside the resettlement and family workers to provide support to men before and after release from prison and to provide support to the families of prisoners in the community. Link workers will have a variety of tasks, which include helping our Resettlement workers with gate releases and accompanying to probation meetings, housing assessments etc. You may also be matched with one of the service users and meet regularly with them to create an action plan and provide them with practical and emotional support to achieve their goals.
We are looking for committed people who are emotionally mature, empathic and able to maintain firm boundaries. Reliability and adaptability are essential.
We ask our volunteers to offer a minimum of 3 hours a week to their volunteering. However, this is dictated by our workload so you may not be needed every week.
Additional information Hide[-]
Required Role
Prison Support Volunteers/ Family Support Volunteers
Key responsibilities
• To support men leaving prison, and their families, prior to release and in the community, working towards an agreed ‘action plan’, with support from staff. • To meet service users in the community and, where necessary, accompany them to appointments with relevant agencies and networks. • To keep clear and comprehensive records and case notes. • To complete ‘follow up’ and administrative tasks. • To commit a minimum of three hours per week to volunteering at WYCCP.
Mandatory SkillsHide[-]
- Communication
- Initiative
- Interpersonal
- Listening
- Non-discriminatory
- Non-judgemental
- Office IT (Word, Excel etc)
- Planning and organising
- Positive attitude
- Telephone
- Time Management
- Self Management
Desirable Skills
- Confidence
- Mediation
- Mentoring and counselling
- Practical
- Problem solving
- Team Work
Skill to gain
- Administration and Clerical
- Communication
- Confidence
- Initiative
- Interpersonal
- Listening
- Mediation
- Mentoring and counselling
- Negotiation and influencing
- Non-discriminatory
- Office IT (Word, Excel etc)
- Planning and organising
- Problem solving
- Teaching and training
- Team Work
- Telephone
- Self Management
When can you do this role/Calendar
Minimum commitment level: Once a week
Start Date: 11-09-2025
Start Time: 09:30 AM
End Time: 04:00 PM
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Location
Gloucester Terrace, Armley, Leeds LS12 2TJ, UK
- The University of Bradford Students' Union is a unincorporated association registered with the charity commission, charity No. 1148622
