Mentoring - Surrey and Hampshire

The Mentoring Project is currently delivering in the Surrey and Hampshire Community and Custody.  Our service is designed to provide support to people released from prison through mentoring to encourage full integration and to promote social inclusion.  The project provides 1 to 1 support to prisoners and on probation in order to access support from other organisations.

Purpose of this role:

We are looking for volunteers to support prisoners, and people who are on probation, resettle back into the community through practical and emotional support.  Volunteers will be working in prison before release, and then after release in the community to continue engagement with services.

What you will be doing:

• Supporting and accompanying people released from prison to appointments and meetings.
• To acknowledge positive qualities and skills.
• Researching and developing links with local services
• Working to meet the needs identified between the offender and the Offender Manager
• Recording information including behaviour, compliance and engagement
• Attending regular individual and group supervisions with your Volunteer Coordinator
• Make your Volunteer Coordinator aware of any potential safeguarding issues.
• To attend training to support you in your role. 

What skills do I need?

• Good understanding of safeguarding, professional boundaries and confidentiality.
• An awareness of the impact of custody on prisoners, and on children and families.
• Good interpersonal skills and the ability to relate sensitively to the needs of prisoners and prisoners’ families.
• Good communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to communicate effectively to a range of people including prison staff, other agencies, colleagues and service users.
• Non-judgemental, empathetic attitude towards prisoners and their families.
• Committed to the vision, mission, values, and ethos of Pact.