At Catch22, we are proud of our reputation as a modern and progressive employer. Our 1,300 colleagues and 300 volunteers work at every stage of the social welfare cycle, supporting over 60,000 individuals from cradle to career. Our work spans education,  justice and rehabilitation, children's social care, family support, social action and getting people into work. 

In Justice, we work with young people and adults in custody and in the community, providing a range of services including offender management and resettlement, mentoring, veterans in custody, victim services, gangs work and youth justice. We believe that with effective support mechanisms and the correct interventions, we can change service user’s ideology, helping them desist from crime and reach their true potential.

Our Gangs' services ensure that a range of appropriate interventions are available, including early intervention for those at risk of gang involvement or influence, to motivate and encourage diversion for those on the periphery of gang activities through to exit programmes for those deeply entrenched. Our custodial services contribute to information which is shared for intelligence, reduction in violence and to support prisoners to lead a gang-free life in both the establishment and community.

This post presents an exciting opportunity to be an integral part of the development and delivery of the HMP Pentonville Gangs and Violence Reduction Service, which plays a vital role in supporting offenders by creating opportunities to move away from gang membership and affiliation. The team plays a significant role in ensuring gang affiliated offenders are accommodated separately within the establishment, thus reducing violent incidents and contributing to the stability of the establishment.

The team ensure that a range of appropriate interventions are available, including early intervention for those at risk of gang involvement or influence, to motivate and encourage diversion for those on the periphery of gang activities through to exit programmes for those deeply entrenched. Gangs work delivered within a prison environment contributes to information which is shared for intelligence, reduction in violence, and to support prisoners to lead a gang-free life in both the establishment and community. This includes:

• Addressing alienation and the importance of developing a sense of belonging for prisoners
• Strong partnerships maximise impact within the prison and the community
• Finding the right prisoners and supporting them

This team will provide a range of appropriate interventions for those at risk of gang involvement, and influence, motivate and encourage diversion for those on the periphery of gang activities, through to exit programmes for those deeply entrenched.

The Gangs and Violence Reduction Service Coordinator will contribute to information which is shared for intelligence, reduction in violence and to support prisoners to lead a gang-free life in both the establishment and community. As the Gangs and Violence Reduction Service Coordinator you will have experience and knowledge of prison estates and the processes and procedures within the prison environment. You will work across the spectrum of this delivery, holding a small caseload of prisoners supporting them via a range of interventions including one to one support and group work, as well as managing a small team of gang project workers.

The person will be responsible for effectively engaging with stakeholders, partners and service users ensuring effective case communication and management. This role will involve working in close partnership with prison, criminal justice, health, education and voluntary sector services to promote and deliver our services and achieve the required outputs and outcomes.

Working as part of an integral team alongside staff from Catch22’s existing footprint within the Criminal Justice system, in both the community and the prison, the role will also involve working collaboratively with the Resettlement & Group Offending.

Main Duties & Accountabilities

As a Gangs & VR Service Coordinator your main duties and accountabilities will include:

• Plan and lead on delivery of activities and interventions that will deter prisoners from involvement in gang related activities, working alongside colleagues from Catch22, Security, Residential and other partners, ensuring communication remains fluid and adherence to agreed joint working processes.

• To maximise the performance and contribution of staff in meeting objectives through staff supervision, performance management, contribution reviews, training, consultation and service/team meetings.

• Undertake data collection, analysis, the production of reports and summaries, using IT.

• Maintain a good level of knowledge and understanding of gang activity within the London area.

• Contribute towards delivery of group activities including interventions that motivate prisoners to exit gang related activities. To include the planning, coordination and co-facilitation of the Rehabilitation Offering Another Direction (R.O.A.D.) programme.

• Continue to build strong stakeholder relationships within the prison cluster and share information that will support each department, members of staff and prisoners.

• Work with statutory and voluntary sector partners to ensure the work is part of a pathway of activities available and adds value to existing provision.

• Plan, organise and evaluate activities with staff, prisoners and partners identifying interventions that are effective in reducing gang activity, reducing risk and developing protective factors.

• Support the delivery of training, events, workshops and seminars to professionals to raise awareness and develop the capacity of partners on the areas of gangs and serious youth violence, vulnerability and exploitation.

• Make appropriate onward referrals, signposting young people to support services with partner agencies and positive activities where appropriate, and identifying creative solutions to any barriers that may arise.

• Line management of the project workers whilst undertaking regular supervision with them, ensuring high quality leadership and line management is provided.

• To ensure the maintenance of the team’s database and compliance entry to the Prison’s Case Management system for the purposes of casework recording, monitoring and evaluating service provision.

• Constantly ensure there is genuine engagement with the offender using appropriate methodologies and inventions to encourage and support their engagement and progress towards greater independence in the community.

• Responsible for ensuring that all staff have appropriate personal development plans and are appropriately supported to achieve the plans targets / interventions.

• Co-ordinate and monitor the workload of the team and ensure that all current performance and service standards are being met.

• To ensure that all activities are delivered in accordance with Catch22 policies and procedures and are an effective use of resources.

• Support the Cluster Manager in maintaining effective links within the establishment, local agencies, and community groups to achieve the project objectives.

• Engage and build positive and quality relationships with prisoners that are associated to gang activity to provide effective support on a one to one or group basis to achieve agreed outcomes

• Guide, train and support a small team of prisoners who will support activities as Gang’s Mentors.

• Work with the Cluster Manager and colleagues to develop new initiatives. This will be based upon an analysis of needs identified as being effective in reducing the impact of gang membership of offenders in the designated prison and on release to the community.

This list is intended to give an indication of the main duties involved but is not meant to be exhaustive.

Please see attached job description.

Qualifications:

Educated to GCSE Standard as minimum

A relevant qualification in youth or community work or a related field. 

Knowledge / Experience:

Experience of working within the gangs and youth violence sector

Experience of safeguarding young people

Experience of working with a high risk client group presenting violent or challenging behaviour

Experience of planning, leading, delivering and evaluating activities and interventions for prisoners

Staff Management Experience

Knowledge of relevant legislation and policy relating to gangs and serious violence

Problem solving techniques and decision making practice

Ability to engage prisoners effectively

Track record of developing and maintaining partnerships and relationships with a wide range of stakeholders to support the needs of vulnerable young people

Knowledge and awareness of the local context of London and the areas in the city involved in gang activity.

Good understanding of agencies working within the following sectors; criminal justice, secure estate, social care, housing, health, ETE, CSE/VAWG and voluntary sector and the relevant referral processes

Skills & Abilities:

Ability to organise own work routines, whilst managing staff effectively and to work on own initiative to an agreed action plan

Proven ability to provide clear leadership and management to a team

Ability to assess information quickly and  make sound judgments

Ability to handle sensitive and confidential issues with tact and diplomacy, whilst maintaining boundaries

Ability to generate trust and credibility when working in a team and be reliable, approachable and discreet

A commitment to valuing diversity and implementing equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice

Extensive IT skills and use of databases

Demonstrate the ability to build key relationships to the benefit of the project

Fixed Term Contract Until 31 March 2021

Full-time, 38 hours per week

Salary: £28,333 (this includes London Weighting Allowance)

Job Location: HMP Pentonville,  Caledonian Road, London N7 8TT