Senior Restorative Justice Practitioner Brent and HMP Wormwood Scrubs, Belong: MAKING Justice HAPPEN

Overview

We need a confident, determined Senior Practitioner with excellent people skills to join our team and deliver Belong’s flagship violence reduction programme in Brent borough, North London. The successful applicant will help to reduce disruption, violence and anti-social behaviour caused by gang activity in Brent, by offering restorative justice interventions, restorative practice support and mentoring to gang nominals and/or to those at risk of gang involvement.

Participants will be residing in Brent, or on remand in HMP Wormwood Scrubs.

Belong aims that programme participants will:

• Increase their commitment to live crime free futures
• Improve their mental and emotional wellbeing
• Increase engagement in positive activities and relationships

• Facilitate interventions with up to 20 participants at any time, balancing support and accountability in a neutral and fair manner.
• Provide mentoring primarily to children and young people at risk of gang involvement; provide restorative justice and/or restorative practice support primarily to gang nominals.
• Work with participants in a culturally aware, strength-based, trauma-informed, and boundaried approach.
• Engage in front-line work within the criminal justice sector and understand drivers and realities of gang involvement.
• Remain organised, detail-oriented, and capable of using IT and communicating effectively; build relationships across teams.
• Work flexibly within Brent Civic Centre and HMP Wormwood Scrubs with Brent Council, policing teams and HMP Wormwood Scrubs to identify and offer interventions to eligible participants.
• Conduct thorough, collaborative risk assessments using information from prison, probation, policing and council teams or other partner agencies.
• Provide regular updates to referrers and case managers about progress and engagement; provide monthly programme reports to commissioners and relevant stakeholders.
• Make practical arrangements for interventions within HMP Wormwood Scrubs and Brent Community locations (room bookings, refreshments, visitors passes, escorts).
• Maintain detailed, accurate records and share information according to agreed protocols.
• Participate in line management meetings and provide progress updates between meetings; implement guidance as appropriate.
• Adhere to Belong’s Code of Conduct and policies on Safeguarding, Anti‑Corruption, Anti‑Bribery, Complaints and Comments, Confidentiality and Equality.
• Undertake any other duties appropriate to the level and nature of the post.

• At least two years’ experience of working within the criminal justice sector.
• At least two years’ experience of building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders relating to a given project.
• Awareness of the issues that may be faced by adult men in prison on remand or serving sentences.
• Knowledge and understanding of the drivers and realities of gang involvement.
• Experience of supporting gang nominals and/or those at risk of gang involvement to work towards crime free futures.
• Knowledge and experience of implementing safeguarding and confidentiality procedures in day-to-day case work.
• Good knowledge of individuals' emotional and mental health needs.
• Knowledge and experience of using Microsoft Office packages including Word, Excel, PowerPoint.

• Ability to build rapport and trust with people from a wide variety of different backgrounds.
• Ability to de-escalate conflicts.
• Ability to negotiate with and encourage people in conflict to see other’s perspectives.
• Strong organisational and independent working skills.
• Ability to multitask and manage a varied and changeable workload.
• Ability to produce and file records of work completed.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to show attention to detail.

• Experience of working effectively in prisons.
• Knowledge and experience of the charity sector.
• Experience facilitating restorative justice and/or mediation interventions.
• Understanding of the challenges prison staff deal with in responding to conflicts and violence in prison.

• Creative skills in…