ABOUT US

We are The Forward Trust, the social enterprise with charitable status that empowers people to break the often interlinked cycles of crime and addiction to move forward with their lives. For more than 25 years we have been working with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past. We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands of people to make positive changes and build productive lives with a job, family, friends and a sense of community.

ROLE / TEAM OVERVIEW

Working within an integrated healthcare framework to provide support to drug and alcohol users aged 18 and over, the Integrated Substance Misuse Service is designed to deliver a combination of clinical, Psychosocial Substance Misuse and Health and Wellbeing Interventions and Accredited Treatment Programmes for offenders coming into prison that are identified as having an alcohol or drug problem.
As a Peer Coordinator you will support the team and the prison to champion the integrated service and train service users to become peer supporters who deliver peer-led interventions and become peer supporters across all wings of the prison. You will also support and develop Health & Wellbeing Champions within the prisons. Their roles will be to motivate and encourage clients to start taking greater responsibility for their health and wellbeing whilst in custody, and they will discuss and share the issues which they are concerned about by signposting and supporting them to the relevant services within the prison, and with agreement from the prison deliver interventions to other peers.
The role is vital in improving the links between the integrated service and the service users within the prison.
This role will be based on site working as part of the wider substance misuse services team. The role will operate over multiple prisons which may include HMP Highdown, and HMP Downview therefore travel will be required.
Flexibility will be required in this role and may include some evening/weekend shift working on rota basis and with reasonable notice.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Train service users to become Peer Supporters and to provide the support and supervision and guidance they require.
• Train service users to become Health & Wellbeing Champions.
• To work in partnership with all staff in responding effectively to any incidents that take place involving clients.
• To work in partnership with Service Managers in implementing an action plan for clients in need of support.
• To work in partnership with all staff responsible for the clients receiving support and intervention.
• To develop relationship with clients receiving support, aimed at achieving the goals defined in their individual action plan.