Volunteering

West Yorkshire Community Chaplaincy Project
is looking for volunteer Link Workers

Release from prison is a disorientating and daunting experience for many ex-offenders, who are often unsure of the direction they want to take in life and do not know who will be there to meet them… if anyone!

West Yorkshire Community Chaplaincy Project (WYCCP) is an independent charity which aims to reduce re-offending by supporting men leaving HM Prison Leeds with their re-settlement into West Yorkshire. WYCCP Volunteers, known as 'Link Workers' work directly with the ex-prisoners and are not attached to the prison or necessarily to any faith groups. We use the term ‘Service Users’ to describe those with whom we work.

WYCCP work closely with statutory, voluntary and faith organisations, to help our Service Users overcome the factors that lead to their offending, and support them to establish themselves in their local community.

WYCCP Volunteer Link Workers meet Service Users at the gate and support them in the first few hours of their new life. A Link Worker may accompany the Service User to access accommodation or Probation or welfare benefits. Link Workers can assist with housing applications, family matters and help Service Users to work towards education or employment. WYCCP have a Volunteer Coordinator and an Employment, Training and Education Worker to ensure ongoing training and support for Link Workers.

We welcome WYCCP Link Workers from all walks of life; what they have in common is the desire to help people. They offer support, understanding, knowledge and a non judgmental approach. They are good listeners and they are trained to empower individuals in order to aid their resettlement into the community.

If you think you have what it takes to become a WYCCP Link Worker and assist ex-prisoners to find a way forward, please get in touch with us. We offer full training, supervision; peer support and expenses are paid.

For more information or advice: - telephone 0113 3874580; write to WYCCP c/o HMP Leeds, Gloucester Terrace, Leeds LS12 2TJ, or email us at: info@wyccp.org.uk

Alternatively, please read the information below and download an application form.

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Mission Statement

We aim to help prisoners released from prison to resume their place in society, as quickly and easily as possible, to improve their quality of life and the safety of the community as a whole, utilising the special resources which faith communities have to offer.

Multi-Faith Ethos

Each spirituality will be respected on its own terms, including those that do not have a religious connection.
We recognise that each faith community, as well as those with spiritual and secular motivation, is an integral part of society.
We acknowledge that each faith brings values and understanding that contribute to the care and support of disadvantaged members of our society.
We are aware that where faith communities work together they generate a spirituality beyond the individual faiths.
When we work co-operatively, faith communities achieve results that are proportionately greater than those of individual groups. When motivation is grounded in individual and community respect, all benefit.
It is our conviction that relationships formed between ex-offenders and faith communities will be of help and benefit to the faith communities, prisoners, their families and society as a whole.

Role Description

Project objective

WYCCP aims to provide a high quality locally based support service for ex – offenders in West Yorkshire on their discharge from HMP Leeds Prison, contributing to local crime reduction strategies and participating to reduce re-offending and the fear of crime within the community.

Task Purpose

With the guidance and continuing support of the volunteer project co-ordinator the aim is to establish and maintain contact with identified service user(s) prior to their release from prison or following their release. This will continue with regular contact with the individual during their reintegration into the community. This will facilitate achievement of the agreed ‘Action Plan’ devised in partnership with the service user, Community Chaplain, Volunteer Coordinator and any other relevant parties.

Expectations

The hours will be determined with each individual volunteer link worker dependant on availability but will not be less then 2 hours per week when actively involved with an individual service user. There will also be an expectation for volunteers to attend regular supervision, training, review and support sessions.

Travel and other incidental expenses will be reimbursed in full on production of receipts in accordance with WYCCP policy.

Accountability

Volunteers will be accountable to the Project Director via the Volunteer Co-ordinator and will be asked to

Detailed Role Description

The following requirements are essential:

To undertake the mandatory induction training provided by WYCCP
To undertake additional training from WYCCP
To keep clear and comprehensive records in accordance with the WYCCP record keeping protocol
To maintain a proper professional relationship with service users at all time, being careful to observe boundaries and avoid undue familiarity
To have regular contact with the Volunteer Co-ordinator, or other WYCCP paid staff, in order to debrief, discuss issues, share relevant information, contacts etc with the purpose of re-settlement into the community for service users
To undertake regular supervision in order to access immediate support for both practical and emotional problems that may arise
To be familiar and understand key policies and procedures relevant to area of work e.g. equal opportunities, risk assessment, confidentiality, child protection

Delivery of the following tasks needs to be flexible according to the needs of the service users:

To develop a working relationship with a service user prior to his release and in partnership with the relevant worker (i.e. Volunteer Co-ordinator, Community Chaplain or other paid staff member). This may involve visits in prison, to meet the service user at the gate on release or establish contact following the release.
To undertake further training as identified by WYCCP staff or by the volunteers themselves
If the service user has already been released, to develop the working relationship at WYCCP offices or at other public premises.
To assist in the implementation of the service user ‘Action Plan’ and to arrange post release meetings with relevant agencies and support networks (e.g. housing, employment, training etc.)
To agree and maintain contact with a service user in order to assist with implementation of action plan.
To advocate on behalf of the service user, aiming to empower the individual
To work collaboratively with other agencies supporting the client

These tasks may be carried out by individual Link Workers, or working collaboratively with other Link Workers or WYCCP paid staff. Working partnerships with the Service Users may be from single meetings to several months, depending on the needs of the Service User.

Person Specification

Be at least 18 years old and of sufficient emotional maturity to take on the tasks.
Be committed to the multi-faith ethos of WYCCP (Volunteers may be of any faith or have no faith)
Be committed to the re-integration into the community of ex-offenders
Be able to work in a flexible, non-judgemental way
Be willing to undertake additional training
Be willing to carry out tasks as negotiated with WYCCP
Be committed to work at least 2 hours per week (Mon-Fri) for a minimum of 6 months
Be willing to attend one to one supervision at least every six weeks and attend group supervision once per month