Peer Mentor Lead (Lambeth)
35,276 per year
Borough of Lambeth
Part-time
8th May 2026
Listed today
2026 Peer Mentor Lead (Lambeth) Charity no: 1118727. Company no: 5581944. Contents Peer Mentor Lead (Lambeth) ................................................................................................... 0 Welcome! .................................................................................................................................... 2 Women in Prison – Our Story ......................................................................................................... 3 Application and Recruitment ........................................................................................................ 5 Peer Mentor Lead (Lambeth) ......................................................................................................... 7 Terms and Conditions: ................................................................................................................. 7 Job Description: ........................................................................................................................... 9 Duties and key responsibilities .................................................................................................. 9 Person Specification: ................................................................................................................. 11 To Apply: .................................................................................................................................... 12 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy ....................................................................................... 12 Policy on the Recruitment of Women with Lived Experience of the Criminal Justice System .......... 13 1 Welcome! Dear Applicant, Women in Prison is the only national charity focused on women in the criminal justice sector, we are women-led and know the importance of ensuring we have a clear gendered approach in all that we do. Our influencing potential and campaigning voice are substantial. We are currently in our 40th year of supporting women impacted by the criminal justice system. We work with women who are at risk of, or being, harmed by the systems that are meant to protect us. At Women in Prison we are passionate, ambitious and grounded in the reality of women’s lives. We are proud of our roots as a feminist grassroots organisation, and we have grown from strength to strength since the 1980s, delivering services to women and campaigning for change. We exist to support women facing multiple marginalisation and exclusion, who have been let down, and their rights denied. We believe that prison doesn’t work and we want to see an end to the harmful imprisonment of women in England and Wales. This is a very exciting time in Women in Prison. As a deeply value-led organisation, we know that our recently agreed set of values represents the unique nature of our organisation, and also need to hold us to account for how we work in an unpredictable future. Our new vision and purpose will guide us as we build a strategy during 2024 to be implemented from 2025. We know we want to build more coproduction; deeper support to women who are disproportionately affected by the system through an intersectional lens; greater connection between the women we support and the influencing we do; an increased focus on alternatives to the system and a stronger focus on preventing women being caught up in the system. If you are excited by our purpose, and the breadth of what this role could offer to you, we would love to hear from you. I look forward to meeting you. Sonya Ruparel, Chief Executive 2 Women in Prison – Our Story Our Vision is of a society which no longer accepts the structural inequalities that lead women and girls into contact with the criminal justice system. Women in Prison (WIP) was born out of the anger that our founder – Chris Tchaikovsky – felt about what she experienced and saw when imprisoned in HMP Holloway in the 1980s. During Chris's time in prison, a woman died after setting fire to her own cell. Chris saw that the specific needs of women in prison and the damaging effect prison sentences were having on women scarcely figured in public or political discourse. So, in 1983, alongside international criminologist Pat Carlen, Chris founded Women in Prison. They pushed hard to expose the scandal of women’s imprisonment and campaigned for change. Our founders wanted to increase awareness of the lives behind the women in our prisons, and the impact of poverty and abuse on women’s lives. In Chris’s own words: “Taking the most hurt people out of society and punishing them in order to teach them how to live within society is, at best, futile. Whatever else a prisoner knows, she knows everything there is to know about punishment because that is exactly what she has grown up with. Whether it is childhood sexual abuse, indifference, neglect; punishment is most familiar to her.” In the early 1990s, the organisation was able to expand its remit beyond campaigning to deliver direct support to women affected by the criminal justice system. WIP's initial focus on prison in-reach services was then expanded to support women in the community following their release. Chris, sadly, passed away in 2002. Despite the loss of our visionary founder, Women in Prison works to carry on Chris’s legacy. Today, WIP is a national charity dedicated to making a difference to the lives of women affected by the criminal justice system. We campaign for a new system of justice; one that addresses the root causes of offending (including homelessness, domestic abuse, harmful substance use, mental ill health and experiences of poverty and trauma). 3 Our Women’s Centres in Manchester and London and the services we provide in communities and prisons deliver trauma-informed, holistic, women-centred support to enable those whom we work with to address the complex challenges they face. Our Mission is to persuade decision-makers to radically reduce the women’s prison population, by demonstrating how a focus on human rights, social justice, health and investment in specialist community support services, including Women’s Centres, enables women to move forward with their lives. We do this by: 1. Leading inspiring, impactful campaigns to challenge the current system that propose alternatives to criminalisation, and to radically reduce the number of women in prison 2. Delivering high quality, trauma-informed programmes for women, in communities and prisons, which focus on supporting women to address the systems that have led to their offending, and supporting them to claim their rights 3. Offering a platform for women’s voices which builds women’s confidence and self-belief, strengthening an understanding of their rights and responsibilities, and provides opportunities to speak ‘truth to power’ to bring about real change. WIP’s extensive experience and history of frontline work gives power and legitimacy to our campaigns, constantly increasing our influence with policymakers and building public support. We do not underestimate the challenges ahead, with an increasingly hostile external environment and funders shifting priorities – we know we must be single minded in our focus on impact with women who are disproportionately impacted by a harmful system. Supporting women in their communities to have their voice heard, taking a clear trauma-informed approach, and coproducing our programming and influencing work with women will enable stronger communities that will drive change and end the harm of prison. For more information Visit our website to learn more about our work and impact. Download our latest Annual Report and our strategy here: Our Strategy - Women in Prison 4 Application and Recruitment Applying for the position Depending on the role, we may ask you to complete an application form or submit your CV and cover letter. This will be clearly stated on the job advert as well as on the recruitment pack. • Submitting an Application Form Please complete the application form clearly and in full. The personal statement should be no more than 2000 words, clearly demonstrating how your skills, knowledge and experience relate to the Person Specification and competencies required for the post. Give examples of your work (paid, voluntary or life experience). Be positive and specify your own responsibilities rather than those of your team. Remember we’re interested in what you did and the outcome. We can only shortlist you based on the information you provide in the application form. • Submitting CV or Cover Letter Please submit your CV and cover letter (no more than 2 pages of A4) to the application portal. The cover letter should clearly demonstrate how your skills, knowledge and experience relate to the Person Specification and competencies required for the post. Give examples of your work (paid, voluntary or life experience). Be positive and specify your own responsibilities rather than those of your team. Remember we’re interested in what you did and the outcome. We can only shortlist you based on the information you provide in the application form. Equalities Monitoring WIP is committed to building and valuing diverse teams and aims to provide a working environment that promotes equality of opportunity and is free from unfair and unlawful discrimination. As part of this process, we monitor recruitment to help us understand who we are reaching, reduce inequalities and continually inform our policies and practices. Completing the equalities monitoring form is voluntary however we do encourage you to do it. The information you provide will be used for statistical purposes only, it is confidential and will not be shared with the recruitment panel. Shortlisting After the closing date, all applications will be reviewed by a shortlisting panel to determine how each applicants’ skills, knowledge and experience relates to the competencies required for the post (as outlined in the Person Specification and Job Description). Applicants who meet the role criteria will be invited for interview. We will only consider information enclosed in the application form when shortlisting. Interviews As part of the interview process you will be asked to complete an exercise before the interview. You will then meet with a panel of three people who will ask you questions relevant to the role. During the 5 interview, you will have the opportunity to ask the panel questions about WIP, the role and the terms and conditions of service. Feedback Unsuccessful applicants will be informed of the outcome of their interview in writing with an offer to provide feedback. If requested feedback supported by relevant examples from the interview will be provided. 6 Peer Mentor Lead (Lambeth) Reports to: Peer Mentor and Training Co-ordinator Direct reports: N/A About Women in Prison Women in Prison is a national, women-led, feminist organisation. We deliver front line support to women harmed by the criminal justice system, through our work in prisons, in the community and ‘through the prison gate’ as they resettle back into their communities. We also campaign for systems change that addresses the root causes of offending, reduces the harmful impact of prison, and creates workable, community-based alternatives to imprisonment. Terms and Conditions: Start date: June 2026 Salary: £35,276 per annum (£14,110.40 actual salary, inclusive of £3,990 Southeast Weighting) Location: Borough of Lambeth and hybrid Working hours: 14 hours per week across 2 days Contract: Fixed term until 31st March 2027 Annual leave: 30 days plus statutory bank holidays (if full time). All WIP staff also receive an additional 3 days leave between Christmas and New Year. Pension scheme: WIP provides an auto enrolment pension scheme with 5% contributions from the employer and 3% from the employee. Clinical supervision: Working with WIP can be enormously rewarding but also challenging at times. So we provide clinical supervision through a Harley Street practice, to encourage reflective practice and support the wellbeing of our team. 7 Employee Assistance Programme: Confidential access to a range of support and information on a 24/7 basis. Including legal advice, emotional support, practical advice and signposting. Cycle to Work Scheme: Eligible employees can save money and spread the cost of a new bike and accessories. 8 Job Purpose: Job Description: To train and support women with experience of the criminal justice system and substance misuse needs, to become peer mentors. Key responsibility areas: 1. To recruit, train and support women with experience of the criminal justice system and substance misuse needs, to become peer mentors. 2. Maintain case management system to ensure accurate and timely data recording. 3. Develop and maintain relationships with key partners and stakeholders, such as substance misuse services, lived experience groups and networks. 4. Work with colleagues to create opportunities for peer mentors to support women impacted by the criminal justice system and substance misuse issues. Duties and key responsibilities: To recruit, train and support women with experience of the criminal justice system and 1. substance misuse needs, to become peer mentors: • Co-ordinate and deliver a trauma informed and gender responsive peer mentor training programme for women with experience of the CJS and substance misuse needs. • Develop referral pathways for intake onto the programme and advancing the Peer Mentor offer. • Develop and deliver a trauma informed assessment and intake process with a focus on accessibility. • Deliver peer mentor accredited training. • Create individual support and development plans for peer mentors ensuring they are working towards their goals. Maintain case management system to ensure accurate and timely data recording: 2. • Accurately document all interactions with peer mentors and volunteers on Women in Prison’s case management database, working in line with Women in Prison’s case management policy at all times • Work in line with GDPR, maintaining confidential records of interactions and contact details in line with Women in Prison’s case management policy • Collate client and professional feedback via case studies, feedback forms, focus groups and other systems. Develop and maintain relationships with key partners and stakeholders, such as 3. substance misuse services, lived experience groups and networks. • Build partnerships with Lambeth substance misuse agencies, and other key stakeholders. • Develop and utilise a variety of strategies to communicate effectively with peer mentors, volunteers, colleagues, external organisations. • Champion the core values of Women in Prison, including social justice and feminism in all internal and external communications, articulating their importance to the work we do • Ensure that the wider team are aware of the range of services offered. 9 Work with colleagues to create opportunities for peer mentors to support women 4. impacted by the criminal justice system and substance misuse issues. • Work closely with the Substance Misuse Through The Gate (TTG) Advocates to develop peer led recovery activities and support the TTG programme. • Develop links and pathways with other Lambeth services to create opportunities for peer mentors. • Support Women in Prison’s campaigns work through actively contributing to ongoing campaigns and ensuring that Women in Prison provides a platform for women’s voices. 10 Person Specification: Skills and Experience • Must be able to demonstrate experience of delivering training to a group. • Supporting women with a range of intersecting needs in a trauma-informed manner, including designing and delivering 1:1 and group training/workshops. • Creating, recording and implementing interventions with women, specifically needs and risk assessments, support plans and case notes. • Skilled in engaging and motivating clients and working with a strengths-based approach. • Ability to problem solve difficult situations and deal with them calmly and effectively. • Self-motivated with confidence to work alone but can also work co-operatively and flexibly as part of a team. • Effective communication skills both verbally and in writing with people of many different backgrounds and within a range of settings. • Ability to keep accurate and up to date records in line with the organisations case management policy. • Ability to contribute to the development of the project and think innovatively. • IT skills at a level that supports report writing, email, internet and use of a database. Knowledge • Understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion and a commitment to working in a way that promotes social justice and feminism. • Up to date understanding of safeguarding practice, policy and procedures. • Knowledge of the impact that contact with the criminal justice system may have on women. • Understanding of the root causes of women’s offending and the importance of women-specific provision. • Thorough understanding of the impact of trauma and of how to work in a trauma-informed way. Education/Training/Qualifications • Must have a training/teaching qualification (Train the Trainor, PTLLS, AET) Personal Attributes & Other Requirements • Commitment to the core values and ethos of Women in Prison, including social justice and feminism • Commitment to anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunities and an ability to apply awareness of diversity issues to all areas of work. Interested and motivated to further own skills and knowledge. • 11 To Apply: Applications close: Interviews with WIP: To apply: Friday, 8 May 2026 at 9am Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 May 2026 Submit a completed application form to application portal If you require reasonable adjustments to support you during the application process, please contact the HR team on hr@wipuk.org. We are happy to invest in developing the right person, so you are welcome to apply even if your professional experience does not fully meet the job description or person specification. We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and minoritised women, and women who have personal experience of the criminal justice system. In line with legal requirements and the nature of our work, this role: Is restricted to women only as a genuine occupational requirement • • Requires the right to work in the UK • • Requires that the post holder is not automatically disqualified by (or can obtain a waiver from) the Is subject to an Enhanced and Adult Barred List DBS check. Charity Commission Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy Our Principle Commitments WIP is committed to building and valuing diverse teams and taking positive action to promote equality and challenge unfair and unlawful discrimination. We recognise that women may experience multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination based on their sex and additional, real or perceived, characteristics including age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion, sexual orientation, social-economic background, immigration status, caring responsibilities, spent convictions or trade union membership. WIP works to tackle discrimination and the structural inequalities women experience. We are committed to embedding diversity and inclusion in all areas of our work, including recruitment, and aim to reflect the diversity and excellence of the women that we work with. We actively encourage applications from women from a variety of backgrounds, and with a range of skills and experiences. We are particularly interested to hear from Black, Asian and minoritised women and women who have lived experience of the criminal justice system. 12 Policy on the Recruitment of Women with Lived Experience of the Criminal Justice System Women in Prison actively encourages and supports the employment of women with lived experience of the criminal justice system. We believe that women’s own experiences drive the Charity forward through understanding, solidarity and passion for change. Job Advertisements and the Application Process We do not ask for disclosure of criminal records during the application process, to ensure that women with lived experience of the criminal justice system are assessed on their merit, without risk of discrimination and are not asked to disclose sensitive personal information unnecessarily. If a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is required for a role, this will be stated clearly in the job advert, including the level of DBS. Levels of DBS Checks Basic DBS checks contain details of unspent convictions. Standard and Enhanced DBS checks contain details of unspent and spent (unless filtered) convictions and cautions (including reprimands and warnings). Enhanced DBS checks may also include other information held by police forces deemed relevant to the role or check for inclusion on the Children’s or Adults’ Barring List. Job Offers and the Induction Process We will only ask for a DBS check at the point of job offer. Disclosures will be treated confidentially and only stored where necessary, in line with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) guidelines. Access will be restricted to limited Senior Management or HR representatives as needed to assess suitability for the role. A criminal record will not arbitrarily bar women from employment with us. We discuss disclosures with applicants (in person, or via phone or video call), to allow them to explain the background in their own words. We consider the relevance to the role, including the type and seriousness of an offence, how much time has passed and whether the individual’s circumstances have changed. If they have restrictions on the work they are able to do, we consider whether we are able to make reasonable adjustments to facilitate their employment. The Charity Commission does however have its own automatic disqualification rules on who can hold senior positions within a charity, which apply to our Trustee, CEO and Director of Finance and Resources positions. Although it is possible to apply for a waiver. Women in Prison does not have a blanket ban on any criminal records and will always approach disclosures fairly and on an individual basis. We seek to balance supporting women with lived experience into employment, alongside safeguarding our current employees, service users and the organisation. 13 14