Are you passionate about supporting people to rebuild their lives?
We’re recruiting a Suffolk RECONNECT Peer Support Worker to join our NHS-commissioned service delivered by Forward Trust. This is a full-time role (35 hours per week) based across HMP Highpoint, HMP Hollesley Bay, and HMP Warren Hill, supporting people as they transition from custody back into the community.
This is a powerful opportunity to help individuals leaving prison rebuild their lives, improve their health and wellbeing, and break the cycle of reoffending.
What you’ll be doing
You’ll be at the heart of a person-centred, life-changing service:
- Supporting service users through holistic needs assessments and personalised care plans
- Acting as a trusted link between prison, community services, and healthcare providers
- Providing advocacy, mentoring, and practical support to help people reintegrate into society
- Maintaining meaningful contact post-release (up to 6 months) to support sustained recovery and wellbeing
- Managing a diverse caseload, ensuring tailored support for each individual
- Building strong partnerships with prisons, healthcare services, and community organisations
- Supporting peer mentors and contributing to training and development activity
- Keeping accurate records, assessments, and case notes to a high professional standard
About you
We actively encourage applications from people with lived experience, whether of substance misuse, mental or physical health challenges, or the criminal justice system.
You’ll bring:
- Empathy, resilience, and strong communication skills
- A non-judgemental, person-centred approach
- Confidence managing a busy and varied caseload
- The ability to build trust and motivate positive change
- Strong organisational and IT/admin skills
At Forward Trust, our purpose is clear: to break the cycle of crime. RECONNECT plays a vital role in ensuring people leaving prison don’t fall through the gaps, but instead step into coordinated, compassionate support.
You’ll help reduce health inequalities, improve continuity of care, and give people a real chance to rebuild their lives.
Please see attached Job Description for full details
All prison-based roles are subject to enhanced DBS checks and HMPPS security vetting. These checks can take up to 5 months to complete. Any offer of employment will be conditional upon the successful completion of both checks.
Please note if you have lived overseas within the last 5 years then checks may take longer.