Job Title: Trainer – Prison Project
Salary: £35,700 FTE ( Actual £15,300)
Reporting to: Senior counsellor
Hours: PT 15 hrs per week
Location: Hybrid model
Contract: 2 years with a view to extend
Annual leave: 28 days per annum + Bank Holiday (pro rata)
Closing date: 15th May 2026 at 11:30PM
Interview date: TBC
CONTEXT
An estimated 12,000 men are raped each year, and 76,000 experience sexual abuse or assault. Yet, only 4% of men will disclose their experience, and for those who do, it takes an average of 26 years to come forward.
SurvivorsUK provides specialist support to male, boy, and non-binary survivors, ensuring they have access to emotional support, advocacy, and therapeutic interventions. In London, we are the only organisation offering dedicated ISVA services for male survivors navigating the criminal justice system.
Sexual Violence in Prisons
Sexual violence within prisons is hidden, underreported, and poorly understood. According to research by the Howard League:
• 1% of prisoners report being raped in custody.
5.3% of prisoners have experienced coerced sex.
1% report being victims of other sexual offences—equating to between 850 and 1,650 prisoners.
Many of these men also experienced sexual abuse as children. Research suggests that 5-23% of boys experience childhood sexual abuse, but only 4% ever disclose their abuse. For many, this disclosure happens decades later, often while in custody.
There is an urgent need to increase awareness and improve staff training to ensure prison environments are equipped to respond to survivors in a trauma-informed manner.
In London, we are the only organisation providing specialist services for men and boys, including individual counselling and therapeutic groupwork, available till 9pm six days a week. Across London, we provide the capital’s only Independent Sexual Advisor (ISVA) Service that helps men and boys through the criminal justice system.
ABOUT THE ROLE
SurvivorsUK supports men, boys, trans, and non-binary people* who have experienced rape, sexual assault, and sexual abuse. Sexual violence in prisons has long been ignored, leaving many incarcerated men without access to adequate support.
Over the past two years, SurvivorsUK has been part of a committee with HM Prison Service, the Metropolitan Police, and NHS England to develop a Service Level Agreement on responding to serious sexual assaults in London prisons. This three-year NHS-funded pilot is designed to:
Train prison staff to understand the impact of sexual violence on male, boy, and nonbinary prisoners.
Raise awareness of sexual violence within prisons and equip staff with the tools to respond appropriately.
• Establish and strengthen referral pathways for survivors in London prisons.
• Gather key insights to inform future service provision and systemic change.
This role will work alongside two dedicated therapists:
• A Young People’s Therapist, providing direct support in youth prisons.
• An Adult Therapist, offering therapeutic services in adult prisons across London.
By embedding trauma-informed approaches within the prison system, this role will empower staff, improve survivor outcomes, and lay the foundation for long-term change in how sexual violence in prison is addressed.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Training & Awareness-Raising
Deliver comprehensive training sessions to prison staff, healthcare teams, mental health professionals, probation officers, and other key stakeholders on:
o The impact of sexual violence on male, boy, and non-binary prisoners.
o Recognising signs of trauma and supporting survivors.
o Trauma-informed responses to disclosures of sexual violence.
o The Service Level Agreement (SLA) on responding to sexual violence in prisons.
o The referral pathways available for survivors.
Develop bespoke training materials, toolkits, and resources to support ongoing learning for prison staff.
Facilitate reflective practice sessions (‘trauma clinics’) to help staff process and improve their responses to survivors.
Work closely with prison leadership teams to embed best practices into their safeguarding policies and procedures.
Collaboration & Service Development
Liaise with the Young People’s Therapist and Adult Therapist to align training with the therapeutic support available in prisons.
Work closely with NHS England, HM Prison Service, and survivor support organisations to integrate trauma-informed approaches across the prison system.
Strengthen referral pathways, ensuring survivors have access to appropriate support services both during and after their time in custody.
• Act as a liaison between SurvivorsUK, NHS England, and the prison service, ensuring training initiatives align with national safeguarding policies.
Research, Monitoring & Evaluation
Track training participation, effectiveness, and impact, using data to inform best practices.
Gather insights from prison staff on barriers to disclosure and challenges in supporting survivors.
Contribute to quarterly reports for NHS England and the prison leadership team on training outcomes and areas for improvement.
Identify gaps in service provision and make recommendations for future policy development.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential Experience & Qualifications
Experience delivering training to professionals, ideally in trauma, mental health, sexual violence, or the criminal justice sector.
• Strong knowledge of sexual violence, trauma, and the impact on survivors.
• Experience working in or alongside prison services, probation, or criminal justice settings.
Understanding of safeguarding, risk management, and referral pathways in traumarelated services.
Proven ability to engage and train a range of prison staff, from frontline officers to senior leaders.
Desirable Experience & Skills
• Experience working with men, boys, and non-binary survivors of sexual violence.
Familiarity with NHS and prison healthcare systems.
• Experience in developing training materials and best practice guidance.
• Strong knowledge of trauma-informed care in institutional settings.
Key Competencies
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences.
• Resilience and emotional intelligence, particularly in high-pressure environments.
Commitment to trauma-informed approaches, ensuring survivor safety and wellbeing.
Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage training schedules and evaluate outcomes.
• Ability to adapt training to different learning needs and settings.
This post is subject to an enhanced DBS Clearance and prison security vetting clearance.
Application Process
To express an interest in the role and to be considered, please submit the following:
An up-to-date CV.
A supporting statement that addresses the person specification in the recruitment pack and outlines your motivation for applying.
Please email your completed expressions of interest to leigh.graham@survivorsuk.org
Closing date: 15th May at 11:30PM
Interview dates: TBC. Interviews will be held remotely via Teams or Zoom
Contact Name: Leigh Graham, Counselling Manager
Contact Email: leigh.graham@survivorsuk.org
SurvivorsUK is committed to diversity, inclusion, and trauma-informed practice. We welcome applications from all backgrounds, including those with lived experience of the criminal justice system or sexual violence support work.