We are looking for an experienced and Passionate Mentor to work as part of our Criminal Justice & secure Care Team at North West & Cumbria prisons (HMP Preston, HMP Lancaster Farms, HMP Kirkham and HMP Haverigg).
Imagine being part of an organisation whose common purpose is to help those who are severely impacted by mental illness. We believe that everyone should be treated with respect and dignity – and that’s why equity is one of our core values. We draw on the expertise, unique perspectives and lived experience of our people – regardless of who they are or their background – to help us become inclusive and anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider that reflect the diverse communities we support as a mental health charity.
In this role you will be working with people in prison and people on probation as part of our Ministry of Justice contract delivering Finance, Benefit & Debt services across the North-West of England.
As a Mentor, you will be prison-based delivering bespoke 1:1 support to address the finance, benefit and debt needs of customers (people in prison). You will work with customers to ensure they receive the right advice, guidance, support and advocacy necessary throughout their journey with us. This includes wellbeing support, the provision of advice on benefits; budgeting skills; debt management; advocating and negotiating on their behalf to third parties; liaising with relevant external agencies; support to set up bank account; access to correct benefits and entitlements.
Customers will rely on you to help them overcome issues regarding their financial situation and achieving financial security. You will create a bespoke action plan with your customers detailing the actions, activities and interventions that will help manage and resolve their finance, benefit and debt issues, making referrals to specialists where an integrated approach is required to manage complex needs.
How you will make a difference
- Provide person-centred mentoring support to customers in prison (and outreach in the community as required)
- Mentor and advise customers in a variety of finance, benefit and debt related areas, tailoring appropriate interventions based on the customer’s level of need
- Provide a professional and excellent standard of service to achieve customer outcomes
- Build positive relationships and communicate effectively with internal and external partners
- Contribute as part of the team, ensuring smooth operation of the service to achieve key performance targets
Full training will be provided to equip you with the knowledge and skills to provide money advice and guidance.
We do reserve the right to close this advertisement early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.
Please see further details on our website
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Don’t meet all requirements?
If the role sounds exciting to you but your experience, skills or qualifications don’t exactly match every single requirement, we still encourage you to apply, you may be just the right person for our position!
Caring for our people.
We offer a wide range of support. Some of our benefits include:
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PULSE – our recognition, rewards, wellbeing, and benefits platform. Providing access to thousands of discounts and benefits including cashback; reloadable cards; savings etc. As well as being able to thank colleagues and nominate them for awards.
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Wellbeing support: our Wellbeing hub gives physical, emotional, and mental health support. We also have a BUPA Employee Assistance Programme with access to appointments.
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Taking time for you: we work flexibly –you get to choose where you work, managing your own diary. We have generous annual leave, starting at 25 rising to 30 days, plus bank holidays, as well as your birthday off. We also offer the opportunity to buy and sell annual leave.
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Planning for the future: We have a contributory pension scheme.
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Structured Corporate Induction: Onboarding you into the Charity supporting your wellbeing along the way.
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£300 when you introduce a Friend: receive up to £300 when you introduce a friend or family member.
Who are we?
We’re Rethink Mental Illness, a leading charity provider of mental health services in England. We support thousands of people through our groups, services, policy, campaigns and advice and information. Our work supports us in delivering on our mission: “A better life for everyone severely affected by mental illness.”
It is an exciting time to join our growing charity. We are on a transformation journey, one that supports the delivery of the organisation strategy – delivering Communities that Care. Supporting employees, managers and leaders through this change is a key priority for the People function. Just like its key that we attract diverse people to come and work for us.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
Diversity is important to us and we appreciate difference through difference, inclusiveness and belonging. It gives us a deeper understanding of the world, our society and the diverse communities we’re working with. By including everyone, we are able to draw on the unique experiences and expertise of our people to help shape and enrich our workplace and improve our services. One way we are doing is through our valued staff networks which play a critical and highly valued role in keeping us focused on creating a diverse, inclusive and engaged employer. We recognise and support staff networks for our Black, Asian and minority ethnic and our LGBTQIA+ colleagues. We are also proud to have been awarded Disability Confident Employer status and are a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter.
Becoming a truly anti-racist organisation
We have an ambition of become a truly anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider - and in our efforts to influence policy and wider societal factors impacting on mental health set out in our anti-racist statement . We have designed a multi-year anti-racist programme of work contained in our Race Equality Action Plan which demonstrate our intention to hold ourselves accountable and be judged on our progress on becoming a truly anti-racist organisation.
We therefore actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including applicants with lived experience, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (or questioning), Intersex and (asexual) (LGBTQIA+), people with a disability, and people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.
If you have any questions about the position, please contact -