Support Worker - Lived Experience

Job summary

UNLOCK YOUR BEST WORK LIFE

+ MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO EVERY LIFE

We have an exciting opportunity for a Support Worker with Lived Experience to join our Reconnect team in South Yorkshire.

Hours - Monday to Friday; 9am - 5pm 20 hours per week 18-month fixed term contract

Salary- This position is part time & fixed term, you will receive a salary of £25,382 - £29,562 FTE, depending on experience

Location- Across South Yorkshire Region  Driving License and own vehicle - Desired

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We are aware that applying and interviewing for jobs can sometimes be a daunting experience. We are therefore going to be offering a drop-in session at our Doncaster Hub, Heavens Walk, DN4 5HZ, on 17/11/2025, 10am-2pm in which you can find out more about the role, how to apply, and what to expect at interview.

During this drop-in session, you will have the opportunity to meet some of our service user engagement team and ask them any questions. If you would prefer a phone call, you can contact our recruitment specialist, Pascale, on 07967846403 and she will be happy to chat. We hope to see you soon and look forward to your application!

Candidates are required to have a Legal right to work in the UK due to the nature of the role.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for a Service User Engagement Worker that is willing to use their lived experience of the criminal justice system to help others going through similar circumstances. This is a great opportunity for you to use your experiences to help people achieve positive outcomes, whilst learning new skills and developing your knowledge of a career in supporting others.

As a Support Worker, your responsibilities will vary. You will:

• Use your lived experience of the criminal justice system to help to engage some of the most vulnerable service users as they leave prison. 

• Be involved in the daily support of children and/or adults, including those from hard-to-reach communities to engage and navigate through the Criminal Justice System. 

• The role is to support the service user in accessing support to address the full scope of identified health needs, including substance misuse (alcohol and drugs), mental and physical health, homelessness, learning disabilities, exploitation, safeguarding and social care issues. 

• Reconnect is a care after custody service that seeks to improve the continuity of care of people leaving prison. This role seeks to reduce inequalities and address health-related drivers of offending behaviours. Whilst not a clinical service, Reconnect offers liaison, advocacy, signposting, and support to facilitate engagement with community-based health and support services.

About us

Practice Plus Group are the UKs leading independent provider of NHS services to over 40,000 patients in secure environments, always putting their needs first, regardless of their background. We aim to deliver a truly integrated model that will guide all groups involved in the judicial pathway to provide a more meaningful experience to the individuals involved.

Practice Plus Groups purpose is to Unlock your best work life and we stand by our core values:

• we treat patients as they would like to be treated.
• we act with integrity.
• we embrace diversity.
• we strive to do things better together.

Qualifications and skills required:

• Lived experience of the criminal justice system.
• Relevant volunteering experience in a supporting role within the criminal justice system.
• Ideally (but not desired) Level 2 Peer Mentor training qualifications.
• The ability to liaise with external agencies as required.

Our person-centred model is focused on providing meaningful pathways to anyone faced with criminal charges, as well as understanding what triggers and circumstances might lead to people offending. We will treat and support individuals to reduce risks and improve outcomes.