Volunteering

Working as a member of the Family Services team, is to work across all areas of the service, which may involve one or more of the following family support services: a welcoming visitor centre facility; play and children’s services and/or refreshment services. The role will mainly involve working with the families and carers of prisoners and their families in the Prison visitors centre and visits hall.

What you will be doing

Visitors Centre

1. To offer a friendly and welcoming environment within the Family & Visitors’ Centre, where people visiting the prison can spend time before and after their visit.
2. To assist with booking/checking in of visitors in line with Pact and the prison’s procedures.
3. To encourage families to access support or signposting them for their needs by interacting with visitors, offering information and advice as appropriate on a confidential basis and ensuring first time visitors are provided with enhanced support and reassurance.
4. To help maintain an area in the visitors’ centre for children, which may include displays of children’s artwork, relevant posters and information, as well as toys and other materials to engage children before and after a visit.
5. To liaise with prison staff, including visits and security staff, to ensure close co-operation in the smooth and efficient reception of visitors at the prison.
6.  

Play Area

1. To promote opportunities for children to engage with their loved one who is in prison in an appropriate way during a visit and family days.
2. To ensure the play equipment is safe, clean, and able to fulfil its requirements, storing and restocking as required.
3.  

Refreshment Services

1. To provide an excellent, friendly, and welcoming refreshment service to prisoners and their families in the café of the visitors centre and visits hall.
2.  

Family Visits Days

1. To support the planning and delivery of an agreed number of family/teen days per year and to help Pact deliver high quality facilitated play/activities appropriate for the age ranges attending the family days.
2.  

General

1. Adhering to policies and practises relevant to this role: Confidentiality; Health & Safety; Child Protection and Safeguarding; Equality and Diversity; and Prison security rules etc.
2. Reporting any incidents and concerns related to Health and Safety or Safeguarding to a member of the Pact staff team.

Skills you'll gain.

• Organisation, Event/Project Management