Learner Engagement Specialist – Prison Education – HMP Belmarsh Milton Keynes College 1 Belmarsh Road, London SE28 0EB £23,782 – £30,000 a year – Permanent

Learner Engagement Specialist – Prison Education – HMP Belmarsh

Location: HMP Belmarsh, 1 Belmarsh Road, London SE28 0EB
Hours: 37.5 hours per week,52 weeks per year
Flexible Working: We welcome applications from those seeking flexible hours.
Salary: Up to £30,000 per annum (Subject to experience)
Apprenticeships: Development opportunities are available through Apprenticeship standards
Reporting To: Education Manager

IN SHORT

HMP Belmarsh Education Department have an exciting new opportunity for a Learner Engagement Specialist to join their Milton Keynes College Prison Services team.

You will provide administrative and learner support to the Education Manager and team while offering pastoral care and support through (re) engagement with education, advice, and direction for learners.

The ideal candidate will have excellent IT skills and experience of supporting students / delivering information sessions. You will be an enthusiastic, creative person who can support our learners through their engagement to education.

MK College will treat all applicants fairly and with respect, irrespective of their background, disability or any other individual characteristic. We particularly encourage applications from people with backgrounds which are currently under-represented within Milton Keynes College. All offers made to successful candidates are subject to satisfactory outcomes to a range of pre-employment checks including a Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS). In addition, security clearance is required for all prison services positions up to Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) level.

OUR BENEFITS

• 25 days annual leave, 3 additional company closure days and UK Bank Holidays (entitlement will be pro-rated for part-time employees)
• Generous Pension Scheme
• Professional development opportunities, including professional qualifications
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) accessible 24 hours per day, 365 days per year
• A variety of amazing discounts with NUS Card and our reward and recognition platform Encore
• Employee wellbeing platform

ABOUT HMP Belmarsh

Belmarsh is a Category A prison, at capacity holding 725 adult male remand and sentenced offenders. It is also well known for its High Security Unit. For many who have experience of Victorian prisons their first comment on entering Belmarsh is “Isn’t it quiet?” The prison is known for its security and safety. Prisoners often feel safer in Belmarsh than they do elsewhere. Education staff also often comment that they feel safer in the prison than they do in the area where they live.

The prison benefits from an inspirational number one governor and the education department works hard to integrate into the full life of the prison, having particularly strong links with Healthcare to promote healthy eating and Psychology to promote well-being. Staff across the prison are committed to reducing reoffending and preventing future victims of crime by preparing offenders for their release. Many prisoners are also facing very long sentences and helping prisoners learn to flourish whilst incarcerated is also important to the Education department. The department has increasingly good links with leading UK universities to enhance learning.

Promoting life long and Distance Learning is central to Education at Belmarsh. To facilitate this courses include Art, Business, Catering, Creative Writing, Barbering, English (for native and non-native speakers), IT, Mathematics and Mentoring. Learning Support is central to all we do to support a very neurodiverse group of learners.

Education delivery hours are Monday to Thursday 0900 – 1200 and 1400 – 1700. Teaching staff are expected to be on site from 0815 and usually leave site by 1715. Fridays are half days and there is some opportunity for flexible working and working from home on Fridays. Class sizes typically range from 8 to12 learners.

Work at Belmarsh may be for you if you:

• believe people can change,
• know we all make mistakes and it is good to learn from them and
• can accept strict boundaries and the need to be flexible and creative.

The department is keen to have a diverse workforce and encourages applicants from all parts of the community. Many people who join us have not worked in prisons before. Having a teacher qualification or experience in enabling people to learn can be an advantage. However, it is also possible to gain teaching qualifications whilst working at Belmarsh.

The prison is on excellent public transport routes. A secure bicycle shed and showering facilities are available on site, as is car parking