VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITY! – Restorative Justice Volunteer Practitioner, Dorset

Job Title - Restorative Justice Volunteer Practitioner

Reports to – Yvette Bessant, Local Volunteer Co-Ordinator/ Jacqueline Willson, Hampshire RJ Service Delivery Manager

Aims and expectations of role

In your role as a Volunteer Restorative Justice Facilitator, you will be facilitating restorative based intervention courses, and restorative based out of court disposals. This will involve making contact with victims and offenders to explain the course and offer RJ, you will then either meet with the offender to facilitate a course (this is completed in pairs), or liaise with the offender to facilitate an apology.

For this role, volunteers will be given one day accredited restorative justice awareness training with Restorative Solutions. Volunteers will then attend an additional 1 day training course on the hate crime awareness course and restorative out of court disposals. Volunteers will be allocated cases to work either in pairs, or with a Lead Practitioner from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight RJ team.

Once volunteers have acquired experience of these cases over a period of 6 months, and have shown commitment to the role, there may be an opportunity to attend a further two day restorative justice facilitator training course. This will give volunteers the skills required to work on restorative justice cases facilitating direct and indirect restorative justice processes between victims and offenders.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Volunteers will be contacting people who have been harmed by crime, and those that have caused the harm to speak with them and/or visit them at home/agreed venue.
• Volunteers must have access to an email address, and computer or device because they will be expected to access and update our case management system remotely.
• Volunteers will facilitate face-to-face hate crime awareness courses and/or restorative based out of court disposals.
• Volunteers will be required to attend team meetings, and training for CPD.
• Where necessary, volunteers will carry out risk assessments and report to Yvette Bessant, Local Volunteer Co-Ordinator/Jacqueline Willson, Hampshire RJ Service Delivery Manager.
• It is imperative that volunteers have the ability to work on their own initiative, be organised, prioritise their workload, manage deadlines set by the police, and have excellent time management.
• All volunteers will be supported by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight RJ team and regular one to one and group supervision will be offered.
• Provided they engage in the role, volunteers will be given opportunities to develop.

Work location

Volunteers will be expected to travel to facilitate courses and to meet with victims and offenders. These appointments can take place in any part of Hampshire and on occasion in the home of the service users. The Hampshire and Isle of Wight RJ team do not have an office, therefore, some work will be expected to be completed from home, and virtually for meetings.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for committed, non-judgmental, community-minded people to learn the skills to facilitate restorative communication between victims and offenders, to repair harm and reduce crime and conflict.

This opportunity is relevant for those considering a career in restorative justice, victim services, offender services and other areas of the Criminal Justice System. You will gain valuable knowledge and skills in speaking to victims and offenders, facilitating intervention courses and partnership working with other professionals in the Criminal Justice System.

Practical considerations

Volunteers will be reimbursed for expenses and travel costs whilst undertaking this role. Volunteers should be able to commit to working at least 4 hours per month, and attend supervision and team meetings. This is in addition to the initial training. Volunteers will be expected to travel to facilitate courses and to meet with victims and offenders. These appointments can take place in any part of Hampshire and on occasion in the home of the service user.

If you are interested in the role, please email RJDorset@restorativesolutions.org.uk, we will then send you an application form to complete and once received, we will arrange a short interview with you.

Please note all volunteers who progress in the application process will be subject to DBS and police vetting. Previous convictions do not necessarily exclude people from volunteering; each case will be assessed on an individual basis. Age requirement: 18 +