Help People Build Skills, Confidence and Brighter Futures
At PeoplePlus, we believe education has the power to transform lives. With over 20 years' experience delivering high-quality prison education across England, we're committed to helping learners develop the skills, confidence and qualifications they need to move forward.
We're looking for a passionate and motivated Peer Academy Trainer to join our Prison Education team. This is a rewarding opportunity to support prisoners in becoming Peer Tutors and Peer Mentors, helping them develop valuable employability, leadership and life skills while creating a positive learning culture across the prison.
About the Role
As a Peer Academy Trainer, you'll deliver engaging training programmes that prepare prisoners to support and mentor their peers. You'll play a key role in developing the Peer Led Skills Academy, creating opportunities for learners to gain qualifications, build confidence and contribute positively to the prison community.
Working closely with prison staff, education colleagues and partner organisations, you'll support learners throughout their journey, helping them achieve meaningful outcomes that improve their prospects on release.
Please note this is a fixed-term contract with an end date in May 2027.
What You'll Be Doing
As part of this role, you will:
- Deliver high-quality Peer Tutor and Peer Mentor training programmes.
- Support the development of the Peer Led Skills Academy as a centre for learning and personal development.
- Train and support Peer Tutors to deliver learning sessions, demonstrations and mentoring activities.
- Deliver supervision and ongoing support for Peer Mentors.
- Facilitate peer-led learning, wellbeing and enrichment activities on residential wings.
- Support learners to develop Education and Training Portfolios that evidence their skills, achievements and progression.
- Deliver accredited qualifications and employability training where appropriate.
- Work collaboratively with prison staff, education teams and external partners to enhance learning opportunities.
- Maintain accurate learner records using PNOMIS and other required systems.
- Monitor learner progress and contribute to programme evaluation and continuous improvement.
- Produce accurate management information, reports and case studies to demonstrate programme impact.
- Ensure all delivery meets company standards, contractual requirements and Ofsted expectations.
- To undertake any other-directed tasks deemed necessary by your line manager.
What We're Looking For
We're looking for someone who has:
- Experience delivering education, training, coaching or employability programmes.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- The ability to motivate, inspire and support learners from diverse backgrounds.
- Strong organisational and administrative skills with excellent attention to detail.
- Experience maintaining learner records and using digital management systems.
- The ability to build positive working relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders.
- A commitment to delivering high-quality education and achieving positive learner outcomes.
Experience of working within prison education, rehabilitation, employability or adult learning is desirable but not essential.
Why Join PeoplePlus?
At PeoplePlus, our purpose is simple: improving people's lives.
When you join us, you'll become part of a dedicated team committed to helping people unlock their potential through education, skills and opportunity.
In return, you'll enjoy:
- The opportunity to make a genuine difference every day.
- A varied and rewarding role within prison education.
- A supportive and collaborative working environment.
- Ongoing professional development opportunities.
- The chance to help learners develop the confidence and skills to build better futures.
Additional Information
- This is a 100% prison-based role, requiring regular face-to-face engagement with learners.
- Successful applicants will be required to obtain and maintain Prison Security Clearance.
- The role is subject to contractual performance targets and quality standards.
Ready to Make a Difference?
If you're passionate about education, rehabilitation and helping people realise their potential, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply today and join PeoplePlus in improving lives through learning.
Who We Are
Here at People Plus, we make a positive difference to people’s lives – every single day.
We use our experience to support hundreds of thousands of people each year. Our committed teams work across Britain to deliver a range of public services, including employment support, skills training, prison education, starting a business, and support to help employers grow.
To put it simply, we:
- Support people to find and keep jobs
- Help people to set up their own businesses
- Deliver skills training to further people’s careers
- Work with employers to build a skilled and happy workforce
- Rehabilitate people with convictions
- Tackle the root causes of offending
- Support carers
We are extremely proud to be a Gold accredited Investors in People organisation. This demonstrates our commitment to creating the very best environment and culture for our colleagues to succeed and thrive.
We are committed to transforming the lives of people with convictions through our work in prisons.
Our services have been designed to tackle the underlying causes of offending behaviour so people can make positive changes to their lives.
With more than 500 people working to support people with convictions in custody and in the community, we bring passion, experience and innovation to public sector rehabilitation services.
We also work with specialist partner organisations to help people move away from their past and look forward to a brighter future.
All of our services are designed in partnership with the people who we’re trying to help and away from our direct work with people serving their sentences, we’re working hard to change attitudes towards people who can often be tarnished unfairly following criminal convictions. Our Social Recruitment Framework brings together organisations to tackle any pre-conceived ideas about hiring people who have previously been involved in crime.
We also work with employers on the Ban the Box initiative to support fair and equal recruitment processes and have engaged industry to influence our employer-led curriculum delivered to our learners.
Our Benefits
A paid PeoplePlus Life Event Day each year
30 days annual leave for Teaching roles / 25 days for support roles
Cycle to Work scheme
Access to hundreds of discounts via the Additions portal
Employee Assistance Programme
Access to online wellbeing centre
Enhanced Wedding leave
A paid volunteering day each year
Testimonials
"What I love about working in a prison environment is that no 2 days are the same. You are a number of different roles such as counsellor, adviser and at times the person that makes a difference in that individual’s life.
There are also good career opportunities for an individual. I started as a supply tutor and I am now an assistant manager. At PeoplePlus you are given the opportunities to gain new skills and qualifications to enable you to be the best version of yourself."
"I have been lucky enough to work in a number of roles within PeoplePlus within the prison education sector, each of which has provided variety, challenge, and immense job satisfaction. The company recognises, values, and rewards the hard work of its employees, providing great professional development and career progression opportunities as well as a great range of perks and support for wellbeing."
Peer Academy Trainer in Morpeth employer: PeoplePlus
As an Industries Manager, you will join a forward-thinking organisation dedicated to rehabilitation and employability, making a tangible difference in the lives of individuals. Our supportive work culture prioritises safety, compliance, and personal development, offering numerous opportunities for growth and collaboration with skilled professionals. Located within a dynamic environment, you will have the chance to lead impactful initiatives that not only enhance operational performance but also empower prisoners with essential skills for their future careers.