RECONNECT peer support worker- Bedfordshire & Buckinghamshire - Buckinghamshire

At Forward Trust, equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our mission. Our NHS-commissioned RECONNECT service proudly recruits individuals with lived experience of physical or mental ill health, substance misuse, or the criminal justice system. Your insight will strengthen the support we provide, and we’re looking for someone who can bring that valuable experience into this essential role.

As a RECONNECT Peer Support Worker, you’ll deliver a comprehensive, inclusive and bespoke service to clients across HMP Bedford, HMP Woodhill, Yarl’s Wood IRC and the wider Bedfordshire & Buckinghamshire community, with some remote working.

You’ll help people preparing to leave custody connect with the right support, whether that’s mental or physical health care, substance use interventions, or broader wellbeing guidance. The service includes mentor linking, signposting, GP referrals, aftercare, and connecting clients to the wider Forward Trust community.

Working with referrals received 12 weeks prior to release, you’ll complete robust assessments, identify individual needs and co-produce personalised care plans centred on each client.

Key Responsibilities

• Process referrals, complete in-depth assessments, and update referrers on outcomes.
• Create bespoke care plans and provide up to 6 months post-release support focused on health and wellbeing needs.
• Manage a diverse caseload, supporting reintegration and engagement with community healthcare.
• Assist the Team Leader with recruiting and training prison peer supporters.
• Build strong partnerships with external agencies and maintain clear referral pathways (OMiC, families, prison staff, healthcare).
• Maintain high-quality admin and record-keeping, including case notes, assessments, care plans and risk assessments.
• Ensure safe, holistic service delivery and actively contribute to team risk assessments and best-practice sharing.
• Make referrals to the Forward Trust Meet and Greet service and support Meet at the Gate releases.
• Ensure service users are connected with local support services ahead of release.

If you’re ready to use your lived experience to support people reintegrating into the community and rebuilding their lives, we’d love to hear from you.

We are The Forward Trust, the social enterprise with charitable status that empowers people to break the often interlinked cycles of crime and addiction to move forward with their lives. For more than 25 years we have been working with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past. We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands of people to make positive changes and build productive lives with a job, family, friends and a sense of community.

We are committed to our cause and the work we carry out as a charity. Equally the wellbeing and the employees who work for us are also important. Joining us as an employee, we will offer you the following benefits:

• Flexible working
• Training and development opportunities
• Simply Health Cashback Scheme (optional)
• Season Ticket Loan Scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Crisis Loan Scheme
• Electric Car Scheme
• 3 x Wellbeing Days (pro rata'd for part time employees)
• Access to Blue Light Card
• 25 days (rising to 30 with length of service) Annual Leave