Essex RECONNECT Worker

Location: Essex

Salary: £24,000 per annum

Vacancy Type: Permanent, Full Time

Closing date:  04 Sep 2025

About The Role

As a RECONNECT Practitioner, you will play a vital role in helping individuals prepare for release and reintegrate into society by providing health, wellbeing, and practical support. Working closely with clients 12 weeks prior to their release and for up to 6 months post-release, you will ensure they are connected to appropriate services, including substance misuse support, mental and physical healthcare, housing, and community networks.

You’ll offer a comprehensive, inclusive, and person centred service helping clients transition back into the community safely, confidently, and with the support they need to thrive.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct robust needs assessments and develop personalised care plans in collaboration with clients.
• Maintain regular contact and support post-release, addressing ongoing health and wellbeing needs.
• Manage a diverse caseload, supporting clients through resettlement and connecting them to community health services.
• Process referrals and keep referrers updated on progress and outcomes.
• Support the recruitment and training of prison peer supporters.
• Build and maintain strong partnerships with external agencies and key stakeholders.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records, including assessments, care plans, and risk assessments.
• Promote and develop clear referral pathways with prison and community-based services.
• Contribute to a safe and high-quality service by fully engaging in risk assessment and case management processes.
• Support clients with Meet at the Gate initiatives and ensure they’re linked with local services upon release

Please also note that flexibility will be required within this role & we are recruiting for a Worker to primarily cover our Basildon & Thurrock community areas as well as HMP Chelmsford (base) so travel to these areas will be needed. 

The Ideal Candidate

We are looking for a candidate with the following knowledge skills and experience listed below.

• Experience in working with complex or vulnerable individuals, ideally within criminal justice, health, or substance misuse settings.
• Strong communication, organisational, and administrative skills.
• Ability to build trust and rapport quickly with clients and partners.
• A proactive, compassionate, and non-judgmental approach.
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a multi-disciplinary team

About Us

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 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 plus Bank Holidays 
• Contributory Pension Scheme – Employer matched contributions of up to 6% in the first two years’ service and up to 9% thereafter 
• Death in Service Payment (2x annual salary) 
• Critical Illness Insurance (subject to qualifying criteria)

To Apply

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for the Forward Trust, please proceed through the following link to be redirected to their website to complete your application.

https://careers.forwardtrust.org.uk/vacancies/309/essex-reconnect-worker.html

Contact information

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