Restorative Justice Officer

Job description

PAYE 15.68-15.96 per hour

An exciting opportunity has arisen with a Youth Offending Team to promote and safeguard the welfare of children who live or access services in, or who are looked after by, a North West London borough council.

You will be assisting the team in the prevention of offending and re-offending by young people by providing effective services as required by legislation, guidance and published National Standards. This will involve working effectively with partner organisations to further develop and deliver innovative, effective and high quality programmes and initiatives to meet the needs of victims of youth crime, parents/carers, children and young people involved with the service.

Duties

- To supervise, recruit and train a pool of volunteers responsible for the delivery of referral order panels in accordance with the guidance (YJB Referral Orders and Youth Offender Panels, Guidance for the Courts, Youth Offending Teams and Youth offender Panels 2012) and to supervise and coordinate the management of paid sessional/Agency workers.

- To liaise with the Victim Liaison Officer to ensure that all victims of youth crime known to the YOT are given the opportunity (where appropriate) to participate in a restorative justice process

- To support victims of crime to participate in, or have their views represented within restorative justice processes (e.g. Referral Order Panel Meetings) in liason with the Victim liaison Officer.

- To facilitate direct and indirect restorative justice processes as necessary to satisfy the identified wishes of victims.

- To identify, develop and risk-assess a range of community reparation placements suitable for young offenders and to co-ordinate the supervision of young offenders undertaking community reparation activities.

- To deliver interventions that focus on reducing the risk of re-offending, serious harm to the public and vulnerability, including complex mediation and meetings with high risk young people, also including group work and RJ interventions.

- Raise the achievements of young people by encouraging them to engage in accredited courses through reparation/unpaid work activities.

- To ensure reparation activities and unpaid work are available in evenings and week-ends

- To share relevant information with YOT case managers for accurately assessing the risks posed by young people to the community.

- To ensure that all Community Panel Meetings are held as required according to guidance, and within National Standards, developing procedures and systems as necessary.

- To provide training, support and feedback to YOS staff about their role in Community Panel Meetings.

- To recruit, train and support volunteers to act as Community Panel Members and ensure

that all are skilled and appropriate to work with young people and reflect the diverse community in Harrow in accordance with the guidance.

- To ensure that volunteers are kept informed of significant developments within the YOT, receive feedback about their work, and the outcomes for young people they have engaged with.

Requirements

- Knowledge of the legislation relating to children and young people including the Children Act 1989 and 2004, Crime & Disorder Act 1998; Youth Justice and Criminal justice Act 1999; and knowledge of relevant National Standards.

-Up-to-date knowledge of victim's issues and good practice in relation to victim/restorative justice work as well as safeguarding and child protection procedures

-An understanding of the needs of disadvantaged or excluded groups in society and an awareness of the Equal Opportunities/Anti-discriminatory Practice principals relevant to address these needs.

-Practical experience of working with victims of youth crime, and/or young people, and delivering restorative justice interventions

-Experience of managing and training volunteers

-Professional Qualification (Health, Social Services, Education, Police, Probation, Youth & Community etc.), or a relevant degree.

-Qualification in restorative justice/mediation work or experience in working within a restorative justice or other victim focused work environment

-DBS enhanced clearance