Prison Library Assistant - HMP / YOI Chelmsford

HM Prison and Young Offenders Institution (YOI) Chelmsford is a Category B facility in Chelmsford, Essex. It houses adult male prisoners and young offenders, mainly serving the local courts. The prison offers a range of educational and rehabilitation programs, such as literacy, numeracy, and vocational training, all designed to support rehabilitation and reduce reoffending. We are currently recruiting a part time Prison Library Assistant to support the delivery of a prison library service within the unique environment of HMP/YOI Chelmsford. This role involves working closely with prisoners, understanding their unique needs, and fostering a positive reading culture within the prison. As part of a dynamic team, the Prison Library Assistant will handle library, administrative, and support activities, proactively managing their workload and using personal judgement to resolve issues. The successful candidate will demonstrate empathy, strong personal integrity, and diligence, and will be committed to providing excellent customer service. You will play a crucial role in encouraging prisoners to engage with reading, which can be a vital part of their rehabilitation.,

• Support the Prison Library Supervisor to deliver a library service to HMP/YOI as laid out in the Service Level Agreement, together with added value activities such as Storybook Dads, Reading Ahead and Family Library Times, which support improved literacy, health and wellbeing and family cohesion.
• Provide effective, high-quality support, advice, and guidance to Prisoner Orderlies on basic library procedures.
• Responsible for dealing with subject knowledge-based queries and activities.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, to drive the delivery of productivity and continuous improvement across customer processes.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues to understand customer needs, resolving them promptly and providing them with a service they value.
• Collate relevant information from a variety of sources to ensure that complex enquiries or customer complaints can be resolved in a timely fashion.
  
  Confident, assertive, and emotionally resilient, whilst maintaining empathy for the library customers who may have complex needs including poor mental health, low levels of literacy and challenging behaviour.
• Previous experience of operating electronic or hard copy filing systems
• Demonstrable experience and competence of MS Office and their practical application, with the ability to use computerised systems with a high level of speed and accuracy.
• Ability to undertake all the aspects of the role, including distribution of library books across all wings and floors. The prison is a Victorian building and there are a number of steps and heavy doors, with no lifts.
Desirable
• Experience of working with offenders.
• Library experience is desirable although not essential as full training will be given.
Please note all offers are subject to the completion of Essex County Council compliance and HMP Prison compliance.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

This is a fixed term contract / secondment opportunity for 12 months. The role is a part time working 16 hours per week, Wednesday and Thursday 8am to 5pm, the pro rata salary will be between £10,095 to £11,248 per annum. If successful you will need to attend training for one week (Monday to Friday).,
• 26 days annual leave + bank holidays + choice to buy extra
• Generous Local Government Salary related pension scheme
• Access to hundreds of discounts and benefits through Essex Rewards
• Access to our health and wellbeing support platform with Vita Health Group
• Up to 4 days per annum volunteering leave
• Cycle to Work Scheme