The RJ Volunteer Facilitator role involves facilitation of a restorative process between a harmed person (victim) and the person responsible for causing the harm (offender). This process enables the victim to explain the impact of the harm caused, explore how the harm might be repaired and find a positive way forward. This could be via a face to face meeting, known as a restorative conference or via indirect communication, such as shuttle communication, a letter or an exchange of letters between victim and offender.
Role Type: Volunteering (12 months commitment)
Reporting To: a member of Calm Mediation’s Restorative Justice Team
Office Location: Calm Mediation, 10 Berghem Mews, Blythe Rd, W14 0HN
Geographical Area: 32 London boroughs with additional travel to prisons within the UK when required
DBS check required? Yes
Police vetting required? No
Expenses reimbursed? Yes
What are the benefits?
- Experience in facilitating restorative justice between victims and offenders
- Experience of working within the criminal justice system
- Full induction and one-to-one support for the role
- Opportunities for further specialist training in addition to learning, development and social events
- Rewarding sense of having made a positive difference in people’s lives.
What will I be doing?
- Assessing the needs of participants
- Assessing the risk of harm to participants
- Contacting participants to arrange face to face meetings (for offenders in custody, meetings will be facilitated inside the prison)
- Assessing the suitability of offenders to participate in the process
- Managing the expectations of participants in regard to the process
- Maintaining contact with participants to provide regular updates on case progression
- Liaison with the RJ Co-ordinator
- Preparing participants to engage in direct or indirect communication
- Facilitating restorative conferences
- Providing unbiased support to both victim and offender throughout the process
- Signposting and onward referral where appropriate
- Administrative duties such as maintaining accurate and timely case records
- Adhering to data protection by using secure methods to send and receive personal data
What skills do I need?
- Approachable and non-judgmental manner
- Listening skills
- Good verbal and non-verbal communication
- An understanding of Equal Opportunities
- Basic IT skills
- Ability to self-reflect
- Willingness to uphold the organisational aims, values, policies and procedures
How much time am I expected to give?
- Volunteering times are flexible to meet the needs of the service user. Meetings may take place during the day or evening. The availability of individual facilitators will be taken into account when allocating cases.
- The role requires regular attendance to the Calm office for one to one and/or group supervision with a named volunteer supervisor.
- The role requires regular travel across London to meet with service users in the community and occasional travel within the UK to visit offenders in prison. Whilst every effort will be made to minimise travel, you will likely need to use public transport or, ideally, your own vehicle, especially in places where public transport services are limited. All reasonable out of pocket expenses will be reimbursed, including travel expenses, in line with Calm Mediation’s Expense Policy.