There are currently over 85,000 in the UK prison system. The majority of these people have experienced significant marginalisation and trauma throughout their lives. Many become trapped within a devastating cycle of reoffending and repeated imprisonment.

One of the most effective ways of breaking this cycle, and providing real rehabilitation, is to support people in and leaving prison to access professional employment. And that’s exactly what Fine Cell Work does.

Fine Cell Work is a charity and social enterprise committed to the rehabilitation of prisoners through providing them with purposeful activity. We do this by teaching them soft work skills, by training and paying them to do exquisite needlework to create beautiful products for sale.

Our aim is to support prisoners and prison leavers to finish their sentences with work skills, money earned and saved, and the self-belief to rebuild meaningful, independent, crime-free lives.

Fine Cell Work trains prisoners and prison leavers in high-quality needlework skills, and then supports and pays them to create beautiful handmade products, designed by world renowned artists. These luxury products are sold to the public, designers, artists, and heritage organisations, many of whom commission bespoke pieces.

Our unique process boosts our stitcher’s self-worth, instils accountability, and fosters hope. Hope that transformation is possible- for our stitchers, for our communities, and for our society as a whole.

Prison-based volunteers are the backbone of Fine Cell Work (FCW). Supported by the Fine Cell Work programmes team and by other staff at the FCW office, they teach and administer FCW stitching groups in prisons.

Prison volunteers work in teams to organise classes and teach our stitchers, as well as providing groups information to the prison and to the FCW office. The precise mix of skills will vary from prison to prison.

Volunteering in prison for Fine Cell Work requires ideally a good level of needlework skill (or a willingness to learn), some teaching experience and/or experience of working with socially-excluded groups. Volunteers must be patient and non-judgemental in order to work effectively. As a prison volunteer you will be:

• Developing skills and confidence
• Teaching prisoners to stitch FCW products within the framework of our training programme
• Encouraging and supporting prisoners to volunteer as class coordinators and peer mentors
• Encouraging and helping prisoners who wish to undertake their own creative projects

It is essential for volunteers to support FCW ethos, believe in rehabilitation, be an excellent team worker, observe personal boundaries, be reliable and patient to ensure cell groups run smoothly, and have record-keeping skills and have a knowledge of tapestry/needlework. .

Volunteers work in prisons around the UK dependant on where groups are based, therefore it is required that volunteers will be able to travel to the relevant prisons. Travel expenses will be reimbursed by the charity.

Please take some time to read the role description to find out more details about the role and what we offer to our volunteers.

ACTIVITIES
Teaching and support
- Teaching prisoners to stitch FCW products using our premade kits
- Encouraging and supporting stitchers to take on responsibility as class coordinators and peer mentors
- Encouraging and helping prisoners who wish to undertake our accredited training courses with the Open College Network

Admin and liaison
- Ensuring a supply of kits and training materials appropriate to stitchers’ individual skill levels and learning needs
- Returning completed kits to the FCW office with invoices
- Regularly communicating with Fine Cell Work staff

Monitoring and information-gathering
- Ensuring accurate record keeping of stitchers' pay, productivity and progress
- Occasionally gathering other information requested by the office
- Using our volunteering app, Volunteero, to report on sessions

Meetings/training
- Participating in Reflective Practice sessions every other month
- Participating in training and workshops as requested by FCW or the prison

SKILLS, QUALIFICATIONS, AND EXPERIENCE NEEDED

Essential

· Support for FCW’s ethos
· Ability to observe boundaries in personal behaviour
· Teamwork
· Experience of tapestry and/or embroidery techniques
· Reliability, patience and flexibility
· Accurate record-keeping
· Able to use email, word processors and phone apps to a basic level
· Ability to travel to prison

Desirable
· Teaching experience and/or experience of working with vulnerable and socially excluded groups
· Access to a car

You must be over 18 to carry out this role.

COMMITMENT REQUIRED

Prison volunteers generally run classes for two hours every 2 weeks.

With travel time and some admin work after groups we ask prison volunteers to set
aside a morning or afternoon every 2 weeks.

We hope that most prison-based volunteers will be able to commit themselves to working with us for at least a year or two as this allows time for group participants to complete qualifications and develop their skills to a high standard.

LOCATION

Kirklees - HMP New Hall Prison, New Hall Way, Flockton, Wakefield WF4 4AX

SUPERVISION AND COMMUNICATION

We ask a volunteer from each group to report back to us about their session on our app, Volunteero, each time. We also have group chats on Volunteero where we are available to answer questions and message our volunteers any important news or updates.

We also have regular Reflective Practice sessions for prison volunteers which take place on Zoom every other month.

BENEFITS

Fine Cell Work will cover your travel costs and out-of-pocket expenses related to posting kits to the office. We can also pay out-of-pocket expenses for purchasing materials and other items, but you must agree this in advance with the Production Team at FCW.

We provide induction training before you start volunteering in prison, and training thereafter at intervals throughout the year.

At Fine Cell Work, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in FCW’s workforce.

• Application form required
• References required
• Other

• 18+