Vacancies

Prison Library Assistant

About the role

West Northamptonshire provides the library service to HMP Woodhill.

The prison in Milton Keynes is a Category B Trainer with a Category A function. Category A is the highest level of Prisoner risk, and therefore HMP Woodhill is part of the High Security Estate.

Men arriving at Woodhill are generally classed as B Category and they then work towards the next stage down which is a C Category whilst they are at Woodhill. Once they achieve their C Category they are moved to a Prison of that type.

A training Prison is one where men are encouraged to work towards achieving skills and qualifications which will support them when they are released. There are some men who are imprisoned for life and may never be released.

The length of time for B Category prison sentences means that this is a long-term undertaking, and the skill is to keep men occupied in a meaningful way for the duration of their sentence. The prison population has been identified as having a higher percentage of those with neuro-diversity conditions than in the general population. It has been found that even though men have been in prison for long periods of time many have still not been able to learn to read. This is where the library team is invaluable.

The ability to choose the right book for the right person requires good rapport and a conversation.

The library liaises with Education and Chaplaincy staff to cater for the development of individuals on a professional and personal level. The library holds hardback and paperback books, audio books, books written in several foreign languages and books for emerging readers. Some of the book fund is spent to support the education classes on offer and the work areas.

There is no doubt that the environment is a challenging one and every day is different.

What will you be doing?

Walking to all areas of the Prison to deliver and collect books.

This may be up to 10,000 steps per day and sometimes during inclement weather. Most work begins in the Library itself which must be kept tidy and organised.

The role requires choice of or recommendations for reading materials which will be informative, educational and entertaining for a library customer.

Dealing with the administration of new book stock using relevant computer systems and maintaining accurate records of library borrowers and book transactions. Liaison with staff in other Prison departments to organise joint events and to provide a quality library service offer in our own right.

Our benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits to our employees, these include:

Generous annual leave entitlement starting at 28 days annual leave per year, 29 days for senior managers (pro rata, depending on how many hours per week you work), plus bank holidays. An additional 5 days, linked to continuous service, and ability to purchase up to 6 weeks additional leave per year.
Cycle to Work scheme.
Local Government Pension Scheme plus immediate life cover (3 times your annual salary from day one) and ill-health protection.
Employee discounts with local and national retailers, days out, finance, health and beauty, travel and eating out plus lots more.
Car Lease scheme
Payment of professional subscription / membership - If your job description requires that you are registered with or are a member of a professional body, WNC will pay for your professional subscription or membership fees.
Employee Assistance Programme - We have an employee support programme run by Health Assured, an independent, external organisation. Health Assured is available for you and your immediate family members, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and includes telephone counselling, legal advice, bereavement support and medical information.
Ongoing training and development opportunities.
A variety of flexible working options to support your work/life balance, including full or part time, term time, 9-day fortnight, etc. (subject to business needs).
Our West Ways of Working – We want our workforce to thrive, and we equip our employees with the right technology to support hybrid and collaborative working, on or off site, depending on the role.
Making a difference - If you want to use your skills and experience with an organisation that are genuinely invested in making a difference, are committed to improving people's lives, and whose success has a direct impact on the wellbeing of your family, friends and people in your local area, then West Northamptonshire Council is the place for you.

About us

At West Northants Council, it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.

Our vision is ‘to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services.

Hear more from our Chief Executive, Anna Earnshaw, about what it's like to work at West Northants Council https://youtu.be/lV0EfeUF4aU

We are committed to ensuring diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion is woven into the fabric of WNC and everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and maximize their full potential.  We are a disability confident employer, a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, and a Care Leaver Covenant partner

The following film was created by us to communicate our intentions - watch WNC colleagues explain what DEI means to us.

If you need additional support or reasonable adjustments during the application process, including needing the job description in another format or language, please email careers@westnorthants.gov.uk for support.

West Northants Council, where careers thrive.

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