RECONNECT Worker- Bedfordshire & Milton Keynes
Location: Bedfordshire
Salary: £26,000 per annum
Vacancy Type: Permanent, Full Time
Closing Date: 12th June 2026
We’re looking for a passionate and proactive RECONNECT Worker to join our team working across Bedfordshire & Milton Keynes on a full-time basis (35 hours per week).
This role is based across HMP Bedford, HMP Woodhill and Yarl’s Wood IRC, with some remote working included. A full UK driving licence and access to your own vehicle is essential.
This is an opportunity to make a genuine difference to people leaving custody by helping them access the healthcare, wellbeing and community support they need to successfully rebuild their lives. You’ll provide tailored, person-centred support both before and after release, ensuring service users are connected into the right services at the right time.
What You’ll Be Doing
* Managing referrals and carrying out in-depth assessments
* Creating bespoke care and support plans centred around individual needs
* Supporting service users for up to 6 months post-release
* Building strong partnerships with prisons, healthcare teams and community agencies
* Helping individuals access healthcare, housing, wellbeing and recovery services
* Maintaining accurate case records and outcome reporting
* Identifying safeguarding concerns and escalating where appropriate
* Working collaboratively with colleagues, mentors and peer supporters to deliver a high-quality service
We’re seeking someone who is:
* Compassionate, resilient and highly organised
* Confident working with vulnerable or hard-to-engage individuals
* Experienced in support work, criminal justice, healthcare, recovery or community services
* Able to manage competing priorities and work independently
* Skilled at building positive relationships with stakeholders and partner agencies
* Committed to improving outcomes for people leaving prison
This is more than a job; it’s an opportunity to help break the cycle of crime and support lasting positive change. You’ll join a supportive team environment where collaboration, wellbeing and professional development are genuinely valued.
If you’re ready to make an impact and help people reconnect with the support they need, we’d love to hear from you.
All prison-based roles are subject to enhanced DBS checks and HMPPS security vetting. These checks can take up to 5 months to complete. Any offer of employment will be conditional upon the successful completion of both checks.
Please note if you have lived overseas within the last 5 years then checks may take longer.
About Us
We are The Forward Trust, the social enterprise with charitable status that empowers people to break the often interlinked cycles of crime and addiction to move forward with their lives. For more than 25 years we have been working with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past. We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands of people to make positive changes and build productive lives with a job, family, friends and a sense of community.
We are committed to our cause and the work we carry out as a charity. Equally the wellbeing and the employees who work for us are also important. Joining us an employee, we will offer you the following benefits -
* Flexible working
* Training and development opportunities
* BHSF Cashback Scheme (optional)
* Season Ticket Loan Scheme
* Cycle to work scheme
* Crisis Loan Scheme
* Electric Car Scheme
* 3 x Wellbeing Days (pro rata'd for part time employees)
* Access to Blue Light Card
* 25 days (rising to 30 with length of service) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays
* Contributory Pension Scheme – Employer matched contributions of up to 6% in the first two years’ service and up to 9% thereafter
* Death in Service Payment (2x annual salary)
* Critical Illness Insurance (subject to qualifying criteria)
Please note that we may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.
To Apply
If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for Forward Trust, please click apply to be redirected to our website to complete your application
