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Detention Outreach Officer

The Jesuit Refugee Service in the UK is recruiting for a new post of Detention Outreach Officer.

The Detention Outreach Officer is a new full-time post  supporting JRS UK’s accompaniment, service and advocacy on behalf of those held in the Heathrow Immigration Removal Centres (Colnbrook and Harmondsworth), joining a small tightly knit and diverse team at the JRS UK offices in Wapping. Reporting to the Detention Outreach Manager, this busy and varied role combines pastoral accompaniment of detainees with informal casework, referral to specialist agencies and JRS solicitor liaison, as well as management of a small group of volunteers. The Detention Outreach Officer will also be responsible for the initial development and management of a new project aimed at continuing accompaniment of those released from detention through the creation of a peer support group, looking to support those who have experienced detention to process their experience and lead activity to support others. The Detention Outreach Officer will therefore also work with our Destitution Services team to ensure continuity and integration of support for those released from detention into destitution.

This role would suit someone with highly developed listening skills, personal resilience and emotional maturity to respond to the emotional and spiritual needs of asylum seekers, accompany them and support volunteers to do the same. They would need to maintain an up-to-date knowledge about the immigration and asylum policy context as it relates to immigration detention, the specialist work of other NGOs and be able to apply that to situations affecting individuals in practice, and an enthusiasm for working in a small faith-based organisation.

Salary: £24-28K pa, full time; fixed term contract 18 months, potentially renewable.

Deadline for applications is  5pm on Wednesday 12th December.

How To Apply