Prison Librarian - Sutton, United Kingdom - Surrey County Council

Surrey County Council

Verified Company

Sutton, United Kingdom

2 weeks ago

Posted by:

Tom O´Connor

beBee Recruiter

Description

Job Introduction

The starting salary for this role is £29,844 per annum for working 36 hours per week.

This post will be based at High Down men's prison (HMP Highdown Lane, Sutton SM2 5PJ), and Downview women's prison (HMP Sutton Ln, Sutton SM2 5PD).

This is a full-time role (36 hours per week split into 24 hours at High Down and 12 hours at Downview).

You may be required to work one evening per week.

Surrey County Council's library service is contracted to provide a prison library service at four prisons in Surrey.

In this role you will work at HMP Down View and HMP High Down with occasional visits to the Surrey County Council Library resource unit in Dorking for relevant stock work and meetings as required.

You will be responsible for the management of these Prison Libraries overseeing a team of Library Assistants and Prisoner Orderlies who work at the libraries.

About the Role
This is a challenging but highly rewarding role in two busy Prison Libraries. Enthusiasm for reading and learning is essential.

Working independently, you will play a key role in encouraging prisoners to use the library effectively for educational, recreational, and legal purposes.

You will run a lively events and activities program in each prison, including book groups, writing groups, reading initiatives such as Reading Ahead and author events.

As well as this, you will promote family reading by encouraging prisoners to record a story to send home, arranging workshops and involvement in family days.

You will be expected to work on your own initiative, taking full responsibility for the libraries, including supervising the Library Assistants and Prisoner Orderlies.

In addition, you will work closely with the education department and partner agencies to provide an integrated Library service.

You will be expected to adhere to all prison security guidance and attend training as necessary. The role will include a degree of physical activity, including the lifting and shelving of stock.

About You
You will need excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to remain calm under pressure in a sometimes-volatile environment.

We are looking for someone with excellent verbal and written communication skills, the ability to build positive working relationships, as well as the ability to work independently and as part of a team.

You will have experience of supervising and mentoring staff or volunteers, a positive attitude to training and personal development, and an enthusiasm for excellent customer service.

Your passion for reading and learning.
Enthusiasm for the challenges of working in a prison environment.
A customer focused approach to your work.
Your ability to work using your own initiative as well as working as part of a team.
Your highlevel interpersonal skills.
Positive working attitude towards training and development.
Your experience of using IT systems.

At Surrey, our values and behaviours are just as important as our skills and abilities. They shape who we are as an organisation. Find out more about the values
we follow.
Additional Information
The job advert closes at 23:59 on 28/05/2023.

Interviews will take place week commencing 05/06/2023.

Contact Details

Benefits
From flexible working to job sharing (where possible) we are committed to providing a healthy work life balance. A laptop and mobile will be supplied if applicable to your role.

You will benefit from 26 days' annual leave, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service, a generous local government salary related pension, as well as the option to join our car lease scheme.

For more information about the wide variety of benefits you can take advantage of please visit
MyBenefits for Surrey County Council staff.

**Our Commitment