About Us 

Hibiscus Initiatives is a passionate, women’s organisation, delivering high impact advocacy and advice services for more than 35 years to those at the intersection of the Criminal Justice and Immigration systems. As an organisation, we have distinct expertise in working with Black and minoritised women in prison, in the community and in immigration removals centres.

Our holistic and trauma informed approach makes a real and lasting impact on women’s lives. We aim to make a difference within the criminal justice and immigration systems too by working with women and amplifying their own voices, so their experience is recognised by those making policy decisions

We are particularly keen to attract talent from Black and minoritised communities and those with lived experience of immigration, the criminal justice systems, and/or gender-based violence.

Hibiscus adopts anti-racist; anti-oppression, and feminist principles and believes in the importance of nurturing a diverse team who can embody these principles.

We are committed to the wellbeing and development of our staff. We provide regular training and other learning opportunities and offer wellbeing classes and activities, clinical supervision, an Employee Assistance Program and other benefits to support staff wellbeing.

This post is restricted to women only as a genuine occupational requirement under Schedule 9 paragraph 1, Equality Act 2010.

About the Role 

We are now recruiting for a dedicated Through-the-Gate Project Worker to join our Criminal Justice and Detention Services team. This role will provide specialist support to migrant women being released from prison or detention into the London area and beyond.

The Through-the-Gate Project Worker will act as the main point of contact for referrals for women being released from prison or immigration removal centres. The role will involve managing a caseload of up to 15 migrant women who are in contact with the criminal justice system and / or under immigration restrictions, helping them to prepare for release and supporting them to resettle in the community afterwards.

The successful candidate will be responsible for developing and maintaining effective working relationships with statutory, partner and other voluntary organisations to maximise provision of support for women being released from prison/detention. The post-holder will also work as part of Hibiscus’ Safe Homes for Migrant Women project team, to improve provision of safe and secure housing for Black and minoritised migrant women. 

[Please note: Successful candidates will need to have been resident in the UK for a minimum of 3 years to ensure the clearance process is authorised. The post holder will be subject to checks by the Disclosure and Barring Service and HMPPS security vetting.]

Salary
£26,500 – £31,000*
*starting salary negotiable up to the mid-point of the salary band, depending on experience  

Team
Criminal Justice and Detention Services

Duration
Fixed term contract to March 2026 (with potential to extend)

Hours
Full-time (35 hours per week)

Location
Hibiscus Head Office, London with frequent travel to and work from prisons and detention centres

Reporting to
Wraparound and Through-the-Gate Manager

About You

We are particularly keen to attract talent from Black and minoritised communities and those with lived experience of immigration and/or the criminal justice system.

The successful candidate will have significant experience working directly with women affected by the criminal justice system, the immigration system, or violence against women and girls. Experience working in a prison or detention setting would be an advantage.

They will be able to demonstrate trauma-informed, gender-responsive practice and maintain clear boundaries with clients; managing challenging behaviour with empathy. The successful candidate will have experience of working in partnership with statutory and non-statutory organisations, and proven ability to engage and influence a range of stakeholders.

They will demonstrate a commitment to Hibiscus’s ethos aims and objectives, including having an intersectional and anti-racist approach to the work and a comprehensive understanding of one of more of Hibiscus’ key work areas; criminal justice, immigration and migrants’ rights, racial justice, and/or VAWG and gender justice.

To Apply 

Please download the Job Description below and carefully read through the information provided regarding the role and person specification:

2024 Project Worker (Through the Gate) Job Description

Please send the following to recruitment@hibiscus.org.uk

    • An up-to-date CV (no more than 2 pages)

    • A cover letter addressing relevant parts of the Person Specification in the Job Description outlining why you are the right person for the role (no more than 1 page)

Please complete the following Equality and Diversity Form.

Closing date
20 January 2025

Interviews
TBC

Please note that we may close vacancies early if suitable candidates are found and/or a sufficient number of candidates have applied. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

If we receive applications from more suitable candidates than we have vacancies for at this time, we may hold suitable applicants on a reserve list for 12 months, and future vacancies requiring the same skills and experience could be offered to candidates on the reserve list without a new competition.

If you do not want Hibiscus to retain your CV on file, please state so in your email when you send your CV and Cover Letter.