Are you a confident communicator? Are you passionate about rehabilitation and the benefits of group work? Could you help people make meaningful and sustained changes in their lives? If so, then a career as a Programmes Facilitator in the Probation Service in South Central could be for you.
Providing interventions to people who engage in harmful behaviour to help reduce their likelihood of reoffending is an important part of our work in HMPPS. Accredited Programmes aim to support people in our care to strengthen and develop skills and behaviour to enable greater choice and capacity to lead a more constructive, meaningful and crime free future.
As a Programmes Facilitator, you will be responsible for delivering these Accredited Programmes to individuals from a range of backgrounds and with different offending histories. You will plan, deliver and debrief a range of sessions to diverse groups of individuals on key areas of need, such as emotional management, problem solving, assertive communication, thinking skills, and social and relationship skills. You will use your keen understanding and awareness of group dynamics and the complex needs of people on probation to inform how you manage the sessions, and use your prosocial modelling skills to reinforce positive behaviour and challenge anti-social behaviour and attitudes.
Our team is made up of a strong and inclusive group of colleagues, from all walks of life, who are passionate about helping and motivating people on probation. You will work alongside your fellow team members to ensure that people on probation receive the highest quality input and support, as well as sharing information and providing guidance to members of the wider Probation Service, such as Probation Practitioners and Domestic Abuse Safety Officers.
The South Central Intervention Team is committed to learning and development, and full training for the role of Facilitator is provided. This is alongside regular support and reflective supervision provided throughout your journey by Programme Managers, as well as regular feedback and input from experienced Treatment Manager colleagues.
The work is varied, challenging and meaningful and comes with job security, great benefits and career progression opportunities – not to mention the chance to make a real difference to people’s lives and our communities.
Requirements of the Programme Facilitator Role Include:
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Training in the delivery of groupwork programmes as outlined in the Accredited Programme and Structured Interventions Manuals and in keeping with the core concepts of group work delivery.
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Delivering programme sessions to groups or individuals
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Monitoring group participants’ progress, providing participants with feedback, and ensuring this is recorded on relevant systems.
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Working as a team to support performance targets and programme integrity requirements.
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Working alongside Treatment Managers to contribute to the assessment of risk, protective factors and treatment targets of those attending groups.
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Undertaking regular training, feedback and development sessions and workshops.
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Liaising with Probation Practitioners, Domestic Abuse Safety Officers and partner agencies to share information on progress, risk and needs.
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Identifying and taking the necessary action to protect children and vulnerable adults and promote their welfare in accordance with safeguarding policies and procedures.
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Required to work up to 3 ‘unsociable’ sessions per week (evenings and/or Saturday)
The majority of our Programmes are delivered in the evening and tfore evening work is essential in this role. You will also travel to different locations to your office base to deliver these programmes. Travel expenses can be claimed.
If you are successful in the recruitment process to join the Probation Service, your starting salary will be £28,064
In addition to the base salary, you will be entitled to unsocial hours payments for working in the evenings and/or a Saturday. Working on a Saturday attracts an additional premium of 50% and working evenings an additional 30%.
The Probation Service offers the opportunity for annual pay progression through a Competency Based Framework (CBF), which if eligible, will see your pay increase. CBF is designed to enable you to move up through the pay band range as your competence grows.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Probation Service also increase their pay band ranges annually in line with Civil Service Pay guidance, which will also apply an increase to band pay ranges w applicable.
Overview of the job
The job holder will deliver a range of rehabilitation interventions aimed at changing the attitudes, beliefs, and behaviour of people on probation with a full range of offence types and a full range of levels of risks (including those convicted of sexual and domestic abuse offences), as determined by sentences of the Courts and on the recommendation of Probation Practitioners.
The main objectives of this role are to reduce re-offending, protect the public, prevent future victims and rehabilitation to help people to build constructive and meaningful lives in the community, through the delivery of effective evidence based Accredited Programmes and Structured Interventions.
The post holder will be Regionally based and sit in the Interventions Team and report to the Programme Manager. They will deliver interventions across a large regional area w travel will be required. T will be no line management responsibility in this role.
T will be a requirement to regularly work unsocial hours (including evenings and weekends).
For further information on the summary, responsibilities, activities, duties of the role and the Civil Service Success Profile Criteria which will be used in the assessment process, please refer to the full Job Description Attachment.
Right to work in the UK
You must have the right to work in the UK and Civil Service (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules).
Skilled Worker visa changes from 22 July 2025
In accordance with current immigration rules, this role is not eligible for a new Skilled Worker visa.
From 22 July 2025, the Government introduced changes to the eligibility criteria for Skilled Worker visas. As a result:
HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) cannot consider sponsoring you to work as a programme facilitator unless you have held a Skilled Worker visa prior to the 22 July 2025 changes.
If you have held a Skilled Worker visa continuously, please raise this during your pre-employment checks and your eligibility will be assessed in accordance with the immigration rules and transitional provisions in place.
If you apply to be a programme facilitator and you have not held a Skilled Worker visa prior to 22 July 2025, you will need to consider your options for obtaining and/or maintaining your right to work in the UK in light of these changes.
If your application is successful, you will need to ensure that you have and maintain the legal right to live and work in the Civil Service and in the United Kingdom.
HMPPS will continue to comply with UK Immigration Rules applied in the UK and Civil Service. You can read more about Skilled Worker visas and the eligibility criteria .
Civil Service recruitment: nationality rules
Civil Service
This guide is intended to assist departments with managing their responsibilities on nationality rules related to Civil Service recruitment.
You can read more about Skilled Worker visas and the eligibility criteria (https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa)
About us:
The work is varied, challenging and meaningful and comes with job security, great benefits and career progression opportunities - not to mention the chance to make a real difference to people’s lives and our communities.
About the Recruitment Process
To apply to this role you will be required to complete a short application form and detail responses to two Civil Service Behaviour and one Experience based questions.
Your application will be sifted once the application deadline has d. You will then receive further instruction on the outcome of your application.
If successful at sift you will be invited to an interview which will include a facilitation exercise.
The purpose of the assessment process is to assess the right behaviours and strengths required for the programme facilitator role and to assess your suitability for the training programme that is required for the role.
The assessment will consist of two activities: A facilitation exercise with some follow up questions (topic will be emailed to you once interview booked) and an interview relating to the role of a programme facilitator
For the facilitation exercise you will need to prepare a presentation, the topic of which will be shared with you once you book an interview slot.
The facilitation exercise will be measuring you against the behaviours of Communicating and Influencing, Developing Self and Others and Managing a Quality Service. You will have up to 10 minutes to deliver the exercise.
If in the event we receive a high volume of applications, we may only assess candidates against the lead behaviour. T is also no guarantee that you will progress to the next stages of the recruitment process; however, we will keep you informed at each stage.
About the role
Helping offenders turn their lives around isn’t without its challenges. But you’ll play a key role in supporting them through interventions that encourage positive change.
As a programme facilitator, you’ll deliver group and one-to-one sessions, creating a safe and structured environment that meets different learning styles and needs. You’ll manage group dynamics, address challenging behaviour, and ensure sessions remain effective.
Our team is made up of a strong and inclusive group of colleagues, from all walks of life, who are passionate about helping and motivating people on probation. You will work alongside your fellow team members to ensure that people on probation receive the highest quality input and support, as well as sharing information and providing guidance to members of the wider Probation Service, such as Probation Practitioners and Domestic Abuse Safety Officers.
You’ll also:
Monitor progress, risk, and wellbeing throughout the intervention
Keep accurate records and share insights with relevant teams
Work ly with courts and criminal justice agencies to support sentence management
Provide workshops and briefings to probation staff and external stakeholders
Use pro-social modelling to reinforce positive behaviours
With regular feedback and professional development, you’ll have the support you need to grow in your role while making a real difference in people’s lives.
Due to the nature of the role extensive training and support is provided to ensure that all Programme Facilitators are confident and competent to succeed. Through the training programme you will learn about all aspects of programme delivery, including the theory behind the interventions we deliver. It is a requirement to successfully complete a 6-month probationary period, including undertaking an assessment centre and passing assessed training.
The majority of our programmes are delivered in the evening and tfore evening work is essential in this role. You will also travel to different locations to your office base to deliver these programmes. Travel expenses can be claimed.
