Quick facts (Back to top)
- A young offender institution 5 miles from Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire
- Work as part of a diverse, supportive team
- Help children and young people towards a better future
- Gain a fully funded level 4 child-focused qualification
- Earn between £33,746 and £38,003 a year
About Werrington young offender institution (Back to top)
With a capacity of 100, Werrington is a young offender institution (YOI) for children and young people aged 15 to 18. It is 3 miles outside the town of Werrington, near Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire.
What’s it like working in a young offender institution? (Back to top)
Children and young people in custody can be challenging, but have enormous potential for change. You will have to manage conflict, but you’ll get the training and support to do so.
You’ll play multiple different roles in a day, acting as a mentor and also as a figure of authority. You could be offering one-to-one support and advice or supervising groups during their free time.
If you can understand and connect with children and young people from all backgrounds and situations, including those who have committed serious crimes, grown up in difficult settings or have mental health concerns, you sound like a youth justice worker.
Find out more about working as a youth justice worker and the skills you need.
Working at Werrington YOI (Back to top)
Werrington YOI houses children and young people who have been convicted of various crimes requiring a custodial sentence. It provides a safe and secure environment with a focus on education and rehabilitation to support their reintegration into their communities.
To help them learn new skills and increase their chances of finding a job when they leave Werrington, individuals are encouraged to:
- attend classes and complete qualifications ranging from basic literacy and numeracy to core curriculum subjects
- complete onsite vocational training in areas such as creative design, music and radio, catering and barista training, painting and decorating, tiling, plastering and barbering
- gain experience working on the wings and in the kitchen, gym and laundry.
All Werrington’s children and young people also have pre-release support to help them find accommodation and employment and access community-based support services when they leave the YOI.
How to get to Werrington YOI (Back to top)
With plenty of free, onsite parking for staff, Werrington YOI is easily accessible by road via the A52.
The nearest train station is Stoke-on-Trent, which is 5 miles and a bus or taxi ride away. Please bear in mind that, as a youth justice worker, you will need to work shifts plus some unsocial hours and public holidays when public transport may not be running.
How long will it take you to get there? (Back to top)
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Pay and benefits (Back to top)
As a grade 3 youth justice worker at Werrington YOI, you’ll start on a 37-hour contract until you have completed your initial training. After this you can choose to increase to 39 or 41 hours a week until you complete the YJW level 4 qualification. This means you’ll earn between £33,746 and £38,003 as a grade 3 youth justice worker at Werrington YOI.
Find out more about youth justice worker pay.
As an employee of Werrington YOI, you will have access to a range of facilities and employee benefits including:
- use of a free onsite gym
- extensive free onsite parking
- excellent training and career progression opportunities
This is in addition to the great benefits you get from being a part of HM Prison and Probation Service.