Quick facts (Back to top)
- A young offender institution near Wetherby in Yorkshire
- Make a positive impact on the lives of 15 to 18 year olds in custody, helping them towards better futures
- Work as part of a multi-disciplinary close-knit, supportive team
About Wetherby young offender institution (Back to top)
Wetherby is a young offender institution (YOI) for up to 300 children and young people aged 15 to 18. It is just outside the town of Wetherby in Yorkshire.
What’s it like working as a youth justice worker? (Back to top)
Working with children and young people in custody can be tough. They can be impulsive, in your face and test boundaries at every level.
You’ll need to make quick but effective decisions. You’ll also need patience and resilience.
If you:
- are passionate about helping young people, acting both as a mentor and a figure of authority
- 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 Wetherby YOI (Back to top)
Wetherby YOI houses children and young people who have been convicted of various crimes that require a custodial sentence. It provides a safe and secure environment where individuals are encouraged to engage in education to improve their skills and help reduce their risk of reoffending when they return to their communities.
As a Youth Justice Worker, you will work with 15 to 18 year olds and help them towards better futures, reducing their risk of reoffending and helping keep the public safe.
Through Wetherby’s virtual campus, children and young people have access to:
- a range of core curriculum subject such as English, mathematics and ICT
- personal, social, health and economic modules
- vocational training in areas such as woodwork, paint and decorating, cookery, mechanical repair, industrial cleaning and horticulture
Young people also have opportunities to work onsite in cleaning and recycling roles.
How to get to Wetherby YOI (Back to top)
With plenty of free onsite parking for staff, Wetherby YOI is about 14 miles and a 35 to 40 minute drive from York and Leeds.
The closest train stations are Leeds and York, with local bus services running to Wetherby. From there, it’s about a mile, 8-minute taxi ride or 15-minute walk, to the YOI. 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 Wetherby 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 level 4 qualification. This means you’ll earn £33,746 to £38,003 as a grade 3 youth justice worker at Werrington YOI.
Find out more about youth justice worker pay.
As an employee of Wetherby 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
- an onsite staff canteen
You will also have access to a range of other great benefits you get from being a part of HM Prison and Probation Service.