Mark Williamson, 58, joined as a Community Payback supervisor in London in 2019. He previously worked at a London prison where he supported prisoners on their first night in custody.
In his role, Mark is responsible for supervising offenders to ensure they complete their required hours of unpaid work, maintain a safe working environment for offenders and the public, and support the development of skills and work habits that can promote rehabilitation. Recently Mark has been working on projects in London, keeping public spaces maintained and tidy for residents.
Mark recently received a message from an offender talking about how he'd made an impact on him and how meeting him had changed his whole perspective on life. He told Mark that since his father died eight years ago, he's never met anyone who inspired him to be different until meeting Mark on Community Payback.
Mark adds: “When you get messages like that it makes it all worthwhile, I was working with that guy for six months and when I read that message it brought a tear to my eye. I really enjoy being a supervisor...but I enjoy it more when they do Community Payback, and then I never see them again.”
Mark goes on to say: “Community Payback supervisors can be people from all walks of life but ideally are people who like working with young people. He says: "You don't necessarily have to have worked in a prison. We need people who have worked in adventure playgrounds, youth centres and anyone with experience dealing with and working with young adults.”
Last year Community Payback amounted to more than five million hours of unpaid work that positively contributed to local community projects in local neighbourhoods across the country. Projects ranged from planting thousands of trees to create greener spaces for locals, to tidying public spaces including graffiti removal and collecting litter, creating more enjoyable spaces for all.
Mark finishes by talking about the positive opportunities that Community Payback can bring: “The other good story we had recently was one of the lads on unpaid work was working with our partners and had impressed them so much he was offered a job. Stories like this make it all worthwhile – I am very happy with what I do and don’t see myself leaving in the foreseeable future.”
The Probation Service has vacancies for Community Payback supervisors and placement coordinators across London.
To find out more head to: https://prisonandprobationjobs.gov.uk/roles-at-hmpps/overview-of-the-community-payback-roles/how-to-apply/?utm_source=media&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=prc_communitypayback_london