People in Mansfield and Ashfield are being urged to consider job opportunities that support the delivery of Community Payback as the region looks to employ more than 30 more people in supervisor roles.

Community Payback (CP), previously known as Community Service, is an alternative to a prison sentence for people who have committed a crime. The Ministry of Justice is looking for supervisors, who will work hands-on to oversee Community Payback projects on the ground.

The recruitment drive comes off the back of the government’s commitment of £93m extra to increase Community Payback from five million to eight million hours per year, which will see 500 new roles across the country.

Working in a Community Payback role gives individuals the opportunity to support people on probation to make improvements to local communities and make positive changes to get their lives back on track. No specific experience or qualifications are required.

Community Payback supervisors lead small teams, helping to motivate them to complete projects that will impact the community – from restoring community facilities like sports halls and playgrounds to planting trees or graffiti removal.

Currently in the East Midlands there are nearly 50 people working in Community Payback roles. Projects span the region. In Nottingham people on probation are planting five thousand trees as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy (Platinum Jubilee) project.

The new Community Payback supervisor roles are open to a wide range of applicants and are ideal for those looking for a rewarding career where you can both motivate and inspire others to change for the better, and build better and safer places to live.

Barbara Hartshorn has been a community supervisor for 22 years in Mansfield, working on a range of projects from restoring furniture for a local refugee charity, litter picking in a local park, or painting church railings.

She said: “First and foremost, you’ve got to be a people person. If you can relate to the people in your group, in the main they’ll respond positively to you. I enjoy seeing the difference we make working in, and with, the community. Looking back at the end of the day and reflecting on what we’ve achieved – the number of fence panels we’ve painted or the number of bags of leaves we’ve collected – is rewarding. It’s great seeing the sense of satisfaction and pride this can give to the people in my groups”.

Mark Challinor, a community payback operational manager in Nottingham, advised those considering applying to: “Be yourself. It’s a diverse workforce in probation and the people on probation you’re supporting come from all different walks of life and backgrounds, being yourself is what they will appreciate most. My most rewarding moment was when an ex POP (person on probation) I worked with was volunteering locally and came over and thanked me. It was great to see the turnaround and know that I had impacted on his life in a positive way”.

Anyone interested in a career in Community Payback should visit: Community Payback – Ministry of Justice