Member - Volunteers needed on Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) at Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre (IRC)
- Body
- Independent Monitoring Board (IMB)
- Appointing Department
- Ministry of Justice
- Sectors
- Judicial, Prison & Policing, Prison & Policing, Regulation
- Location
- Yarl’s Wood IRC, Twinwoods Business Park, Thurleigh Road, Milton Ernest, Bedford, MK44 1FD
- Skills required
- Regulation
- Number of Vacancies
- 3
- Remuneration
- Unremunerated, though reasonable expenses will be re-imbursed
- Time Requirements
- Approx. 2 to 3 visits per month although this may be slightly higher during the first year of training and this can be flexible depending on the needs of the Board and the individual. Members will also be expected to attend a monthly Board Meeting, held on the 2nd Monday of every month from 1400 – Flexibility using Zoom and Teams is possible.
Campaign Timeline
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Competition Launched
16/08/2021
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Closed for Applications
12/09/2021 at 00:00
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Panel Sift
TBC
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Final Interview Date
TBC
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Announcement
TBC
Vacancy Description
Applicants do not need any special qualifications or experience as we will provide all necessary training and support. Candidates need to be over 18 years of age and live within approximately 25 miles of the centre. (Please note there are limited public transport options available for travel to Yarl’s Wood).
Candidates need to be enthusiastic, open-minded, possess effective communication skills and have the ability to exercise sound, objective judgement. Successful applicants will be required to undertake counter terrorism clearance (CTC) and a Disclosure and Barring check (DBS).
Person Specification
We are currently looking for new volunteers to join Yarl’s Wood IMB helping to ensure that proper standards of care and decency are maintained for those detained at the Centre.
Additional Information
Yarl’s Wood IRC is a fully contained residential centre. Previously used to house adult women and adult family groups awaiting immigration clearance, Yarl’s Wood currently operates predominantly as a male short-term holding facility (STHF), which also accommodates a very small group of IRC females. It is planned for the centre to change function again in the course of 2021 and become an IRC for men, whilst retaining a small STHF unit for men and an IRC unit for women.
Inside every detention centre there is an IMB – a group of ordinary members of the public doing an extraordinary job. IMB members are independent, unpaid and work an average of 2-3 visits per month, depending on the needs of the Board and the individual.
Your background can be as a student, a person of working age or retired. We welcome applications from people over 18 and are particularly keen to hear from those of working age and from black and minority ethnic communities, since these groups are under-represented on the existing Board. The role of an IMB member is to monitor and report on the welfare of the persons detained at the centre and on the fairness of their treatment by visiting the centre, observing what is happening and speaking to staff and detainees.
Please click on www.imb.org.uk to find out how being an IMB member can benefit you. Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuQ4WxirPlg and view the short film ‘Joining the Independent Monitoring Board’ and hear current IMB members talking about their role.