Applicants can find further information and apply online via the IMB website https://imb.org.uk/prison-volunteer/prison-volunteer-uk/. In exceptional circumstances a paper copy of the application may be available. Applicants should contact imbrecruitment@justice.gov.uk in the first instance. Please note that most interviews take place via Zoom.
Members for Immigration Detention Estate Independent Monitoring Boards throughout England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales
Application deadline 7 May 2023
Page contents:
Summary
- Organisation
- Independent Monitoring Board of any prison or young offender institution
- Sponsor department
- Ministry of Justice
- Location
- Various
- Sectors
- Judicial, Prisons & Policing
- Skills
- Communication, Regulation
- Number of vacancies
- 50
- Time commitment
- Adhoc
- Length of term
- Up to 3 years with reappointment available up to a maximum tenure of 15 years.
- Application deadline
- 11:59pm on 7 May 2023
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Timeline for this appointment
-
Opening date
27 March 2023
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Application deadline
11:59pm on 7 May 2023
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Sifting date
19 May 2023
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Interviews expected to end on
26 May 2023
About the role
Introduction
We are currently looking for new volunteer members to join the IMB across Immigration Removal Centres (IRC) and Short-Term Holding Facilities (STHF) in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales. Our members help to ensure that proper standards of care and decency are maintained.
Role description
Inside every Immigration Detention facility, there is an IMB – a group of ordinary members of the public doing an extraordinary job. IMB members are independent, unpaid and complete an average of 2-3 visits per month depending on the needs of the Board and the individual. Additional visits will be required during new members’ induction year. Members are the eyes and ears of the Minister and monitor the day-to-day life in their local Immigration Detention facility to ensure that proper standards of care and decency are maintained. 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 individuals from black and minority ethnic communities, since these groups are under-represented on existing Boards. The role is about fairness and decency and is always rewarding, educational and challenging. Please go to www.imb.org.uk to find out how being an IMB member can benefit you.
We are looking for members at the following locations:
Bedfordshire:
Yarl’s Wood IRC
County Durham:
Derwentside IRC
Kent:
Kent Coast STHF (Kent Intake Unit, Western Jet Foil and Manston)
London:
Heathrow IRC
London STHF (Heathrow and City airports)
West Sussex:
Gatwick IRC (Brook House and Tinsley House)
Essex and Suffolk:
South and East STHF (Purfleet Port, Tilbury Port, Felixstowe Port, Harwich Port, Southend airport, Stansted airport)
Manchester and Liverpool:
North West and Midlands STHF (Manchester Airport and Liverpool Immigration Reporting Centre Holding Rooms)
Anglesey
North West and Midlands STHF (Port of Holyhead)
Strathaven
Dungavel IRC
Edinburgh
Scotland and Northern Ireland STHF (Edinburgh airport)
Aberdeen:
Scotland and Northern Ireland STHF (Aberdeen airport)
Antrim:
Scotland and Northern Ireland STHF (Larne House Residential Short-Term Holding Facility)
Belfast:
Scotland and Northern Ireland STHF (Drumkeen House Residential Short-Term Holding Facility)
Regulation of appointment
Person specification
Essential criteria
Candidates need to be over 18 years of age and live within 40 miles (or a reasonable travel time) of their nearest Immigration Detention facility and hold a current passport.
Desirable criteria
Applicants do not need any special qualifications or experience as we will provide all necessary training and support. You need to be enthusiastic, open minded, possess effective communication skills and have the ability to exercise sound, objective judgement.
Application and selection process
Public appointments are made on merit following a fair and open competition process which is conducted in accordance with the Governance Code for Public Appointments. We will deal with your application as quickly as possible and will keep you informed at key stages. We aim to conclude the appointment process within three months of the deadline for applications – this is in accordance with the Governance Code.
The assessment process
- Ministers are responsible and accountable to Parliament for the public appointments made within their department.
- An Interview Panel (“Panel”) is convened to decide, objectively, which candidates meet the eligibility criteria for the role.
- Applications may or may not be shortlisted.
- You will be advised (by email) whether you have been shortlisted and invited to an interview.
- The Panel will interview candidates and determine who is appointable to the role. The names of all appointable candidates are provided to the Minister. It is then for the Minister to determine merit and decide who should be appointed. In some circumstances, the Minister may choose not to appoint any candidates and re-run the competition.
- The Panel’s recommendations will be provided to the Minister in a submission which details the outcome of each interview. They will then be asked to agree on the candidate(s) who should be appointed.
- Once the decision on the appointment has been made, interviewed candidates will be advised of the outcome of their application. Successful candidates will be issued with their Terms & Conditions and a letter of appointment should they agree to take up the position.
In general, you should have the right to work in the UK to be eligible to apply for a public appointment.
There are a small number of specialist roles that are not open to non-British citizens. Any nationality requirements will be specified in the vacancy details.
The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards.
You cannot be considered for a public appointment if:
you are disqualified from acting as a company director (under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986);
have an unspent conviction on your criminal record;
your estate has been sequestrated in Scotland or you enter into a debt arrangement programme under Part 1 of the Debt Arrangement and Attachment (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 17) as the debtor or have, under Scots law, granted a trust deed for creditors.
When you apply, you should declare if:
you are, or have been, bankrupt or you have made an arrangement with a creditor at any point, including the dates of this.
you are subject to a current police investigation.
You must inform the sponsor department if, during the application process, your circumstances change in respect of any of the above points.
When you apply you should also declare any relevant interests, highlighting any that you think may call into question your ability to properly discharge the responsibilities of the role you are applying for. You should also declare any other matters which may mean you may not be able to meet the requirements of the Code of Conduct of Board Members (see Outside interests and reputational issues section below).IMB members have full access to their local Immigration Removal Centre or STHF at any time, day or night. For this reason, all our members must be security cleared. The following security clearance levels apply:
Immigration Estate: Standard DBS and CTC
Additional information for candidates
- ensuring that application forms are available in different or accessible formats;
- making adaptations to interview locations;
- allowing candidates to present their skills and experience in a different way;
- giving additional detailed information on the selection / interview process in advance to allow candidates time to prepare themselves;
- allowing support workers, for example sign language interpreters;
- making provision for support animals to attend.
- Selflessness - Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.
- Integrity - Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.
- Objectivity - Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.
- Accountability - Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.
- Openness - Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.
- Honesty - Holders of public office should be truthful.
- Leadership - Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour and treat others with respect. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.
- any outside interests that you may have, such as shares you may hold in a company providing services to government;
- any possible reputational issues arising from your past actions or public statements that you have made;
- and/or - any political roles you hold or political campaigns you have supported;
We aim to process all applications as quickly as possible and to treat all applicants with courtesy.
Please follow the IMB complaints process to raise your concerns. Your complaint will normally be acknowledged within five working days of receipt and answered as quickly and clearly as possible; at the most within 20 working days of receipt.The IMB’s privacy statement is available here:
Privacy-statement-Secretariat-Level-IMBs-for-applications.pdf