On HMP Berwyn's fifth anniversary, a prison officer who has been there from the beginning explains why her role is important.
26-year-old Amna recently switched roles after three-and-a-half years on the wings and now she now works in reception and is the first point of contact for new prisoners.
She is able to learn more about them and therefore ensure the right support is in place. Rehabilitation is 'crucial' and gives prisoners the best chance of not reoffending.
Amna said: "Lots of the men we are working with can have complex needs so you have to be really resilient to deal with them. For me, that’s the most important part of the role, and managing to stay positive even in challenging situations."
When Amna became a prison officer, HMP Berwyn was only recently completed and the idea of the role appealed to her.
While she says it took a bit of getting used to, she received lots of training.
She had no previous experience, having worked in a bar and as a make-up artist, but says her role is more exciting than a typical 9-5 because there's lots going on, and can take on the role of a mental health worker, or someone for the prisoners to talk to, or a teacher, and a firefighter.
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She said: "I think the best part of being a prison officer has been seeing HMP Berwyn grow. The prison was newly built five years ago so I was one of the first officers here. We’re now one of the largest prisons in Europe and it’s great to be a part of that.
"My team is also great. The prison is huge so there are hundreds of us working here from all over the local area. There are so many roles within the prison service that no one ever sees!
"For example, here at HMP Berwyn, we have a team who support prisoners as they near the end of their sentence, as well as an Industries team who provide work for prisoners (many whom have never had a job before) while they’re serving their sentence. Once you’ve joined the prison, there are loads of opportunities to move roles and try something new.
"My team is a real source of support for me and always lots of fun, even in tough times. In particular, I love that so many of my team are women. This includes women at my level and right up to the most senior roles in the prison. It’s great to see them doing so well and makes me even more ambitious for myself. People often think of prisons as male-dominated but that really isn’t the case."
The prison officer role at HMP Berwyn offers a starting salary of £24,427 (39 hours a week) and a Civil Service pension. To find out more, click here: https://prisonandprobationjobs.gov.uk/prison-officer/?utm_campaign=berw_fiveyear&utm_medium=media&utm_source=pr
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