HOT SEATS FACILITATOR

About Hot Seats

Hot Seats is a structured group role play programme created in 2016. Over 5,000 participants have taken part across 300+ groups in prisons, probation services, community sentences and residential and community recovery settings.

Hot Seat certified facilitators use group role plays to assign roles to our inner dialogue. There are six Hot Seats built around six pre-identified themes. Facilitators apply a unique anonymity protocol that means all role plays are done using characters. No participants reveal any personal stories or history. This allows participants to explore real issues — such as addiction, offending behaviour, family breakdown and recovery — without the work becoming emotionally charged or triggering. This makes it safe, accessible and effective in settings where trust can be hard to build.

Host organisations subscribe to Hot Seats and nominate a staff member or volunteer to become certified to deliver groups. Both the facilitators and hosts receive full back office support from Hot Seats. Facilitators need not have any specific experience as full training is provided. All that is required is a desire to help affect positive change for participants, a space big enough to accommodate 7–12 people and a weekly two-hour gap on a timetable of activities.

About the Role

We are looking for volunteers to match with hosts — these include prisons, probation services and residential or community rehab settings. You do not need any specific experience. All you need is a willingness to follow a structured programme and be motivated to support people in justice and recovery settings.

As a volunteer facilitator you will:

• Deliver weekly Hot Seats two-hour group sessions using a provided session plan
• Create a safe, respectful space for participants to engage with the programme
• Work within a nominated host organisation
• Submit a summary sheet to our back office after each session

What You Will Get

• Full Hot Seats facilitator training and certification
• Ongoing support from the Hot Seats team
• A meaningful volunteering role with real impact on people in recovery and justice settings
• Experience that is directly relevant to careers in criminal justice, social work, probation, youth work, addiction services and related fields

Who We Are Looking For

• People with an interest in criminal justice, recovery, rehabilitation or social care
• Reliable — able to commit to a regular weekly session of 2–3 hours
• Willing to undergo relevant DBS/PVG checks if required
• No prior experience required — full training provided

How to Apply

In the first instance, respond to this ad and we will send you program outline  

After reading, if you are interested we will match you to a host. Please send a short expression of interest (a few sentences about why you are interested)