Workshop Instructor, HMP Send
Core Job Purpose:
Fine Cell Work (FCW) is a national charity and creative social enterprise with an international customer base. The role of Workshop Instructor provides sewing machine and hand stitching training in our women’s workshop in HMP Send on a part-time basis. This role will be 2 days per week on Mondays and Wednesdays. As an integral part of the wider FCW Workshops team, once a fortnight, 1 of your 2 days will be spent in the London office.
The successful candidate will be an ambitious self-starter with extensive knowledge and understanding of textiles, specifically product construction, fabric cutting, and sewing machine skills. They will be accurate in their attention to detail, working independently to respond to areas of organisational need and prioritising their own workload accordingly, communicating with the team in London regularly. An ability to understand and adapt to individual learning needs and styles will be essential.
They will support and promote FCW’s mission and vision, demonstrating our organisational values in all aspects of this exciting and varied role.
Principal Accountabilities for the Core Job:
- Deliver sewing machine production and construction training at FCW’s textile workshop in HMP Send, in line with FCW production standards and targets.
- Represent FCW to the highest standard, maintaining positive and professional relationships with prison contacts at HMP Send.
- Ensure prison safety and security policies and procedures are always followed and adhered to and ensure appropriate conduct in the workshop environment.
- Independently manage the workshop, with responsibility for tools, holding keys and following the prison regime, communicating on the prison radio throughout the day.
- Report and monitor safeguarding issues, ensuring prison processes are followed at all times.
- Foster a culture of support and learning between FCW and workshop stitchers through role modelling organisational values in support of our wider mission.
- Support the smooth running of a positive, productive workshop space.
- Maintain regular communication with the FCW Production Manager to ensure high-quality control of work produced.
- Prepare appropriate hand stitching and machining work to match the current skill set of the workshop stitchers.
- With the Workshops and Production Manager, ensure workshop production targets and commission requirements are integrated into training arrangements in the prison workshop.
- Work with the FCW Design Committee to develop workshop made products appropriate to the skill set of a training workshop.
- Participate in the creative process and construction of sampling new products and prototypes where necessary.
- Deliver bespoke Open College Network accredited training modules in Machine Stitched and Soft Furnishing and Hand Stitching Techniques, ensuring the quality of teaching and assessment is of the highest standard.
- Promote and support referrals to FCW’s post-release programme, Open The Gate, to all workshop stitchers and people nearing their release.
- Provide regular written progress and monitoring reports to production and management teams.
Core Job Context:
For 29 years, Fine Cell Work has been transforming the lives of people in prison through training in high quality, creative, commercial needlework. Handmade products, finished in our prison and post-release workshops, are sold to the public and to designers, artists, and heritage organisations, many of whom commission bespoke pieces.
Our FCW women’s workshop is located at HMP Send in Surrey. We work with up to 8 workshop stitchers at any one time. The partnership was established in 2025 and is integral to our organisational focus to work with more women.
The role of Workshop Instructor is to equip workshop stitchers with professional textile production and FCW construction skills, and the opportunity to contribute to society through the making of FCW products.
This work further contributes to the building of self-belief and a non-criminal
identity and thus, reduces the risk of reoffending on release. The successful
candidate will be flexible, adaptable and resilient to work successfully as
part of the prison regime. We are a small, lively and ambitious team and look forward to welcoming you.
The following skills and experience have been identified for the role:
Essential:
- Experience in construction of textile products and interiors
- Sewing machining experience
- Hand stitching experience
- Project management and time management skills
- Training and teaching experience
- A non-judgemental attitude towards prisoners and prison leavers and positive mindset about rehabilitation
- Organised and pro-active
- A flexible and creative approach to workload
- Ability to prioritise and remain calm when working under pressure
- Confident working as part of a wider organisational team
- Ability to work proactively and independently
- Ability to undergo prison security vetting processes
- Willingness to undertake further prison related induction and training as necessary
Desirable:
- Previous experience working within a textile production team, manufacturing industry or tailoring
- Experience of delivering training in the voluntary and public sector
- Experience working with marginalised groups
- An interest in the criminal justice system
- Proven track record to deliver on targets
- Driving Licence and access to a vehicle
How to Apply:
This is a 12 month contract, with the possibility of extension. Please submit a covering letter, CV and portfolio or images of machine-made items demonstrating how you meet the requirements of the role to jobs@finecellwork.co.uk.
Please note, applications submitted without a covering letter will not be considered.
The application deadline is 20th September 2026, first interviews will be held online, and second interviews will be at our London office.
Salary:
£29,250 FTE (£11,700 per annum for 15 hours per week)
