Jacob Williams

I’m driven by a passion for helping and serving others. I strive to create a positive and lasting change to empower individuals to transform their circumstances and achieve personal growth. By offering support, guidance and practical solutions, along with a deep commitment to finding innovative solutions, I am eager to make a meaningful impact through my current work as a Prison Officer in the Justice System.

I thrive as a dedicated team player who embraces challenges and approaches problem-solving with creativity and determination. As a keen rugby player for many years, playing rugby has helped me to hone my skills in communication, teamwork and leadership. I am not afraid of hard work and take pride in collaborating with others to achieve meaningful solutions that make a positive difference. Keeping myself and my fellow Prison Officers safe is very important and I take this very seriously. I present a consistent co operative approach to maintaining authority and control and offer backup when needed.

Leading by example and maintaining a controlled attitude when confronting threatening or challenging behaviours is very important. I have strong communication skills and I am punctual, hard working and have a willingness to learn new skills.

I am fortunate to have grown up with strong core values, so up holding the law and striving to foster truth, integrity and fairness is very important to me. Through my efforts, I try to promote a just and ethical environment where principles are honoured and respected.

During my career as a Prison Officer working at HMP Hewell for the last 4 years as a band three Officer, I have been exposed to many challenges which has required a multifaceted approach that balances accountability, rehabilitation and respect.

I have aimed to carry out my job well by following several core strategies, encouraging accountability and responsibility. It is an honour to help and encourage prisoners with educational, skill building disciplines and on a daily basis tried to build a positive environment of respect and positive behaviour. I also provide counselling by drawing from my own personal battles that I have had to overcome. It is also very important to me to prioritise mental health and treating prisoners with dignity and fairness to reduce animosity and foster compliance. This also helps to defuse tensions by trying to use conflict resolutions to prevent violence.

When working to full capacity which is often the case on a unit with very few staff, I focus on safety and high risks concerns, then address less critical tasks as time permits. I also try to delegate where possible to staff or lower risks tasks to trusted in-mates on work programs. Encouraging and helping prisoners in their restoration of core values requires patience which is what I try to do each day, I believe in the potential for change in everyone, as the potential for change helps inmates lead better lives.

• in the past I have volunteered to help others less fortunate than myself which is something I have always been encouraged to do. I helped maintain the gardens at the Maggs Day homeless centre in Worcester and also served hot meals at the Salvation Army. I also helped coach rugby for younger children.
• I have a keen interest in rugby and football and play as regularly as I can with my shift work.
• Classic cars are very much a passion, I have restored a vintage MG and Land Rover and have enjoyed participating in events such as the Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb and at the Chateau Impney, Droitwich. I have also attended Le Man Classic Car events at Le Man with my father in our restored TVR Tuscan.