Meet the PE instructor putting Derbyshire prisoners through their paces

Laura Vilutis, 38, lives locally and joined the service as a prison officer 16 years ago, progressing into her current role. She is now urging others to join her in helping to keep the public safe and rehabilitate prisoners.

Laura says: “It is a very specific role (being a Physical Education Instructor) in a women’s prison and we do more classes and circuits. Female prisoners can need more support and encouragement, but the benefits are so worthwhile.

“A lot of our prisoners have had violent relationships in the past so we try and have a different approach. I do a trauma-informed yoga course that has gone down well - they love it. You change the language you use, take a softer approach. I invite them to stand in a certain position, I don’t tell them. You need to have more compassion and understanding.”

Laura works at HMP Foston Hall in Derbyshire, which is a women’s prison which holds around 250 prisoners serving a wide variety of sentences.

While her main responsibility is to keep the prisoners and public safe, Laura says it is also important to be someone that prisoners can learn from by teaching them new skills such as fitness – and knows she has made a big difference.

She added: “I had a prisoner who was up to no good and always up to something. She was making her time harder. I told her to put her energy into something rewarding.

“She joined me in the gym and started training so much, she’s lost loads of weight and is in good shape – but she’s also had so much psychological improvement.

“She is more settled, focused on her family and has got her priorities right. She doesn't get involved in dramas, she’s doing a sports science degree, fitness has become a massive part of her life. The other staff can’t believe how much she has changed and it’s been really rewarding seeing the difference in her.”

You don’t need qualifications to become a prison officer or to join in a support staff role. HMP Foston Hall is looking for caring people with good communication and influencing skills and effective decision-making.

Applications for prison officer roles at HMP Foston Hall are now open. Those who would like to take the first step towards a rewarding new career can apply or find out more by visiting: https://prisonandprobationjobs.gov.uk/prison-officer/?utm_campaign=prc_foston_pei&utm_medium=media&utm_source=pr