A new recruitment campaign for Community Corrections Officers (CCOs) is scoring a lot of engagement on the Department of Justice’s Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram pages, where some of Justice’s champion CCOs encourage people to consider this rewarding career.
The CCO recruitment campaign – for which Applications will be accepted until 4.30 pm on 22 March 2021 – stars CCOs from around the State, all of whom manage offenders in the community and help keep the community safe by working with clients to address their offending behaviour.
Here are a few of the CCOs featured on social media:
Andy enjoys the challenge of helping offenders get their lives back on track. “In this role you can give back to the community by helping people who are in a worse situation than you. They’re people in need. Some are born into environments where substance abuse and domestic violence are normalised behaviours and our clients are hard-wired, which sometimes makes it difficult for us to help them get out of the cycle. But we have our wins, which make it all worthwhile.”
Yamatji man Daniel’s life experience helps him be the change he wants to see in the community: “Sometimes at the start they don't want to address their offending at all,” he said. “Then they slowly realise we're not here as a punishment for them, but to provide support to help them change their lives for the better. I like seeing that lightbulb moment for our clients.”
Working in the courts inspired Kate to make a change and have an impact on her community. She loves being able to help offenders on their rehabilitative journey. “Meeting face to face with offenders gives me the opportunity to motivate them and prevent them from a relapse,” she said. “That keeps them safe and the community safe.”
Surfer Lisa balances community safety with empowering her clients to stand on their own two feet. “Through my interactions with offenders I show them how they can make changes,” she said. “CCOs balance community safety with helping offenders make better choices. I know I have had a breakthrough when they don’t rely on my guidance anymore.”
