Francis’ career as a Vocational Support Officer (VSO) hasn’t followed the typical path through Corrections, but the freedom to move where his skills were needed helped him find the one that suited him best.
“Usually, people start in maximum security then go to minimum, but I actually did the opposite, it’s very different,” he said.
As a cleaning supervisor manager on the mines, Francis said he’d had enough of fly-in-fly-out work when he successfully applied for the VSO cleaning role at Karnet Prison Farm.
While he enjoyed his time there, an opportunity to work even closer to home came up.
“I don’t live far from Casuarina Prison, and I put in a transfer to come to here,” he explained.
Convenience may have driven the change of scene, but trading one positive workplace experience for another means Francis never regretted the move.
“The officer support here is very good,” he said. “Everyone helps each other out – if I get stuck with something I can call one of the other VSOs.”
No matter what the facility, there are always prisoners who can benefit from his experience.
“I’m very hands on so I like to have a good rapport with the guys and show them how to do the job first,” Francis said. “Most of them are keen to learn different things or explore the Certificate 3 in cleaning.”
Whether they’re gaining official qualifications or not, Francis hopes the men carry the skills they learn from him as a VSO forward in their own lives.
“I encourage them and show them the right ways to do things,” he said. “I find once they know the right way, they enjoy doing it.
“I like to think the basic things I teach them here follow through on the outside when they get out.”
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