Big change in direction

Determined to find a new job that gave him a sense of purpose and impact, Simon Hawkes quit his work in TV and advertising and retrained at the prison service.

- Edited by LAURETTE ZIEMER

Two years on, Simon, 58, from South London, loves his new role as a probation services officer (PSO) in the Homelessness Prevention Team.

What do you do?

I've been doing this job for just under two years now. I came to the prison service after a long career in media, realising I wanted to do something with more purpose and direct human impact.

Since retraining, I've worked at HMP Belmarsh and, more recently, in probation, gaining a real understanding of both the challenges people face and the potential for change in the criminal justice system.

A huge part of what we do is about creating safer streets and safer communities, and that's something I'm proud to contribute to every day. Day to day, I look at referrals for people coming out of prison who need temporary accommodation. I go through their history, check risks and make sure we're placing them somewhere safe - for them, other residents and the wider public. It's a bit like doing a giant human jigsaw puzzle.