Social pedagogue or other relevant social work professional profile sought for strengthened efforts for the particularly socially vulnerable in Denmark's prisons

Would you like to be part of a strong social-work community at Midtfyns Fængsler og Arrester, Søbysøgård Fængsel, in an organization that limits crime and creates safety in society? Then read more here

Denmark’s Prisons is facing the implementation of an extensive sentencing reform, where crime prevention in the form of among other things a significantly strengthened effort for the particularly socially vulnerable, shall play a central role in the preventive work.

If you have relevant experience with the target group from, for example, social psychiatry, the substance area or similar and wish to contribute to a meaningful and complex task in a multidisciplinary environment, you may be our new colleague.

About you

• You are educated as a social educator or have another relevant social-science background, preferably supplemented with a therapeutic postgraduate.
• You are professionally grounded and thrive in working with vulnerable people in acute and complex life situations and with complex social problems.
• You have experience with socially vulnerable target groups, e.g. from psychiatry, social psychiatry or the substance area.
• You are able to work in a relationship-building way and provide qualified support to people in crisis. It is therefore very important that you are strong in relationship-building and motivational work as well as conflict management.
• You collaborate naturally with colleagues across professions, and actively contribute to a cross-disciplinary working environment.
• You are strong in both oral and written communication, which means that information is conveyed clearly and understandably to both inmates and colleagues. You are proactive and solution-oriented and able to navigate across interventions and organizational boundaries.

In addition you have experience motivating, creating structure and establishing clear and meaningful frameworks for vulnerable or crisis-affected people. You can coordinate and structure efforts across actors and ensure coherence and quality in the processes.

Who are we?

At Søbysøgård Fængsel the aim is to create the best possible conditions for a life without crime. Daily life is characterized by a focus on meaningful employment, relevant education and an active bridge to life after completed sentence.

The prison's professional approach focuses on together with the inmate to create a life without crime, where structure, responsibility and development go hand in hand. We meet inmates with a respectful but firm hand and set clear demands, while supporting them in building stable daily routines, strengthening personal and social skills and taking steps toward a life without crime and/or substance abuse.

The goal is to create lasting changes through relational work, clear frameworks and close collaboration with external actors, so the transition to society becomes as safe and sustainable as possible.

The position is anchored at Søbysøgård Fængsel, but there should also be a placement in Assens- and Svendborg Arrest.

Søbysøgård Fængsel, Assens- and Svendborg Arrest are part of Midtfyns prisons and detentions consisting of Søbysøgård Fængsel, Ringe Fængsel, Kværndrup Udslusningsfængsel, Svendborg Arrest and Assens Arrest.

Søbysøgård Fængsel has a closed department with capacity for 42 inmates and an open department with capacity for 140 distributed over 4 community departments. The prison receives male detainees from across the country.

Svendborg and Assens arrest houses are detention houses where primarily detainees are held. There is a capacity of 22 places in Svendborg and 27 places in Assens.

About the position

The overall purpose of the position is to support inmates in a positive daily life during serving their sentence with focus on activities and interventions that support inmates in working to reduce psychological, social and possibly addiction-related challenges. It can also be in the form of interventions that increase inmates' knowledge about diet and exercise as well as training in ordinary daily routines. It is important that interventions and activities are planned so as to strengthen inmates' motivation via either group guidance programs, group activities or individual interventions.

It is also important to support inmates in communities with other inmates as well as help them in transitions from detention, from closed to open prison and/or release prison. Here comes an important task of strengthening cooperation with other authorities and civil society.

Your main tasks will be

• To plan and carry out pedagogical programs and activities in accordance with the above-mentioned purpose.
• To support inmates through structure and an overview of the inmate's daily life.
• To aid inmates in handling psychological, social and addiction-related challenges, including reducing stress symptoms related to deprivation of liberty through the use of, for example, mindfulness and yoga.
• To engage in close cross-disciplinary collaboration with both uniformed and civilian colleagues, including psychologists, social workers, health personnel and management.
• To participate in cross-disciplinary meetings, status reviews and action plan work
• To document pedagogical observations, interventions and progression in relevant professional systems
• To collaborate with relevant authorities, civil society and treatment actors.

We offer

As an employee in Denmark’s Prisons you become part of a diverse and varied workplace with staff who have different professional backgrounds and competencies. Upon hire we can offer you:

• A meaningful job where you every day contribute to development, structure and hope for people in a vulnerable life situation
• A strong cross-disciplinary environment with prison guards, teachers, foremen and other professional groups, where we make each other good
• Ongoing supervision and professional sparring that supports reflection, quality and development in the work
• A workplace with clear boundaries, where relationship work, responsibility and progression go hand in hand
• Influence on task solving and the opportunity to take initiative for interventions that strengthen the individual’s resources and action competences
• Colleagues who engage themselves professionally and expect you to actively contribute with your perspectives and your social-pedagogical judgement

Salary and employment conditions

Employment and pay are in accordance with the applicable joint collective agreement and the applicable organizational agreement depending on educational background and any local agreements.

• The position is full-time with an average of 37 hours per week.
• The employing area is Denmark’s Prisons. The workplace is currently Søbysøgård Fængsel, Søvej 27, 5792 Årslev.
• The position is with start on January 1 or after another agreement.

Application

The position is applied for electronically via the link "Apply for the position".

Application, CV and documentation of education and other relevant material must be received in the recruitment system no later than 18 November 2026.

We will call for interviews on an ongoing basis and expect to hold interviews in mid-to-late November 2026.

If you are invited to an interview, you must bring a photo identification, e.g. passport or driver’s license.

It is a condition of employment that in connection with the interview you consent to Denmark’s Prisons obtaining and evaluating information about you in the Central Criminal Register.

Have questions about the position you are welcome to contact unit manager Annette Damgaard at tel. 72553355.

Denmark’s Prisons encourages all qualified applicants regardless of age, gender, religion or ethnic background to apply.

For further information about Denmark’s Prisons please refer to the website www.danmarksfængsler.dk