I’m Ruby and I’m a victim liaison assistant. I didn’t want to go to university after completing my A-Levels, I wanted to find a job where I knew I could help people. After talking to others, they told me the best thing to do was to join the Civil Service. I had a look at the Civil Service Jobs website and this role came up. It looked perfect for me, as it was role that involves helping others and supporting them through a really hard time. 

As a victim liaison assistant, I communicate positive charging decisions to victims. I can either send letters, emails, or speak to victims over the phone to inform them about this - and let them know when the first court hearing will be. If they have any questions about the charging decision, the court hearing, or anything else about the case in general, I can answer them - or point them to someone who they can speak to for further help. Also, if they need any other support services, I can give them that information too.

There is a lot of training to help you feel prepared for the role, including in-person sessions, online learning and group activities such as role plays. The role plays felt nerve-wracking at first, but they made such a difference in preparing me to handle calls with victims. By the time I started making calls and sending letters or emails, I didn’t feel unsupported or lacking in confidence. The training is really helpful and means you don’t feel in the dark when carrying out your tasks. I also work closely with other victim liaison assistants and victim liaison officers in my team. We support each other whenever we have questions, concerns or uncertainty around a case, so there is always guidance available when you need it.

I’ve developed loads since starting in the role, especially my confidence. I was really apprehensive about speaking to people on the phone, but the training I received and the support from my managers helped me. I’ve also learned a huge amount about the criminal justice system, including my role, the processes involved, different court hearings and the services available to victims.

I think the work I do is so important because it means that victims aren’t left alone in the dark not knowing what’s happening. They are the most important people in the cases, and they deserve to have all the support, information and help they need. It’s a nice feeling knowing that I’m giving a helping hand to people and you’re making a difference to their lives.

I really love my role and would definitely recommend it to others. If you are considering applying but feel unsure because you don’t think you have enough knowledge or the right qualifications, don’t worry. You learn so much on the job, and you don’t need a specific qualification to do it. Working for the Crown Prosecution Service has been brilliant. Once you join, you realise how much it has to offer, from flexible working and the Civil Service pension to CPS rewards and supportive managers. Joining the organisation has been such an eye-opener for me, and I can’t see myself ever leaving.