Recovery Champion Role Description

Service / HaltonIntegrated RecoveryService
Job Title / Recovery Champion – NM428
Hours / 37.5
Reports to / Senior Practitioner
Operating Principles / CRI has developed a number of operating principles that it believes are essential to providing effective and inspirational care and support for its service users. They should be viewed as overarching expectations for all roles at CRI.
All staff will contribute to the ongoing development of an ambitious, inspirational and outcome focussed culture at every level of service delivery.
All roles will tangibly contribute to provide hope, control, empowerment, choices and opportunities that promote people reaching their full potential as individuals and community members.
All service delivery will model the belief that we all have the potential to make positive changes and to lead meaningful and purposeful lives, as involved and contributing members of society.
Purpose of Job / As directed by the Senior Practitioner and/or Service Manager to champion visible recovery support to service users and the wider community. Support service users in achieving recovery planned goals via visible ‘lived’ expert by experience support.
Assist in Navigating service users through service pathways and through treatment in a swift manner to enable substance and crime free lives by facilitating access to Personal – Social – Community Recovery Cultures. To provide support in the ongoing development of the Halton Recovery Community via advocacy, involvement and assertive linkage to Mutual Aid Groups.
To advocate benefits of Voluntary Sector support not within substance misuse or alcohol sphere via the development and nurturing of sound relationships and protocols with all internal external stakeholders and partners to ensure effective and integrated treatment pathways for all.
Ensure effective SUI involvement in the evaluation of Service delivery/cultures, ensuring SU forum is involved in consensus processes to ensure “best practice” is developed and maintained.
To support Recovery Coordinators and also deliver therapeutic and group based interventions.
The focus of all interventions will be:

To engage drug and alcohol users into treatment and mainstream services
To work within the Engagement and Drive Through Teams alongside Recovery Coordinators, including outreach and assertive engagement
To work to a POD based approach of engagement and therapeutic interventions along with one to one approaches as deemed suitable
To provide therapeutic and educational group work interventions and workshops
To act as a positive role model for Recovery
To reduce drug and alcohol related harm to the individual and wider community
To promote healthier lives, wellbeing and active citizenship
To promote and support individuals into both abstinence based and medically assisted forms of recovery,
To support individuals into paid employment and/or relevant training, education or occupation
To provide support with effective case management and coordination covering areas of risk, problematic behaviour, housing, social functioning, employability, psychological and physical health.
To provide effective coaching identifying and encouraging areas of strength, skill and opportunity for each service user.
To promote carer, service user and community involvement
To use evidenced based interventions based on best practice guidelines
To contribute to the overall performance of the service to ensure that contractual output targets are achieved.
To record and input client data and information in order that the service operates within contractual, administrative and financial requirements.

Key Activities /

Proactively engage & signpost and/or onward refer into support services; structured treatment services; alternative therapy services, PX services as appropriate
Identify safeguarding issues (e.g. Child Protection) which may arise as a result of contact with service users and notify Line Manager.
Engage with service users to identify assets and to identify and challenge deficit behaviours and drug/alcohol use thus ensuring equal opportunities for wellness across four key domains.
Empower service users to establish non-judgemental supportive relationships with Integrated Recovery service via strategies to Identify, develop, implement and sustain “best practice”.
Provide information, advice, advocacy and support to family and carers of Integrated Recovery service users both on site and in the wider community.
Recovery Champions will aim to meet project specific requirements that are laid out in the roles and responsibilities identified in peer mentoring opportunities.
Work one to one with service users to provide different levels of practical, emotional, informational and instrumental peer support.
Provide peer support and techniques to enable empowerment and change ideals within service users and their communities.
Co-facilitate structured PSI/Peer 2 Peer group work programmes and ensure high impact, high quality facilitation of all aspects of Peer Mentor scheme processes from delivery to audit to ensure effective practice.
Cultivate awareness of recovery capital to ensure service wide cultural competency around recovery and its application.
Enable service users to access education training employment opportunities, Peer Support groups and structured activities ensuring that effective exit strategies exist within the partnership which assists the client to develop their personal recovery capital.
Championing service users access to housing, medical and welfare services via promotional and awareness raising events that are both inclusive and informative.
Keep accurate records of work with people and feedback any issues or concerns to Recovery Co-ordinator supervising Recovery Champions within supervisory environment.
Adhere to safe working practices implemented from a variety of risk assessments carried out by the Recovery co-ordinator.
Be aware of the 3 types of Recovery Groups- therapeutic, vocational, interest and have the ability to link and enable access via momentum gained into recovery/ETE communities.
Support Recovery Co-ordinators as service link via satellite visible provision of Recovery Champion services across a range of operation locations as designated by geographical Partner/service user need.

Unite the community with external Recovery groups and events
Advocate the use of Online Recovery Communities (Wired –In/SMART/Breaking Free on-line)
Contribute and promote the development of Mutual Aid Groups with geographical equity (12 Step / SMART)

General terms of reference / In carrying out the above duties the post holder will agree to:

Work flexibly across operational sites as required.

Work flexibly within an agreed number of hours of work to maintain the most appropriate level of service provision including late night and weekend clinics and outreach
Work with different areas of operational delivery including outreach, harm reduction services including needle and syringe programmes, clinical and non clinical services, GP shared care, criminal justice services and aftercare as appropriate.
Seek to improve personal performance, contribution, knowledge and skills.
Participate in appraisal, supervision and Learning & Development processes.
Keep abreast of developments in services, legislation and practice relevant to the relevant client group.
Ensure the implementation of the all CRI policies.
Contribute to maintaining safe systems of work and a safe environment.
Undertake other duties appropriate to the grade of the post.

Specific standards (DANOS related where appropriate) for this role include:

Unit Number and Title
AA1 / Recognise indications of substance misuse and refer individuals to specialists
AA2 / Relate to, and interact with, individuals
AA3 / Support individuals to access and use services and facilities
AA4 / Promote the equality, diversity, rights and responsibilities of individuals
AB1 / Support individuals who are distressed
AB2 / Support individuals who are substance users
AB8 / Contribute to assessing and act upon risk of danger, harm and abuse
AC1 / Reflect on and develop your practice
AC2 / Make use of supervision
AC3 / Contribute to the development of the knowledge and practice of others
AD3 / Facilitate group learning
AG3 / Assist in the transfer of individuals between agencies and services
AI2 / Help individuals address their substance use through an action plan
AJ1 / Help individuals address their offending behaviour
AJ2 / Enable individuals to change their offending behaviour
AK1 / Assist individuals to explore future employment, training and education opportunities
AK2 / Assist individuals to plan for future employment, training and education
AK3 / Enable individuals to access housing and accommodation
AK4 / Enable individuals to administer their financial affairs
BD3 / Support the health and safety of yourself and individuals
BI1 / Develop productive working relationships
BI6 / Develop and sustain effective working relationships with staff in other agencies

Person Specification

Essential criteria:

To be an ex Service User of drugs or alcohol services, have personally achieved abstinence, be free from prescribed medications and not be a current Service User of Substance Use Services

Knowledge of the issues facing substance & alcohol misusers including social care, welfare benefits, health and emergency accommodation.

An understanding of the Recovery Model.

Good personal organisation skills.

Empathic and solution focussed approach.

Sound knowledge of Recovery Based Approaches.

And the ability to:

Communicate confidently and effectively, verbally and in writing

Empathise with client group to the client group

Work as a member of a team

Motivate and enthuse

Be creative using a bold vision

Show a capacity to work alone and the ability to keep calm under pressure.

Adhere to policy guidelines

Employ anempathetic and non-judgmental attitude towards service users

Plan and carry out set objectives

Show commitment to facilitating positive outcomes for service users

Demonstrate effective personal & professional skills.

Willingness to work to OCN accreditations in Drug & Alcohol information & Mentoring Skills.

Desirable criteria:

Access to own transport

Knowledge of local services and geography

Group work experience

Experience of working with client group

Experience of working with statutory and voluntary agencies

Relevant qualification

Specialist skills

This post is subject to a Criminal Records Bureau check at an enhanced level.

Amendments: This description accurately reflects the present position; it may be amended and reviewed. Any change will be made following a period of consultation.

Reference: 01/070206