Helping substance users and their families move away from problem use and make sustainable, positive changes in their lives.

Job Description

Title of post:Drug Support Worker

Location:Bridge 35 Salem Street, Bradford

Responsible to:Team Manager

Salary Scale: NJC SCP 8to 11, £13,189 to £14,733 subject to qualifications and experience

Pension:3% employer contribution to a Stakeholder Pension

Hours of Work:37.5 per week including regular evening and occasional weekend work

Annual Leave:32 working days plus bank holidays

Role Purpose:To work with the team responsible for the delivery of a high quality structured day programme so as to ensure that service users’ care plans are being met. To provide a range of support services to assist the progress of service users through the therapeutic programme, ensuring eventual transition back to independent living within the community.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

  • Assist in the implementation of individual care packages for clients in the Structured Day Programme, drawing on a multi-disciplinary approach and ensuring high ethical and professional standards of care and practice are met
  • Carry a small case load involving assessment and treatment of clients, advocacy, key working sessions and all other functions associated with care coordination
  • Co-facilitate a range of therapeutic group work activities to support individuals
  • Work with service users in a holistic way ensuring that their needs are met, including areas such as child protection, housing, medical, criminal justice and mental health including referrals to appropriate services and joint working arrangements
  • Support and facilitate client’s educational, recreational and health care activities
  • Observe professional standards of good practice relevant to the circumstances of individual clients
  • Ensure standards and legislative requirements are met
  • Write reports as appropriate
  • Work to Bridge’s policy and values in equality and diversity
  • Undertake any other tasks in line with this post

Key Activities

AA1Recognise indications of substance misuse and refer individuals to specialists

AA2Establish, sustain and disengage from relationships with individuals

AA3Enable individuals to find out more about and use services and facilities

AA4Promote people’s equality, diversity and rights

AA5Interact with individuals using telecommunications

AB1Support individuals when they are distressed

AB2Support individuals who are substance users

AB2.1Enable individuals to adopt safe practices associated with substance use

AB2.2Support individuals in reducing substance use

AB3Contribute to the prevention and management of abusive and aggressive behaviour

AB4Contribute to the protection of individuals from abuse

AB5Assess and act upon immediate risk of danger to substance users

AC1Develop your own knowledge and practice

AC1.1Reflect on and evaluate your own values, priorities, interests and effectiveness

AC1.2Incorporate new knowledge into the development of your own practice

AC2Make use of supervision

AD1Raise awareness about substances, their use and effects

AD3Co-facilitate group learning

AE1Test for substance use

AF1Carry out screening and referral assessment

AF2Carry out assessment to identify and prioritise needs and taking appropriate action

AG2Contribute to the development, provision and review of care programmes

AG3Assist in the transfer of individuals between agencies and services

AH3Supply and exchange injecting equipment for individuals

AH4Support individuals to undertake and monitor their own health care

AI1Counsel individuals about their substance use using recognised theoretical models

AI2Help individuals address their substance use through an action plan

AJ1Help individuals address their offending behaviour

AJ2Help individuals change their offending behaviour

AK1Assist individuals to explore future employment, training and education opportunities

AK2Assist individuals to plan for future employment, training and education

AK3Enable individuals to access and retain housing

AK4Enable individuals to administer their financial affairs

BD2Awareness of workplace policies relevant to work practices to ensure a healthy and safe environment is maintained

BD3Ensure own actions reduce risk to health and safety

BD4Promote, monitor and maintain health, safety and security in the working environment

BE2Provide information to support decision making

BI1Develop productive working relationships

B16Develop and sustain effective working relationships with staff in other agencies

HSC434 To undertake all written work for service user’s files and maintain accurate records

To adhere at all times to all of the agency’s policies

Workers should not refuse to undertake reasonable work, which is not specified in this job description, but should record any additional duties which they are requested to perform and bring them to the attention of their line manager.

References preceding each item relate to Drug and Alcohol National Occupational Standards

May 2010

1

Essential / Desirable / How demonstrated
Qualifications / Willingness to study for an NVQ level 2 in Health and Social Care. / Application / Interview
Experience /
  • Understanding and empathetic approach to people who misuse drugs
  • Knowledge and/or experience of the range of drug and alcohol related problems and their impact on the individual, families and community.
  • Experience of working with substance misusers (this may include voluntary work, paidemployment or service user involvement)
/
  • Experience of working in a substance misuse service (this may include voluntary work, paid employment or service user involvement)
/ Application / Interview
Application / Interview
Application / Interview
Skills & Knowledge /
  • Ability to assist in the delivery of groupwork activities
  • Good literacy and numeracy
  • Ability to work on instruction, prioritise and plan workload on a day-to-day basis, using effective time management skills.
  • Ability to listen and communicate effectively
  • Ability to provide a flexible and adaptable approach in order to deliver services which are accessible and responsive to the needs of clients.
  • Ability to work as a member of a team.
/ Interview
Application/ Interview
Application / Interview
Interview
Application / Interview
Application / Interview
Other /
  • Understanding of Equal Opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice
  • Ability to reflect on and develop own practice
  • Willingness to keep abreast of relevant professional developments and to undertake training for the post.
  • The post-holder must adhere to Bridge Policies/Guidelines in force within the organisation.
  • The post-holder is expected to be flexible with regards to working hours in order to meet the requirements of the post, including one evening per week and occasional weekend
  • Willingness to work within a performance managed environment and contribute to performance reporting
  • Willingness to undertake regular supervision and appraisal in line with Bridge policies and actively participate in own professional/personal development.
  • Conform to standards of dress, which reflects a professional service.
/ Application/Interview
Interview
Application / Interview
Application / Interview
Application/Interview
Application / Interview
Interview
Interview