Hostel In-Reach Worker (Rough Sleeping Drug & Alcohol Team)

We are Forward, the social enterprise that empowers people to break the cycle of crime or addiction to move forward with their lives. For more than 25 years we have been working with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past. We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands of people to make positive changes and build productive lives with a job, family, friends and a sense of community.

We believe and are committed to providing opportunities to all people including those with ‘Lived Experience’ we encourage applications from all background including those in recovery from addiction, co-dependency or gambling, have experience of previous offending or homelessness.

Working within an integrated healthcare framework to provide support to drug and alcohol users aged 18 and over. You will offer support to service users across Thanet and Canterbury in the supported accommodation hostels they are residing in. You will carry a smaller caseload to offer an enhanced level of support and flexibility for those with high complexity and experience to barriers to engagement. This will be underpinned by Trauma Informed approaches. The Dedicated skilled workers will have an understanding of the unique needs of those at risk of rough sleeping and co-ordinate care, e.g. liaison with housing support workers and facilitating access to primary care services.

You will be responsible for contributing to the targets set by Forward and the local commissioners. One of the key targets will be measuring outcomes, so co-operative working relationships with other partner agencies is vital to this role

Reasonable notice to travel to other projects in your cluster to deliver services, enabling continuity of care for the client group.

Within your role you will

• Carry out assessments risk/initial/comprehensive to inform treatment journeys. Carry out interventions relevant to individual client needs including 1:1 sessions and group work/programme facilitation.
• Referring and working in partnerships with other agencies including training and employment and family support Services to ensure that all client needs are met.
• Coordinate and work alongside Health care to monitoring and manage client health and minimising risks of harm.
• Develop and contribute to assessment and care planning of service users, supporting and coordinating their engagement with specialist agencies to address all their support needs.
• Motivate client to engage with support services identified in care plan and risk assessment.
• Support client with their care plan including referral to support services in the community, advice and guidance on housing, benefits and training and employment.

Please see below some of the skills and experience desirable for the role

• Experience of carrying out comprehensive assessments, risk management plans and the design and implementation of SMART care plans.
• Experience of delivering structured interventions to service users.
• Experience of facilitating groups
• Using motivational interviewing techniques in both 1:1 and group settings
• Strong IT Skills
• Understanding of continuity of care, holistic care needs and community services
• Experience of promoting and supporting Equality and Diversity
• Knowledge of the issues facing substance misusers
• Knowledge of the Recovery agenda
• Knowledge of Safeguarding
• Experience of working within the substance misuse services

• Training opportunities and career development
• Flexible working arrangements
• Season Ticket Loan Scheme
• Electric Vehicle Scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Simply Heath Cash Plan
• Free yearly Headspace subscription
• 25 days (rising to 30 with length of service) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays
• Contributory Pension Scheme – Employer matched contributions of up to 6% in the first two years’ service and up to 9% thereafter
• Death in Service Payment (2x annual salary)
• Critical Illness Insurance (subject to qualifying criteria)

For full details of this role and person specification please refer to the below job description.

Hostel In-Reach JD.docx