Criminal Justice Recovery Worker

Criminal Justice Recovery Worker

Location: Gillingham

Salary: £24,000 per annum

Contract: Fixed Term 31/03/2025

Are you passionate about breaking the cycle of crime and addiction? Are you interested in helping people re-integrate in society and make positive changes in their life? An exciting opportunity to join our Criminal Justice team and support those with Alcohol or Drug problems that are currently in the Criminal Justice system.

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.

What you will be doing?

Working within an integrated healthcare framework to provide support to drug and alcohol users aged 18 and over (dependent on service). Services are designed to deliver Psychosocial Drug and Alcohol Interventions for Service users that are identified as having an Alcohol or drug problem.

Services will deliver client centred treatment using both harm reduction and abstinence-based treatment approaches depending on the requirements of the individual client. You will be required to manage clients who have been referred using the Criminal Justice (CJ) referral routes from courts, police custody and prisons; services provided to them will be integrated within the substance misuse service to provide appropriate harm reduction advice and guidance, assess, care plan; deliver structured 1:1 and group-work sessions including structured treatment programmes.

Through care and integration with other services such as Housing, Employment, Healthcare services, Probation and CRCs are an essential element of the work; key to this role is communication with all CJ partner agencies so that outcomes and attendance are clearly demonstrated. 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 partneragencies is vital to this role.

Flexibility will be required in this role, this may include some evening work and travelling to Prisons and in Kent and Probation in Medway to complete continuity of care for those coming up to release, or have recently been released.

What are we looking for?

• Experience of working within the substance misuse services, and with CJ clients.
• Experience of carrying out comprehensive assessments, risk management plans and the design and implementation of SMART care plans.
• Experience of working with CJ agencies such as the police, probation, CRC and prisons.
• 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 criminal justice sector
• Knowledge of the Recovery Agenda.
• Knowledge of Safeguarding
• A thorough knowledge of and commitment to the 12-step process of recovery from addiction.
• Knowledge of Community support Services

What we offer

• Training opportunities and career development
• Flexible working
• Season Ticket Loan Scheme
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• 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)

To Apply

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for the Forward Trust, please click apply to be redirected to their website to complete your application.