All Criteria Are Essential Unless Otherwise Indicated

 Lifeline Project Ltd 2013

JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB IDENTIFICATION

Job Title Service User Engagement Worker Reports To Senior Practitioner Location Stockton Alcohol Service Hours 35 hours Salary NJC 18-29 (£17,333 – £24,892) Date Updated November 2013

JOB PURPOSE

 To facilitate the Universal delivery of community initiatives including the Community Interactor Model and CIBA/VIBA Models to involving service users, ex-service users and other community members in the delivery of alcohol awareness raising activity within community locations.  To work with the Regional Peer Mentor and Volunteer Coordinator to facilitate the recruitment, training and support systems for at least 25 Community Interactors (1 per ward), 15 community members and 15 volunteers delivering low intensity brief interventions for alcohol.  To motivate visible recovery advocates to hold drop-in and group work provision in all agreeing community venues, encouraging treatment naïve clients to access the full range of interventions the alcohol treatment system has on offer.  To facilitate 15 alcohol recovery groups per week across Stockton (5 directly delivered by the Service User Engagement Worker) linking into wider community setting utilising volunteers and/or other community members in delivery.  To facilitate a broad range of mutual aid activities within Stockton, including AA and SMART, supporting ex-service users to develop their own bespoke independent mutual aid programme for Stockton, including a peer mentoring/self-help initiative for young people affected by substance misuse.  To develop 4 awareness raising campaigns per year, delivering up-to-date and appropriate information, advice, and support in response to the needs of alcohol users, their families and their communities..  Maintain effective referral routes, pathways, and inter agency working across the hospital, primary care and community settings including community groups, FE institutions, BME/faith groups, pubs/clubs.  To undertake assertive outreach to identify/engage with treatment naïve individuals/groups, providing brief interventions and/or onward referrals  To work effectively and flexibly with colleagues, the Service Manager and senior practitioners, to ensure that high standards of performance are maintained.  To work within a strengths-based, recovery-orientated, change and outcomes focused approach which promotes service users and communities as responsible co-producers of health, well-being and recovery  To develop activities to promote the service user voice and regularly consult service users regarding levels of satisfaction with services. This will include supporting the maintenance of the established service user group.

ORGANISATIONAL POSITION

 See attached information pack.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1  Lifeline Project Ltd 2013

Service provision:

 Establish links with all relevant primary and secondary care partners, community groups and other agencies involved within the wider drug and alcohol treatment system  Be supportive to the needs of the community in building relationship to reduce the impact of alcohol and drug uses within their local area.  Support the raising of awareness within communities of other community initiatives, local / national projects in regard to alcohol prevention and harm reduction.  Delivery of the community interactor model to recruit 25 community interactors (1 per ward) to raise awareness of issues relation to alcohol and alcohol misuse and provide low intensity interventions.  Liaise with the Regional Volunteer and Peer Mentor Coordinator to deliver the CIBA/VIBA model, producing at least 15 volunteers and 15 peer supporters to work within the Stockton Alcohol Service.  Co-ordinate service-user consultation activities, satisfaction surveys and support the Service User Group.  Liaise with other staff members in the identification of appropriate volunteering opportunities across the service.  Support the process of identification and resolution of actual or potential difficulties or problems relating to volunteering / volunteers within the service.  Develop, review and implement appropriate volunteer policies, procedures and pro formas.  Address issues relating to diversity and equality of access to the volunteering programme (i.e. gender, race, culture, disability etc.).  Ensure that Criminal Records Bureau (DBS) disclosure checks are carried out for all volunteers, and that this process is explained to volunteers within a supportive and constructive framework (i.e. with regards to the Rehabilitation of Offenders etc.) during their induction.  To facilitate 15 alcohol recovery groups per week across Stockton (5 directly delivered by the Service User Engagement Worker) linking into wider community setting utilising volunteers and/or other community members  To produce 4 alcohol awareness campaigns per year to ensure that service users are aware of the range of services offered and promote these within the wider community.  Undertake signposting and act as a referral route into appropriate services both within and without Lifeline.  Establish and maintain links with agencies involved with the support of alcohol and drug users.  Maintain an up to date knowledge of the drug services and other relevant social / welfare organisations, and their referral criteria.  Attend multi-agency meetings as appropriate.  Respond in a co-ordinated way to Child Protection concerns.

Performance and personal management:

 To work flexibly to provide adequate cover for all aspects of the service.  To work alongside and provide support and supervision to volunteers and peer mentors as required.  To work within, and contribute positively to, an appropriate culture of established values and expectations, embracing and implementing change.  Work closely with other services to ensure effective care co-ordination via joint working (screening, triage, assessment and referral protocols in line with agreed multi-agency protocols; e.g. information sharing, confidentiality etc.).  To be responsible for performance management at an individual level through: self-management; delivery of goals and tasks set; delivery of contractual requirements, targets and outcomes; and reporting progress.  To actively engage in opportunities for learning and development at an individual and team level.  Attend and receive regular supervision within Lifeline’s management structure.  To comply with operational management systems of supervision, objectives, appraisal and induction.  Attend and contribute to team meetings. Communicate, liaise and co-operate with the various departments of Lifeline in matters affecting the work of the project.  To work collaboratively, creatively and flexibly, to empower, challenge and change service users.  To develop competencies to effectively deliver a range of psychosocial and other interventions required, undertaking training matched to the role as required.  To comply with data collection procedures and reporting to ensure effective recording of performance 2  Lifeline Project Ltd 2013

monitoring, outcomes, and service user information, including identifying areas of non-engagement.  To adhere to the implementation of risk management procedures (including child and adult safeguarding protocols) taking personal responsibility for keeping up to date on the requirements of these procedures.  To contribute to the continuous improvement of quality and performance of recovery coordination interventions.

Service development:

 To take a lead in specific targeted service developments as required.  Support the development and implementation of monitoring, reporting, and other administrative systems as required.  Keep up-to-date records in order to pass information to team leader and senior management.  To form productive working relationships with external agencies and professionals, existing and new, to ensure that service users have access to a wide range of recovery and community resources.  Co-ordinate service-user consultation activities, satisfaction surveys etc.  To contribute to the sustainability of Lifeline’s growth through the delivery of best practice and quality services and achieving targets and lasting outcomes for its beneficiaries.  To ensure an appropriate level of strategic awareness at industry, local, organisational and service levels.

GENERAL DUTIES

 To personify a positive, collaborative and recovery-focused work ethic.  To present a professional appearance, help maintain an orderly working environment and act at all times to uphold the good reputation of Lifeline Project.  To ensure that all visitors to the service (including service users, families/carers, professionals and the general public) are welcomed in a responsive, helpful and professional manner.  To ensure service users’ and professionals’ experience of Lifeline is positive including by taking personal responsibility for answering ringing telephones and promptly dealing with inappropriate behaviour by staff, volunteers or service users.  To attend meetings at appointed times, maintain professional personnel and service user records and meet deadlines.  To work flexibly across the whole service, including providing duty, late working and weekend cover as required.  To proactively maintain professional knowledge and practice and attend, use and contribute to supervision and team meetings effectively.  To assess risk and safeguarding issues, undertake risk and need assessments when appropriate and report any potential risk and safeguarding issues to ensure staff, service users and children are protected.  To work within professional boundaries maintaining safety and appropriate confidentiality at all times.  To contribute to organisational initiatives as required.  To demonstrate commitment to Lifeline’s statements of Mission, Vision and Values and strategy, ensuring that they inform, and are embedded within, service delivery and practice.  To read and comply with all published Lifeline policies and procedures, at the start of your employment and again whenever they are added to or changed, as available on the Lifeline staff website.  To work flexibly to undertake such other reasonable duties and responsibilities, at any location within reasonable daily travel from your main place of work.

To carry out responsibilities with clear regard to Lifeline’s Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety, and other relevant employee focused policies and procedures.

JOB DESCRIPTION AGREEMENT

This is an outline job description and may be subject to change according to the needs of the job, in consultation with the post holder.

Job Holder’s Date Signature

Post Holder’s Date Signature

Service User Engagement Worker

All criteria are Essential unless otherwise indicated

Experience (through paid or voluntary work)

 Experience of community engagement /development work.  Experience of working with key community agencies, fora and individuals (e.g. residents associations, community, councils etc)  Experience of working with disadvantaged / vulnerable adults.  Experience or an understanding of providing interventions that support individuals to develop their personal strengths.  Experience of delivering structured group work.

Knowledge

 An in-depth understanding and knowledge of the harmful effects associated with alcohol misuse in relation to health, social welfare, housing, employability and personal relationships.  An understanding/awareness of current national policies on substance misuse and the strategies that influence the priorities of treatment services.  An in-depth knowledge and understanding of the treatments and interventions available to substance misusers  A knowledge and understanding of policies related to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults and how these influence practice.  An understanding of models of recovery, and the role of the community in supporting recovery.

Education and Training

 NVQ level 3 in Health and Social Care, and/or equivalent professional qualification (e.g. Health Care, Nursing, Social Work, equivalent overseas qualification).  Community training / qualification(s)

Skills and abilities

 The ability to quickly establish rapport with service users and to use assertive techniques to engage them in treatment.  The ability to undertake accurate and comprehensive assessments of need, identifying levels of risk, recovery potential and to establish immediate and longer term recovery goals.  Ability to produce written reports to a standard that is acceptable to a range of audiences (internal and external).  Ability to maintain accurate and detailed case records within given deadlines.  Ability to use data management systems for the effective recording of performance and service user data.  Flexibility of approach to problem solving and goal achievement that demonstrates an ability to use a range of treatment and recovery-enhancing resources.  Commitment to working collaboratively with co-workers, colleagues in other agencies, and external services to facilitate positive recovery outcomes for service users.  Commitment to sharing knowledge, expertise and learning with colleagues (co-workers, volunteers, other professionals) in order to improve standards of practice within the service and the wider treatment environment.  Commitment to continuous improvement in professional competence and skills in order to provide a high standard of recovery-focused care to service users.

Additional Factors

 A commitment to equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice that is reflected in professional relationships with service users, colleagues and the general public.  A desire to work within, and contribute to, a culture that is positive, dynamic, forward thinking and outcomes-focused. 5  Lifeline Project Ltd 2013

 A non-judgmental attitude towards people affected by substance use.