Outreach Engagement Practitioner

Overview:
**Change Grow Live** are a charity dedicated to the belief that we can make a difference to our Service Users lives, offering support and respect in a safe environment, treating each user as an individual and working with them to find the right treatment and care options.

As an **Outreach and Engagement Practitioner** you will; support service users from point of entry into the service and through their treatment/recovery journey; provide screening, assessment, psychosocial interventions, recovery planning and onward referral; reduce drug and alcohol related harm to service users and the wider community and promote carer, service user and community involvement.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone with experience of substance misuse issues looking to take the next step in their career with a charity that will support your continued personal and professional development.

**Where**:Victoria, London

**Hours**:18.75 hours per week (2.5 days)

**Salary**: £27,449.53- £31,529.41 pro rata

**Allowance**: £4,072.06 Inner London Weighting pro rata

**Contract Type**: Fixed Term - 12 months

**Responsibilities**:
**About the role**
- Undertake assessments and record in electronic and paper-based case notes as required.
- Initiate, complete and follow up referrals to services as required.
- Contribute to integrated care planning to assure effective referrals to Hepatology and Sexual Health services to enable assessment for specialist treatment.
- Support the provision of pre and post blood borne virus test discussion.
- To provide recovery coaching using a broad range of psychosocial interventions
- Provide education and support to patients, their families, and significant others.
- To engage with people from the under-represented groups who have substance misuse problems and provide them with advice, screening, and referral to clinical interventions to address their substance misuse issues, and primary health care (including blood borne viruses).
- Work towards understanding the barriers and gaps for different community groups and compile findings as part of a continuous needs’ assessment for this changing client population.
- Take responsibility for co-ordinating publicity, promotion, and dissemination of information about Services to communities within an overall objective of encouraging uptake of services by the diverse/underrepresented community groups
- Develop and maintain strong links with key stakeholders in local services. Liaise with individuals, statutory and voluntary organisations as appropriate and represent the service at relevant meetings, forums, and conferences in agreement with line manager.

**About you**:

- Experience of working with substance misuse issues and a clear understanding of the need for and ability to deliver quality services.
- A clear understanding of issues relating to underrepresented groups in drug services and BAME communities and their engagement with Services.
- Knowledge of the issues facing substance misuse including appropriate medical interventions, social care, and health issues.
- Excellent communication skills
- Experience of engaging with a wide variety of individuals
- Ability to form trusting and constructive working relationships in a short space of time
- Maintain professional boundaries and work effectively with partnership agencies.
- Demonstrate skills to undertake administrative duties.
- Support individuals by telephone and via digital communications to access brief interventions promoting health education and awareness in relation to alcohol and related issues.
- To deliver motivational interviewing (MI) based interventions that target substance using behaviours.
- Provide a structured extended brief intervention program (up to six sessions) via telephone.
- To provide a harm reduction approach and promote recovery focused interventions.

**What we will give to you**:

- 25 days holiday (+ bank holidays) rising by 1 day for each years’ service
- Flexible working arrangements
- Paid ‘Wellness’ hour each week along with a ‘Wellness’ hub and Employee Assist Programme
- Contributory pension scheme
- A great selection of benefits incl. discounts for shopping, cinema, holidays, etc.
- A friendly and supportive team
- Training, career development & progression opportunities

**Please read attached Job Description and Role Specifics for a more detailed outline of responsibilities and Person Specifications**

If this sounds like you and you’d like to begin your journey with Change Grow Live, then we’d love to talk to you.