The aim of the Swansea Barod service is to engage drug and/or alcohol users and/or their concerned others in Swansea’s substance use treatment system and support them when accessing it. Barod staff will support individuals to address substance-related issues, access appropriate interventions, reduce physical dependence and related health problems, and improve physical, psychological, family, and social functioning. Barod Swansea works with substance users and their families, friends, and carers in both community and criminal justice settings. Barod supports service users and their loved ones to sustain the gains they make in treatment by providing aftercare and peer support to help build social capital and prevent relapse. Barod is aimed at adult drug and/or alcohol users aged 18 years of age and over, and their families, friends, and carers.
Role Purpose
The role of the Drug and Alcohol Engagement Worker will be to assess service user needs and subsequently plan and deliver structured treatment interventions to empower and support people to make positive lifestyle changes.
The role will work holistically with all service users on caseload, including those presenting with needs that require brief interventions and harm reduction support, through to service users requiring structured, comprehensive care planning. The role will also engage with service users who are receiving medically assisted recovery programmes and aftercare support.
* Engage service users in the Western Bay substance use treatment system
* Deliver harm reduction initiatives including Needle Exchange, Naloxone, and Dried Blood Spot Testing
* Deliver evidence-based and manualised brief interventions in group-work settings and on a one-to-one basis to people who use substances and concerned others
* Provide a range of interventions including crisis intervention and information regarding substance use and associated lifestyle behaviours that reduce the risk of overdose, reduce the spread of blood borne viruses, promote healthy living, and minimise the potential risks and impact of drug related crime and disorder on the wider community
* Conduct initial and comprehensive assessments and care planning in line with substance use and access to brief interventions prior to accessing Tier 3 structured treatment
* Undertake risk assessment and develop and review risk management plans that seek to mitigate identified risks.
* Devise, with service users and concerned others, individually tailored time-limited support plans, based on a clear assessment of need that assist individuals in building recovery capital
* Offer flexible working environments including location, duration, and frequency of appointments to respond to individual service user needs
* Engage service users and concerned others via open access at the base, on a rota basis
* Work with service users beyond brief interventions, sometimes jointly with external partner agencies
* Liaise with partner agencies to ensure seamless transitions between services in line with the service specification
* Actively influence and support service users and concerned others in co-production and active participation in shaping service provision
* Encourage involvement in mutual aid groups, peer-led recovery, and service user groups
* Assess and address new drug trends by actively seeking and promoting innovative harm reduction methods
* Promote and encourage service user and concerned other participation in local, regional, and national recovery events
* To assess and contribute towards the safeguarding and wellbeing of children and adults within the statutory obligations of the Social Services Health and Wellbeing Act in line with organisational safeguarding policies and procedures
* Enter data onto the case management system and use the system effectively to inform work with service users and concerned others
* Take up arrangements for support and supervision and participate in all relevant internal meetings
* Contribute to the development and review of organisational policies and procedures as and when appropriate
* Retain and maintain all information (paper and electronic) in line with service level agreed guidelines and statutory protocols, such as GDPR
Person Specification
Ideally, all these requirements must be met by the candidate on appointment. However, in certain circumstances, a candidate may be appointed who does not meet a particular requirement, provided that the shortfall can be made good in a reasonable time, and the candidate brings other skills, knowledge, or experience which are valuable to the role and the Organisation.
Qualifications and Training
Full, current driving licence and use of a vehicle which is insured for business use.
Level 3 in Advice and Guidance (or equivalent).
Degree in a Health and Social Care related topic (or equivalent).
Training in any of the following areas:
* Safeguarding
* Substance Awareness
* Harm Reduction
* Psychosocial Interventions
Role-related Knowledge, Experience and Skills
Time management skills.
Previous experience of working within the substance use sector or similar field.
Excellent IT skills: competency in Microsoft Word, Outlook, Teams, Excel, PowerPoint, Canva, and Internet Explorer.
Understanding of substance use treatment pathways.
Ability to problem solve, work under own initiative, and able to work under pressure.
Ability to work flexibly as part of a collaborative team.
Understanding/knowledge of ACEs and their impact.
Good communication and presentation skills.
Experience of a trauma-informed approach.
Ability to adapt to working with people irrespective of their role, background, or experience.
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