Co-occurring Drug and Alcohol Caseworker (Housing Outreach Service) Job Description Role Co-occurring Drug and Alcohol Caseworker (Housing Outreach Service) Service Mental Health and Substance Use Housing Outreach Service Location: Based with the Mental Health and Substance Use Housing Outreach Service at Sardis House, Pontypridd. Flexibility to work across all areas of Cwm Taf Morgannwg, where appropriate is essential. Barod Base Sardis House, Sardis Rd, Pontypridd, CF37 1DU Hours: 37 hours per week with some evening and weekend work required. Salary: Starting at £25,750 Reports to: Mental Health and Substance Use Housing Outreach Service Lead Team Members Reporting to Job Holder: No direct reports. This role will work closely with all members of the Cwm Taf Morgannwg Partnership. Contract: Permanent in line with funding THE SERVICE Barod provides a service to people who use drugs or alcohol, their families, and communities. This will include early intervention, engaging and assessing service users, needle exchange, brief interventions, outreach, training, case management health promotion and harm reduction initiatives and recovery and aftercare services. Barod services are provided in a non-judgmental, non-discriminatory, non-patronising and professional manner and in a way that demonstrates courtesy and respect for individuals using substances, and sensitivity to their unique personal situations and experiences. ROLE PURPOSE This is an exciting opportunity being part of an innovative service provision in Cwm Taf Morgannwg. The post-holder will be working within a multi-disciplinary team in the Cwm Taf Morgannwg Specialist Mental Health and Substance Use Housing Outreach Service. The purpose of this role is to provide support and community interventions for complex and vulnerable individuals who find it difficult to access services and are at risk of becoming affected by ill health, poverty and homelessness The post-holder will create new and work with existing partnerships across the region with the aim of engaging individuals, in particular, those who are vulnerable or marginalised, at the earliest opportunity into the treatment system The post holder will assist in the care co-ordination of those individuals who are most at risk of disengaging from services and will aim to help them find more stability in their day to day living The post-holder will identify concerned others and provide interventions to encourage them to access a range of support services for them and their loved ones The post-holder will conduct high level assessments with the service user and offer harm reduction advice, brief interventions, and referral into time limited treatment and/or Tier 3 and other partner services The post-holder will deliver a needle exchange service and outreach campaigns, promoting services to further engage those with support needs. MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Provide client-centred support to assist individuals with obtaining community services/resources to facilitate better lifestyle chances, eg engagement with health services, securing or sustaining accommodation; accessing to community legal, financial assistance, housing, employment, transportation and any other relevant services Provide targeted outreach and screening to high risk groups Conduct high level assessments including risk assessment to ensure that care is appropriately co-ordinated Contribute to the development of a care plan in collaboration with other relevant specialist services Contribute to the safety of communities from drug related crime and negative impacts on health services 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 social recovery capital Provide opportunities for employment, training, education, and pro-social activities to aid and sustain recovery Develop strong relationships with partnering agencies and other workers in order to enhance service user support mechanisms. Serve as an advocate for client/community members regarding access to services, enhancing inclusivity and respect. Assist in the delivery of an integrated service through the provision of any assessment, aftercare action planning, engagement, retention, planned discharge and onward referral as appropriate Ensure appropriate safeguarding and data protection principles are adhered to in working practice Inspire and enthuse individuals to maintain positive lifestyle changes Deliver mobile needle exchange services Promote outreach campaigns Deliver evidence-based and manualised brief interventions in group-work settings and on a one-to-one basis to service users and concerned others Deliver harm reduction initiatives including Naloxone training, Take Home Kits and Dried Blood Spot Testing Actively influence and support service users and concerned others in co-production and service user involvement in shaping service provision Encourage active participation in mutual aid groups, peer-led recovery and other participation in local, regional and national recovery events Research, develop and implement online resources and produce information for publications, leaflets and web pages Record all relevant data onto the case management system/s, and use the system effectively to inform work with service users and concerned others Provide training or talks to internal staff or external organisations as required Support volunteers in the delivery of services Take up Barod’s arrangements for support and supervision and participate in all relevant internal meetings Communicate Barod’ vision and deliver its mission, corporate strategy and business plans Co-operate with requests from management and administration Undertake other reasonable duties as requested, but which may not be specified within the job description 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. This is providing 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. Essential Desirable Qualifications and training GCSE English Literature or Language, Grade C or above or equivalent Level 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care (or equivalent) Proven experience of delivering structured relapse prevention interventions/talking therapies/CBT Role-related knowledge, skills & experience Ability to work effectively with people regardless of their ethnic, cultural, social backgrounds, their gender, age, religious belief, disability and sexual orientation. Proven ability to network and build professional relationships Experience of delivering harm reduction interventions to substance users Experience of facilitating therapeutic interventions Knowledge of substance use treatment and care pathways Knowledge of the Welsh Government’s drug strategy and Recovery Framework Knowledge of substance use including detoxification, withdrawal and management and evidence based therapeutic interventions Interpersonal skills Flexibility to work at multiple locations and flexible working hours outside of the normal working week and may include weekends Full, current driving licence and use of a motor vehicle which is insured for business use.