Prison Release Recovery Worker
Job Type: Full Time, Permanent
Location: Shepherds Bush
Salary: £25,154 - £27,948 per annum
Overview
The Forward Trust, are a UK leading provider of drug and alcohol treatment services to offenders. We deliver treatment and recovery support - in prisons and in the community - which helps people move away from addiction and crime. These services provide a variety of support, including advice, counselling, group work and intensive treatment. At The Forward Trust we believe that all people who are addicted to or misusing substances should have access to support which is effective in protecting their health, and motivating them to take steps towards their own recovery. Over 20 years of pursuing this mission, we have been successful in moving thousands of drug dependent offenders away from a lifestyle revolving around crime, and drug or alcohol dependence.
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?
The Substance Misuse Service at HMP Wormwood Scrubs is commissioned to deliver psychosocial interventions within an integrated healthcare framework known as the New Models of Care (NMOC). The team work in close partnership with healthcare services to deliver services across various functions including Early Days in Custody (EDiC), unscheduled care, planned care, release and resettlement. The service is based on site within the prison delivering interventions directly to service users aged 18 and over residing at HMP Wormwood Scrubs. This is a closed category men's prison in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, West London.
The service takes a recovery orientated and trauma informed approach to delivery of holistic health and wellbeing interventions and various treatment programmes for those coming into the prison who experiance drugs and/or alcohol misuse issues. As a Prison Release Recovery Worker you will coordinate and deliver transitional support to service users working as part of the substance misuse service at HMP Wormwood scrubs. You will work collaboratively with prison and healthcare partners to ensure ongoing support and continuity of care for service users leaving the custodial setting and play a key role in the release and resettlement function.
The Prison Release Recovery Worker co-ordinates transitional support (working both inside and outside of the prison setting) alongside the Recovery Workers based at HMP Wormwood Scrubs. In this role you will be expected to support service users prepare and transition back into the community after release for a period of up to 4 weeks ensuring effective continuity of care 'Through the Gate'. The Prison Release Recovery Worker will build a network of partnerships with various agencies to provide comprehensive and supportive meet and greet/pick up services escorting service users directly into either residential rehabilitation facilities, introduction to community based treatment, criminal justice or other "wrap-around" services. This will involve lone working and the use of public transport to assist service users to attend community based appointments.
Working alongside the team of Recovery Workers, the Prison Release Recovery Worker will manage referrals, complete assessments of service user need and risk in preparation for release into the community with an aim of supporting them through the first 24 hours following release, assertively linking them into treatment and support resources, and mutual aid e.g. AA/NA meetings. A holistic release plan will be drawn up with the service user (in conjunction with prison based teams such as offender management and probation services) in order that all necessary referrals can be made prior to release and care pathways established for each individual service user. The role requires the delivery of interventions that promote and support various treatment pathways, involving both group facilitation and 1:1 working.
This is an exciting time to join our London services with the intorduction of 'New Models of Care' we are now able to offer more flexibility in the working hours of our services as we expand provision to include evening and weekends. Therefore role may include some evening/weekend shift working on a rota basis.
What we are looking for?
- A thorough knowledge of Criminal Justice services
- An understanding of the issues faced by those experiencing substance and/or alcohol misuse
- Experience of providing interventions within a substance misuse service or other relevant healthcare setting
- Ability to manage own workload effectively to deadlines and targets
- Experience of multi-disciplinary approaches to working including community based agencies
- Good organisational and communication skills
- The ability to set and hold sound professional boundaries
What we offer
- Training opportunities and career development
- Flexible working
- Season ticket loan scheme
- Cycle to work scheme
- 25 Days annual leave plus Bank Holidays (rising to 30 days with length of service)
- Excellent contributory pension scheme. Employer matched contributions of up 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)
- Health and well-being packages including Simply Health Plan, Headspace free subscription, Employee assistance programme
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 where you can complete your application.