Specialist Support Officer - Drug & Alcohol

Specialist Support Officer - Drug & Alcohol
Permanent
£30,859 per annum
37.5 hours per week
Rota - Shift work - 8am - 9pm, including weekends
Location: Camden

We are looking for someone with:

• Knowledge of specialist assessment tools, methods and case formulation.
• Knowledge of evidence based specialist interventions appropriate for mental health and community settings.
• Experience of undertaking customer assessments, support planning and key-working with a clear outcome focus
• Knowledge about recovery model, peer support and coproduction procedures.
• Experience working in community settings therapeutically, including assessments, designing interventions and demonstrating outcomes.
• Experience running therapeutic groups.
• Ability to react to crisis situations in a calm effective way.
• Basic level of IT skills and literacy
• Strong time management skills and ability to prioritise workload
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing including the preparation of letters reports & file notes
• Understanding of safeguarding procedures for children and adults

Why Riverside?

At Riverside, we’re a housing association with a difference - enhancing the everyday for all our customers. For 90 years, we’ve been revitalising neighbourhoods and supporting communities by providing the homes they need to live full, fulfilling and rewarding lives.

Our Mental Health team is vital to helping us deliver on this vision. We work to transform the life experience of people with mental health support needs. The support we provide is delivered in a range of settings (like supported housing, assessment centres and outreach) and our customers’ support needs can include psychosis, forensic and personality disorders.

We believe in providing care and support to our clients that will enable them to make informed decisions about their life that will increase their sense of wellbeing: this might be greater independence, better coping strategies or a richer network and sense of self achievement. We offer you the chance to develop your own skills through regular line management supervision, reflective practice, access to a ten-day course on relevant mental health topics and working together with your specialist colleagues.

Diversity and Inclusion at Riverside:

We are inclusive. At Riverside, we value diversity in all its forms. We foster a workplace where all individuals are respected, empowered, and heard. Our commitment to inclusivity drives our success and enriches the lives of our customers and colleagues.

Role Profile

• Disseminate & advise the local & wider team on changes to best practice & new legislation in regard to their specialist area (i.e. amendments on ethical frameworks, new research findings and publications, change on procedures and shared best practice)
• Participate in cross-service initiatives & projects in relation to their specialist area (i.e. organisational training, reflective case management, WOW projects, peer support groups, etc.)
• Work on a rota basis, including out of office hours and sleep ins where necessary
• Comply with all relevant policies & procedures
• Carry out assessment to identify and prioritize needs
• Use SMART goal planning to provide needs led holistic support
• Develop and maintain positive links with key stakeholders
• Create an environment that promotes opportunities for customers to develop, learn and enable skills towards independence
• Where required, administer medication & carry out duty shifts
• Ensure that the service complies with Riverside's standing orders & financial regulations
• Adhere to Riverside’s confidentiality policies.

Customer Support

• Undertake group & one to one interventions with clients of a specialist nature (i.e. CBT informed interventions, psychoeducational groups or harm minimisation interventions)
• Provide a comprehensive support planning service to customers in line with the department’s policies, procedures and approach
• Ensure customers are fully informed of their rights and responsibilities regarding the service, and are enabled and empowered to get involved in the running of the service through consultation and participation
• Set up and maintain customer files and ensure that accurate and up to date records are kept of support provided to customers in accordance with HCS policies including on the MPs IT system
• Make full use of IT & other technologies for appropriate tasks, including the use of word processing, spreadsheets, email etc
• Support customers to develop the necessary skills to live independently, and to access training, education and work

Person specification

Essential

• A relevant professional qualification in the area of expertise (i.e. Drug and alcohol, counselling, psychology, OT, nursing or social work or any other relevant qualifications)
• Level 3 Diploma, or willingness to work towards it (CQC Registered services)
• Knowledge and understanding of up-to-date legislation, government frameworks relevant to the customer group
• Understanding of safeguarding children and adults
• Knowledge of specialist assessment tools, methods and case formulation
• Knowledge of evidence-based specialist interventions appropriate for community settings
• Knowledge about recovery model, peer support and coproduction procedures.
• Demonstrable experience of working with vulnerable adults
• Experience of undertaking customer assessments, support planning and key-working with a clear outcome focus
• Experience working in community settings therapeutically, including assessments, designing interventions and demonstrating outcomes
• Experience of promoting Equality & Diversity
• Experience running therapeutic groups
• Ability to represent Riverside to other agencies and companies where necessary
• Strong time management skills and ability to prioritise workload
• Ability to contribute to effective team working
• IT skills including use of Microsoft packages such as Word
• Ability to provide regular monitoring information as required
• Ability to react to crisis situations in a calm effective way

Desirable

• Experience supervision medication
• Experience designing and providing training