Job Description/ Person Specification
Drug and Alcohol Worker (Children and Young People)
| Reports To: | Team Leader |
| Salary: | £26,790-£28,880 per annum |
| Location: | Swansea, Neath Port Talbot |
| Hours: | 37 hours per week |
| Contract: | Permanent, in line with funding |
| Employed by: | Barod Project |
Introduction
VERVE brings together an Alliance of Barod Project, Kaleidoscope Project, Adferiad Recovery, The Wallich and key commissioning partners.These are four respected organisations with more than a century of combined experience delivering substance use services across Swansea and Neath Port Talbot (SNPT). Each partner contributes specialist expertise, deep local knowledge, and a proven commitment to high-quality, person-centred support. Together, this Alliance forms a deliberate, strategic partnership designed to meet the ambitions of the Alliance Mandate and contribute to system-wide transformation.
This collaboration is built on our shared belief that the complexity of need within substance use services requires a unified, integrated response. By bringing together our collective strengths and specialist knowledge, we are creating a service that is more effective, more responsive, and better equipped to deliver improved outcomes for the communities we serve.
Vision and Values
Our vision is ambitious and rooted in collective responsibility and shared decision-making. This vision will be embedded across partners and stakeholders to nurture strong professional relationships and foster a ‘people-first’ culture, where staff feel empowered to deliver compassionate, innovative, and high-quality support.
VERVE promotes an inclusive, values-driven culture centred on dignity, fairness, and co-production. We empower people using our services and support our workforce to thrive. We are committed to creating a diverse and equitable workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and supported, and where our services reflect the communities that we serve.
Role Summary
The role of the Drug & Alcohol Worker for Children and Young People (CYP) is to offer drug and alcohol support services for children and young people up to the age of 25 years old including young, concerned others who are experiencing problems in relation to drug and/or alcohol use. This post will also work alongside other agencies including education and youth settings, ensuring young people are aware of the risks associated with substance use.
The post-holder will assess CYP needs and deliver structured, evidence-based interventions to support young people to make positive lifestyle changes. The role works holistically with individuals accessing services, ranging from those requiring brief interventions and harm reduction support through to those requiring structured treatment and comprehensive care planning. The post holder will support individuals in recovery, promote health and wellbeing, and enable sustained recovery and community integration.
Role-Specific Responsibilities
- Engage service users within the substance use treatment system and support access via Single Point of Contact.
- Deliver harm reduction interventions including needle exchange, naloxone, and BBV testing initiatives.
- Provide evidence-based, age-appropriate interventions on a one-to-one and group basis including crisis support, lifestyle behaviours, overdose risk reduction and promoting healthy living.
- Conduct assessments, care planning, and risk management.
- Co-produce with service users individually tailored time-limited support plans based on a clear assessment of need.
- Provide targeted outreach services to individuals who are identified as ‘un- der-represented or under reported’ to encourage engagement in the service.
- Deliver relapse prevention and structured recovery programmes.
- Work collaboratively with partner agencies across health, local authority, and third sector to ensure seamless transitions between services.
- Promote awareness of substance use harms and deliver training to professionals.
- Support outreach, prevention and early intervention.
- Encourage participation in peer support and mutual aid groups.
- Maintain accurate records and use case management systems effectively.
- Support safeguarding responsibilities in line with legislation and policy.
- Contribute to service development, campaigns, and awareness initiatives.
- Actively influence and support service users and concerned others in co-pro-duction and active participation in shaping service provision
- To develop, train, manage and motivate a team of service user volunteers and peers to provide high quality support and practical assistance.
- Promote engagement and motivation for change, including proactive follow-up with young people who disengage.
- Strengthen support networks by building positive peer connections and appropriately involving families and carers.
- Maintain effective multi-agency collaboration, particularly with CAMHS, Integrated Family Support Services, Social Services, Family Services, and YJS.
- Undertake other reasonable duties as requested, but which may not be specified within the job description
Contribute to the achievement of the service’s vision, values, strategic priorities and service objectives.
Essential Qualifications and Experience
| 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. | |||
| Qualifications & Training | Essential | Desirable | Assessment |
| Level 3 in Advice and Guidance (or equivalent) or willingness to work towards, substance use, harm reduction, and psychosocial interventions. | x | Application | |
| Experience or Knowledge in the following areas:
| x | Application / Interview | |
| Role related knowledge, skills and experience | |||
| Ability to work effectively with people regardless of their ethnic, cultural, social backgrounds, their gender, age, religious belief, disability, and sexual orientation. | x | Application / Interview | |
| Experience of working with children and young people | x | Application / Interview | |
| Proven ability to network and build professional relationships. | x | Application / Interview | |
| The ability to compile, maintain and complete accurate written records, including data capture and the use of case management systems. | x | Application / Interview | |
| Excellent literacy, numeracy, and ICT skills, with a close attention to detail. | x | Application / Interview | |
| Previous experience of working within the substance use sector or similar field. | x | Application / Interview | |
| Experience of working in a support role within the community. | x | Application / Interview | |
| Understanding of substance use treatment pathways. | x | Application / Interview | |
| Understanding/knowledge of ACEs and their impact. | x | Application / Interview | |
| Experience of a trauma-informed approach. | x | Application / Interview | |
| Experience of delivering training in a professional capacity. | x | Application / Interview | |
| Experience of facilitating group work and/or therapeutic interventions to children and young people. | x | Application / Interview | |
| Experience or knowledge of managing or working with volunteers. | x | Application / Interview | |
| Experience of providing early identification and preventative interventions | x | Application / Interview | |
| Knowledge of safeguarding procedures | x | Application / Interview | |
| Experience of community engagement | x | Application / Interview | |
| Other Skills | |||
| Flexibility to work at multiple locations and flexible working hours outside the normal working week | x | Application / Interview | |
| Ability to establish and maintain clear boundaries in respect of personal and professional responsibility. | x | Application / Interview | |
| Time management skills – excellent ability to plan, prioritise and manage own workload and time in a fast paced, demanding role | x | Application / Interview | |
| Ability to problem solve, work under own initiative and able to work under pressure. | x | Application / Interview | |
| Commitment to WeBA values and mission. | x | Application / Interview | |
| Full, current driving licence and use of a car which is insured for business use is an essential requirement of this role. | x | Application | |
| Ability to communicate through the medium of Welsh. | x | Application |
Drug and Alcohol Worker (Children and Young Persons) in Swansea employer: Barod
Barod is an exceptional employer that prioritises the well-being and growth of its employees, offering a supportive work culture that values collaboration and innovation. With a focus on meaningful impact in the community, employees have access to professional development opportunities and the chance to make a real difference in the lives of those they serve across Cwm Taf Morgannwg. The flexibility of working across various locations and the emphasis on a trauma-informed approach create a rewarding environment for those passionate about recovery services.
