Assertive Outreach Worker in Manchester

The Big Life Group’s mission is to fight for equity, in health, in wealth and in life. We are a social business delivering a range of services across the North of England, covering everything from mental and physical health, addiction and criminal justice, to housing, education, family support and much more. What links them together is the way we work – The Big Life Way. We always stand shoulder-to-shoulder with people, working with them on the things that matter most to them. Everything we do is designed and informed by the needs, priorities and strengths of people and communities.

Our values

• Courage: We stand up for ourselves, and the people and communities we work alongside, even when that makes us unpopular, or challenges accepted wisdom.
• Creativity: We find innovative solutions that work, never accepting the easy option or the status quo.
• Honesty: We act with integrity, speaking the truth to ourselves and others.
• Inspiration: We are inspired by the people and communities we work with and share what we learn from them to inspire others.
• Thoughtful: We act with care and compassion and work to understand people’s experiences. We take time to listen, reflect and continually learn.
• Valuing difference: We recognise and celebrate the unique qualities, gifts, insights and perspectives that different people offer.

At Big Life, work is more than a job – it’s about standing shoulder-to-shoulder with people and communities, making a difference every day. We fight for equity in health, in wealth and in life, and that commitment starts with how our staff.

Be yourself

We want you to feel safe, respected and able to bring your whole self to work. Difference is celebrated here, and our staff networks - from menopause to neurodiversity, LGBTQI+ and more - create space to connect and support each other.

Benefits that matter

We offer more than a payslip - you’ll find wellbeing support through LifeWorks, Simply Health and mindfulness sessions, 25-30 days’ annual leave plus your birthday off, flexible working, and regular learning opportunities. Everyday perks include Blue Light Card discounts, savings schemes, cycle-to-work, free eye tests and more - little extras to make life easier inside and outside of work.

Recognised as outstanding

We’re proud to be ranked by Best Companies as one of the UK’s outstanding places to work, with a two-star accreditation in 2024.

A culture of trust and flexibility

Our people describe our culture as relaxed and supportive. You’ll be trusted to plan your own day, take breaks when you need, and work in a way that fits with your life as well as your role.

If you’re looking for more than a job – if you want to be part of a team that’s bold, creative and relentlessly committed to equity – then Big Life could be the place for you.

The basics

• £31,022 per annum (NJC 17)
• Hours: 35 hours per week
• Annual leave: 25 days, increasing to 30 days after five years
• Base: There are two vacancies in Salford and one vacancy in Trafford. This is an outreach role based within the relevant locality.
• A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle is essential due to the nature of the role.

What you’ll be doing

As our Assertive Outreach Worker, you'll provide creative, flexible and person-centred support to people experiencing substance misuse who may be difficult to engage or have become disconnected from services. Working across community and criminal justice settings, you'll proactively build relationships with people who are not accessing traditional support, helping them engage with treatment, develop recovery goals and build positive futures. You'll work alongside a wide range of partner organisations, ensuring people receive coordinated support that reflects their individual needs. This is a rewarding role for someone who enjoys outreach work, building trusted relationships and supporting people to make lasting changes in their lives.

This role requires enhanced level 1 vetting, and a full UK driving licence with access to a car. Please use the person spec and align yourself to each point to demonstrate how you are a match for the job role.

Big Life is in the business of changing lives, creating opportunities for people who have the least. When you become part of Big Life - as a staff or volunteer - we want you to feel great about your time with us. It's important to us that staff feel great while they work here. That partly comes from a supportive, flexible approach to managing and nurturing our staff, but also from a wide range of perks, schemes and support, which help make being part of Big Life a bit brighter:

• Wellbeing passports: Everyone has things going on in their life that affect their ability to be happy at work, and Big Life's wellbeing passports help staff members to work with their manager to understand their situation, what changes at work might make a difference, and the support we can offer.
• Health and wellbeing champions: Our health and wellbeing champions group is drawn from across the group, and meets regularly to look at how we can best support our staff.
• Peer supporters: Staff peer supporters can help staff within the group who may be experiencing stress, anxiety, grief, or any other emotional difficulties most of us face at some point in time. Peer supporters usually have some of their own life experience to draw on, and are trained to offer support.
• Employee Assistance Programme: All staff have access to help from LifeWorks, which offers support with emotional, mental, financial, or physical wellbeing. The service is confidential, 24/7, and free to Big Life staff.
• Stop smoking support: Big Life staff looking to stop smoking can access the NHS SmokeFree scheme. Through the scheme, if you quit and stay smoke free for six months, you can claim a £60 of gift vouchers.
• Cycle to work: Anyone looking to get fit on their way to work can access Cycle Solutions, and get a bike for their commute tax free! Through the scheme, Big Life staff can save an average of 32% on the cost of their bike.

Your Development: Coming to Big Life to work or volunteer can be just the start of your journey. We really believe that if people have the values, the determination and the skills to progress, then we'll do everything we can to make that happen.

In fact, we've got a whole range of stories about people for whom that was the case.

We want to be a great employer and to look after our volunteers, so we've received formal accreditations that show our commitment:

• Investors in People (Gold Award)
• Investors in People (Health and Wellbeing)
• Mindful Employer
• Disability Confident