Recovery Worker - HMP Stoke Heath - Cheshire

Make a real difference where it matters most. At The Forward Trust, we deliver the psychosocial substance misuse service at HMP/YOI Stoke Heath, supporting people to make real, lasting change. As a Recovery Worker, you’ll be based at HMP Stoke Heath working 35 hours per week, managing a caseload of clients and helping them move towards recovery, stability, and life beyond custody. This is a role where every day counts. You’ll carry out comprehensive assessments, build tailored care plans, and deliver structured 1:1 sessions alongside group programmes (including accredited interventions). You’ll also provide harm reduction advice and play a key role in supporting individuals through their transition from prison into the community.

What you’ll be doing:

• Managing a varied caseload and delivering person-centred support
• Running structured 1:1 interventions and group work programmes
• Supporting clients with harm reduction and recovery planning
• Helping individuals prepare for release and community reintegration
• Working collaboratively within a dedicated multidisciplinary team

We’re looking for someone who believes recovery is possible and is passionate about helping people achieve it. You’ll bring empathy, resilience, and creativity, along with the ability to work independently and as part of a team. Ideally, you’ll have at least 4 of the following:

• A genuine passion for helping people change
• Experience in mental health or substance misuse services delivering structured interventions
• CBT and/or motivational counselling skills
• Understanding of the Recovery Agenda
• Experience using motivational interviewing (1:1 and groups)
• Knowledge of substance misuse and low-level mental health issues
• Understanding of mutual aid approaches
• Lived experience of recovery (stable and sustained)
• Counselling qualification
• Experience working in criminal justice settings

This is a chance to do meaningful work that genuinely changes lives. If you want a role where your support helps people rebuild from the ground up, this could be the one.

Please note that all prison-based roles are subject to enhanced DBS checks and HMPPS security vetting. These checks can take up to 5 months to complete. Any offer of employment will be conditional upon the successful completion of both checks.

About Us: We are The Forward Trust, the social enterprise with charitable status that empowers people to break the often interlinked cycles of crime and addiction to move forward with their lives. For more than 25 years we have been working with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past. We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands of people to make positive changes and build productive lives with a job, family, friends and a sense of community.

Benefits:

• Flexible working
• Training and development opportunities
• Simply Health Cashback Scheme (optional)
• Season Ticket Loan Scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Crisis Loan Scheme
• Electric Car Scheme
• 3 x Wellbeing Days (pro rata'd for part time employees)
• Access to Blue Light Card
• 25 days (rising to 30 with length of service) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays
• Contributory Pension Scheme – Employer matched contributions of up to 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)

The Forward Trust commits to providing opportunities to everyone. We want to ensure we have a diverse team with a range of lived and professional experiences. This includes those with ‘Lived Experience’ of addiction, offending, or homelessness. When we recruit, we welcome applications from everyone. This is inclusive of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion and/or belief, marriage and civil partnerships, pregnancy and maternity and socio-economic background.

Our Commitment to Safeguarding: We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and adults at risk. Forward Trust follow safer recruitment practices and support a culture of openness and accountability.