At a Glance
- Tasks: Support individuals experiencing homelessness with outreach and case management.
- Company: Via, a compassionate organisation dedicated to improving lives.
- Benefits: Generous salary, 30 days annual leave, training opportunities, and health initiatives.
- Other info: Join a diverse team with excellent career development and support.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in people's lives while gaining valuable experience in health and social care.
- Qualifications: Strong communication skills and empathy; language skills are a plus.
The predicted salary is between 26627 - 32545 £ per year.
Location: Ilford, London Borough of Redbridge
Salary: £29,998.00 - £33,935.00 per annum, including London Weighting where applicable
Vacancy Type: Permanent/Full Time
Working Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Application Deadline: Friday, September 11, 2026
Job Summary: Are you looking for a sense of purpose in your job? Would you like to support people who are or have experienced homelessness and also struggle with alcohol or drug use? Being an outreach worker is varied and rewarding work. It also gives invaluable insight into health and social care systems for anyone looking to go into public health and policy work.
The Role: You will be a professional and motivated individual who is committed to providing assertive outreach and case management to engage or re-engage people who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness into wellbeing services and drug and alcohol treatment. You’ll be able to work independently, but also as part of a supportive team. Some key aspects of the role include:
- To carry out triage and comprehensive substance misuse assessments, risk assessments and develop person-centred care plans and risk management plans.
- To provide evidence-based psychosocial interventions that align to the individual’s needs and goals, drawing upon Via's Core Model curriculum and other tools and techniques, such as ITEP maps.
- Conduct street outreach to engage/reengage homeless individuals who are misusing drugs or alcohol.
- Deliver satellite provisions within local services e.g. hostels and day centres.
- Provide effective and relevant harm reduction advice and interventions, including needle exchange, advice about synthetic opioids, and suicide prevention.
- Represent Via by working professionally in collaboration with partner agencies including those in housing, immigration, healthcare, etc.
Strong communication skills, empathy and patience are needed for the post holder to provide care to service users who have diagnosed mental illness, have experienced complex trauma, and who experience difficulties engaging with mainstream services. Language skills in Punjabi, Romanian, Lithuanian or Russian would be desirable but are not essential.
The Service: Via's Outreach service in Redbridge is collocated with and works alongside Via's other services in Redbridge. These include the Adult and Young People's Drug and Alcohol Services, a sexual health service for young people and vulnerable adults, and our smoking cessation service. Whilst focusing on people’s alcohol or drug use, the outreach team work closely with a wide range of other partner agencies who also support people who are experiencing homelessness or vulnerably housed, to ensure that a wide range of services are able to reach them to reduce inequalities and improve their health and wellbeing.
Via is committed to the ongoing professional development of all our staff. Through joining Via, you will receive a warm welcome, peer support, access to a wide range of training, including trauma informed care, and Via's 'Tackling Substance Misuse' qualification which supports practitioners’ progression through the pay scales. Practitioners have regular supervision and clinical reflective practice, and have opportunities to thrive in a lively and aspirational organisation.
Location: The role covers multiple service hubs across the Borough of Redbridge with the main base being our Via hub in Ilford.
Via welcomes enquiries from everyone, and we value diversity in our workplace. Our commitment to promoting diversity and developing a workplace environment where all staff are treated with dignity and respect is central to our recruitment process. We're a Disability Confident Employer and are committed to the employment and career development of disabled people. We offer an interview to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for our jobs, please confirm in the personal statement part of our application form that you are applying under this scheme. Appointment to all our posts are subject to satisfactory completion of our safeguarding checks including DBS and we follow safer recruiting principles.
Outreach Practitioner employer: Wdp
Via is an exceptional employer dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the community, particularly for those experiencing homelessness and substance misuse. With a strong focus on professional development, employees benefit from extensive training opportunities, a supportive work culture, and generous benefits including 30 days of annual leave. Working in Ilford, you'll be part of a collaborative team that values diversity and promotes a positive environment where every staff member can thrive.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Outreach Practitioner
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at Wdp.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from Wdp!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like Wdp, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at Wdp or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Outreach Practitioner
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Wdp:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Wdp! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Wdp
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
