The Alcohol & Drug Service

Substance Misuse Groupwork Practitioner

The closing date is 15 September 2025

Job summary

Group Work Practitioner reporting to Senior Group Work Practitioner.

To provide evidenced based group work and one to one interventions with service users.

Develop volunteers, mentors and their role within the service.

To line manage Group Workers

Main duties of the job

Assess service users for their suitability for group work

Develop an individual structured programme of activities as a result of assessment and care planning.

Provide advice and support and consultation to other agencies working with service users who have substance needs

Work with service users on a one-to-one basis delivering where appropriate, psychosocial and psychological interventions

Support service users to utilise structured group work.

To be responsible for risk management plans, take appropriate action and to escalate concerns as necessary in line with policies and procedures.

Ensure that all safeguarding issues, including child protection and protection of vulnerable adults, are dealt with in accordance with policies and procedures.

To liaise with a range of professionals verbally and in writing where required

Support and promote access to mutual aid groups and peer support groups.

Support the development of monitoring and evaluation systems for completion of statistical and written reports.

Network, establish and maintain working relationships and protocols with community based services, other agencies and professionals.

Promote personal independence and responsibility.

Support the development of and facilitate group work activities across the service

Full details can be found via ADS vacancy website:

https://ads-uk.current-vacancies.com/

About us

The Alcohol & Drug Service (ADS) are a registered charity who have been transforming the lives of people affected by drugs and alcohol misuse for over 40 years.

Aspire is a partnership between ADS and Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH). It combines the strengths of both NHS provision under the leadership of a consultant with the strengths of the voluntary sector provided by ADS. The partnership has worked together for over 20 years providing Drug and Alcohol Services to our local communities. It is a forward thinking and innovative partnership that works closely with the recovery communities it serves to provide flexible, responsive services which offer the best possible outcomes for its service users and the community it serves.

Details

Date posted

28 August 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£25,905 to £31,611 a year Dependant upon experience.

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

B0261-25-0019

Job locations

Aspire Doncaster Drug & Alcohol Team

Thorne Road

Doncaster

South Yorkshire

DN1 2EZ


Job description

Job responsibilities

JOB TITLE: Group Work Practitioner

REPORTS TO: Senior Group Work Practitioner

BASE: In order to meet the needs of the service you will be required to work across multiple base points. ADS reserve the right to change your normal place of work to any other location within the service this may include any of the bases used by the service and agencies that it works in partnership with.

OBJECTIVES OF POST: To provide evidenced based group work and one to one interventions with service users. Develop volunteers, mentors and their role within the service. To line manage Group Workers

Assess service users for their suitability for group work

Develop an individual structured programme of activities as a result of assessment and care planning.

Provide advice and support and consultation to other agencies working with service users who have substance needs

Work with service users on a one-to-one basis delivering where appropriate, psychosocial and psychological interventions

Support service users to utilise structured group work.

To be responsible for risk management plans, take appropriate action and to escalate concerns as necessary in line with policies and procedures.

Ensure that all safeguarding issues, including child protection and protection of vulnerable adults, are dealt with in accordance with policies and procedures.

To liaise with a range of professionals verbally and in writing where required

Support and promote access to mutual aid groups and peer support groups.

Support the development of monitoring and evaluation systems for completion of statistical and written reports.

Network, establish and maintain working relationships and protocols with community based services, other agencies and professionals.

Promote personal independence and responsibility.

Support the development of and facilitate group work activities across the service Group work Practitioner Page 3 of 10

To work as part of multidisciplinary team

Work closely with other members of the team ensuring appropriate levels of care are in line with the service model.

To support the recruitment and training of peer mentors and volunteers,

To support and monitor the risk management of volunteers and mentors and service users

To support mentors with positive exit plans into voluntary work, meaningful occupation, training, education or employment

Ensure the smooth day to day running of the service in relation to volunteers/peer mentors.

To contribute fully to meetings, in particular feeding back on service users progress.

To assist in the delivery of peer mentor training programme across the service where appropriate and required

Undertake data collection, inputting and data transfer as required

To provide one to one support sessions for service users participating in group work

To provide advice and information to service users about the range of services on offer both within the statutory and non-statutory sector and assist service users in accessing these.

To keep up to date case notes, in line with policy, ensuring all interactions regarding service users are documented.

Maintain the security and confidentiality of information, ensuring that such information is handled with discretion and maintained securely in the appropriate systems.

To contribute to the maintenance of effective communications across the service by receiving and giving accurate messages/information to all levels of staff, service users and other professionals who make contact with the team.

Undertake diary management, using own diary and the shared team outlook diary.

Job description

Job responsibilities

JOB TITLE: Group Work Practitioner

REPORTS TO: Senior Group Work Practitioner

BASE: In order to meet the needs of the service you will be required to work across multiple base points. ADS reserve the right to change your normal place of work to any other location within the service this may include any of the bases used by the service and agencies that it works in partnership with.

OBJECTIVES OF POST: To provide evidenced based group work and one to one interventions with service users. Develop volunteers, mentors and their role within the service. To line manage Group Workers

Assess service users for their suitability for group work

Develop an individual structured programme of activities as a result of assessment and care planning.

Provide advice and support and consultation to other agencies working with service users who have substance needs

Work with service users on a one-to-one basis delivering where appropriate, psychosocial and psychological interventions

Support service users to utilise structured group work.

To be responsible for risk management plans, take appropriate action and to escalate concerns as necessary in line with policies and procedures.

Ensure that all safeguarding issues, including child protection and protection of vulnerable adults, are dealt with in accordance with policies and procedures.

To liaise with a range of professionals verbally and in writing where required

Support and promote access to mutual aid groups and peer support groups.

Support the development of monitoring and evaluation systems for completion of statistical and written reports.

Network, establish and maintain working relationships and protocols with community based services, other agencies and professionals.

Promote personal independence and responsibility.

Support the development of and facilitate group work activities across the service Group work Practitioner Page 3 of 10

To work as part of multidisciplinary team

Work closely with other members of the team ensuring appropriate levels of care are in line with the service model.

To support the recruitment and training of peer mentors and volunteers,

To support and monitor the risk management of volunteers and mentors and service users

To support mentors with positive exit plans into voluntary work, meaningful occupation, training, education or employment

Ensure the smooth day to day running of the service in relation to volunteers/peer mentors.

To contribute fully to meetings, in particular feeding back on service users progress.

To assist in the delivery of peer mentor training programme across the service where appropriate and required

Undertake data collection, inputting and data transfer as required

To provide one to one support sessions for service users participating in group work

To provide advice and information to service users about the range of services on offer both within the statutory and non-statutory sector and assist service users in accessing these.

To keep up to date case notes, in line with policy, ensuring all interactions regarding service users are documented.

Maintain the security and confidentiality of information, ensuring that such information is handled with discretion and maintained securely in the appropriate systems.

To contribute to the maintenance of effective communications across the service by receiving and giving accurate messages/information to all levels of staff, service users and other professionals who make contact with the team.

Undertake diary management, using own diary and the shared team outlook diary.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Relevant Degree in a related subject e.g., Social
  • Work, Psychology, Counselling
  • OR
  • L3 Diploma in Health & Social Care
  • Level 3 Tackling Substance Misuse or equivalent
  • Group work Skills
  • Microsoft Office including outlook, word, excel

Desirable

  • Level 3 Management Qualification e.g., ILM

Experience

Essential

  • Supervisory experience
  • Experience of working within substance misuse
  • services
  • Experience of key working and
  • psychological/psychosocial interventions
  • Experience of a multi-disciplinary team working
  • Experience of substance misuse treatment
  • approaches
  • Experience of facilitating group work
  • Experience of reviewing and developing group work sessions
  • Ability to deal calmly with emotionally upset, aggressive or angry service users
  • Establish good working relationships
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Relevant Degree in a related subject e.g., Social
  • Work, Psychology, Counselling
  • OR
  • L3 Diploma in Health & Social Care
  • Level 3 Tackling Substance Misuse or equivalent
  • Group work Skills
  • Microsoft Office including outlook, word, excel

Desirable

  • Level 3 Management Qualification e.g., ILM

Experience

Essential

  • Supervisory experience
  • Experience of working within substance misuse
  • services
  • Experience of key working and
  • psychological/psychosocial interventions
  • Experience of a multi-disciplinary team working
  • Experience of substance misuse treatment
  • approaches
  • Experience of facilitating group work
  • Experience of reviewing and developing group work sessions
  • Ability to deal calmly with emotionally upset, aggressive or angry service users
  • Establish good working relationships

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

The Alcohol & Drug Service

Address

Aspire Doncaster Drug & Alcohol Team

Thorne Road

Doncaster

South Yorkshire

DN1 2EZ


Employer's website

https://ads-uk.org/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

The Alcohol & Drug Service

Address

Aspire Doncaster Drug & Alcohol Team

Thorne Road

Doncaster

South Yorkshire

DN1 2EZ


Employer's website

https://ads-uk.org/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Team Leader

Dave Clogg

03000213900

Details

Date posted

28 August 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£25,905 to £31,611 a year Dependant upon experience.

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

B0261-25-0019

Job locations

Aspire Doncaster Drug & Alcohol Team

Thorne Road

Doncaster

South Yorkshire

DN1 2EZ


Supporting documents

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