Senior recovery practitioner jobs

Title: Active Recovery Lead 

Employer:  The Southmead Project 

Accountable to: Head of Active Recovery

Place of Work: The Southmead Project, Southmead, Bristol. BS10 6AS

Hours: 4 days per week

Contract: Permanent

Salary: £32,216.00 p/a pro rata 

The Southmead Project:

The Southmead Project is an equal opportunities employer providing free counselling and support for survivors of abuse and addiction across Bristol and surrounding areas. We welcome adults aged 18 and above of any race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, class, ability, language, religion and cultural background. We respect and cherish the differences between people and affirm every person as an individual. Our recruitment is done in line with safer recruitment practices. 

We value our team very highly and pride ourselves on being a supportive employer. We provide the following benefits to encourage every staff member to have a supported, well-rounded and enriched working experience:

• Paid supervision for 1.5 hours per month, with an external clinical supervisor 

• Line management for 1 hour per month

• Training budget of £500 per year to spend on relevant training of that person’s choice 

• Optional private counselling for up to twelve sessions per year with an external counsellor of that person’s choice

• Employer pension contribution of 5%

The Active Recovery Project gives adult survivors of abuse the opportunity to take part in community-based activities. Members of Active Recovery can participate in a variety of group activities with others who share or understand their experience and develop peer relationships, resulting in increasing confidence and reduced isolation. The activities are based on ideas from our members and include water-based activities (such as rowing, canoeing, sailing and kayaking), surfing, trips to community spaces and creative sessions (such as arts and crafts). Activities take place every week. Each activity will last approximately 2.5 hours each. Members can attend the group sessions for up to 18 months. 

Job Purpose: 

We are looking for a warm and passionate leader to come and join the Active Recovery Service.

As an Active Recovery Lead, their job will be to develop and deliver the Active Recovery Project in Bristol and in Somerset. Using a trauma-informed approach, the Active Recovery Lead will create and provide a safe and supportive space for clients from The Sexual Violence Alliance organisations (The Southmead Project, SARSAS, Womankind and the Bridge Sarc) to participate in a variety of group activities, with others who share or understand their experience and develop peer relationships, resulting in increasing confidence and reduced isolation. 

Principal Tasks:

1. Run two Active Recovery groups a week, with , with the help of the Practitioner.

2. Provide initial trauma-informed assessment phone calls and/or meetings with potential members as part of the registration process for Active Recovery. This includes assessing need, risk and suitability for the service using a trauma-informed approach. 

3. Create safety plans and tailor activity sessions where appropriate after building relationships with members following the initial phone calls.

4. Plan trauma-informed sessions for members, including producing risk assessments for each activity, visiting activity locations and delivering relevant trauma training to activity providers. 

5. Oversee and lead on setting up, delivering and debriefing about activity sessions with members, volunteers and staff. Ensuring members are clear on each session's ground rules and safeguarding processes, using the Member’s Agreement.

6. Provide trauma-informed face-to-face support to members at sessions who may become overwhelmed or require help dealing with flashbacks and dissociation.

7. To support volunteers and staff with safeguarding queries and ensure safeguarding procedures are followed. To be the safeguarding lead at activity sessions, escalating any onward safeguarding referrals and queries to the Southmead Project Designated Safeguarding Lead.

8. Participate in and support the recruitment and induction training of volunteers.

9. Support and line manage a team of volunteers.

10. Develop and maintain an Active Recovery community through email, phone calls, texts and in person.

11. Develop and drive forward the project’s aim to have the members’ voices at the heart of the project.

12. Collaborate with developing outcome processes in line with the Southmead Project and its funders’ requirements.

13. Analyse data and feedback collected through outcomes processes to adapt and constantly improve the planning and delivery of the project sessions.

14. Contribute content for reports as required. 

15. Build and maintain positive relationships with partnership organisations for the project.

16. Manage the day to day budget for the project sessions, keeping accurate records to report to the Head of Active Recovery and planning how the budget will be spent across sessions, within guidelines provided by the Head of Active Recovery.

17. Record data accurately and in a timely manner on Oasis.

18. Produce social media and website posts about the project, including producing and editing videos.

19. Attend monthly one-to-one line management meetings with the Head of Active Recovery. 

20. To attend monthly one-to-one clinical supervision with a Supervisor who is approved by the Southmead Project. Supervision is a requirement of this charity as an organisational member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy. 

21. To work within the framework, spirit and ethos of the Southmead Project’s Equal Opportunities Policy, and actively engage in promoting the policy within the charity and in all dealings with clients and other agencies.

22. Follow the Southmead Project policies, procedures and professional code of conduct as outlined in the Staff Handbook.

23. All members of staff, paid and unpaid, are required to undergo the   enhanced level of Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Person Specification

ESSENTIAL

• Full drivers licence and access to own transport.

• Professional qualification, such as a Diploma or degree in Counselling or in other relevant fields of work, such as; social work, psychology, mental health, education, support work or similar: or extensive experience in any of these fields.

• A sound understanding of the issues affecting members who have experienced trauma and abuse.

• Experience in managing projects. 

• Excellent administration and organisational skills, including experience of managing sensitive personal information.

• Experience of and confidence in using multiple computer and case management systems. 

• At least 2 years’ experience of delivering groups in the community, preferably activity based.

• At least 1 year’s experience of providing face-to-face support for survivors of abuse. 

• The ability to arrange group activities and liaise with other local organisations to help plan them. 

• The ability to plan sessions in detail to ensure that they are trauma-informed and having the experience and confidence to ‘hold’ groups when things do not go to plan.

• The ability to work flexibly within a team and support those within it. 

• Experience in managing volunteers. 

• Knowledge and awareness of how particular activities and social situations could improve people’s self-esteem, self-confidence, build friendships and reduce their isolation. 

• A sound understanding of safeguarding and experience of supporting others to act in accordance with safeguarding policies and within the best interests of the Active Recovery member or those at risk.

• Experience in managing a long-term budget.

• Knowledge of survivors’ voice work.

• To be able to attend monthly one-to-one line management meetings and monthly clinical supervision.

• To work within the framework, spirit and ethos of the Southmead Project’s Equal Opportunities Policy, and actively engage in promoting the policy within the charity and in all dealings with clients and other agencies.

DESIRABLE:

• Experience of building and maintaining positive partnerships in the community.

• Experience of running a community based project. 

• Experience of setting up processes for survivors’ voice work.

• Knowledge of making content for social media, including video recording and editing skills.

• Experience managing recruitment and training.

• Experience in chairing meetings and the ability to plan and review activities with a team.

• Experience designing outcomes processes and collecting outcomes data.

• Experience in writing reports, preferably funding reports in the charity sector.

 Please note that there must be at least 12 months between receiving support from the Southmead Project as a client/member and starting this role.

Overview

FearFree delivers services across the Southwest for victims, children and perpetrators of domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking with the aim to break the cycle of abuse and support all to live free from fear. We provide trauma responsive support, and this post will be fundamental to ensuring service users, stakeholders and partners experience this in our daily delivery.

This exciting post will be working with children who have experienced or been affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence. Focusing on standard and medium risk cases, this role will provide practical and emotional support to children and young people, whilst working proactively with other professionals, with an emphasis on early intervention and awareness raising.  

FearFree is committed to flexible and hybrid working and this role will be a mix of home based and office based, alongside requiring travel for multi-agency meetings and other deliverables.

This role may include evening and weekend work when required. It is fixed term until October 2026.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of low to high risk children and young people, predominantly through face to face appointments but also utilising virtual technologies and group work.
• Plan, recruit and deliver group work interventions for children and young people alongside colleagues.
• Complete an initial assessment of the child’s needs so that you can identify and plan the support needed to address issues and prevent any problems from escalating.
• Assess the needs of the child and devise appropriate support and safety plans with due regard to the dynamic nature of risk.
• Proactively engage with children and young people affected by DA/SV by providing therapeutic sessions tailed to their needs in where they are in their recovery journey.
• Risk assess and follow FearFree safety procedures to ensure personal safety and that of service users and other staff at all times.
• Actively support carers and parents in how to support their CYP affected by trauma. This may include working together to ensure the child is support at every stage in their recovery journey.
• Respond to emergencies and crises with a focus on the child’s wellbeing and safeguarding.
• Provide child-centred, trauma responsive support to all your cases taking in considering different learning needs, to empower the young person to make informed choices.
• Enable service users to participate in the design, delivery and evaluation of services.
• Keeping the child’s voice central to all support and decision making wherever possible: taking the time to talk through and work with the individual child’s understanding around safeguarding and why we need to share certain things.
• Act as duty officer, responding to incoming calls, logging referrals and making assigned outgoing calls, according to the duty rota.
• Work effectively within a multi-agency framework, consisting of the MARAC and local partnership responses to domestic abuse and sexual violence, in order to reduce the risk for service users and their families.
• Be proactive with your line manager to carry out periodic case reviews.
• Respect and value the diversity of the community in which the services work in, and recognise the needs and concerns of a diverse range of survivors ensuring the service is accessible to all.

Application

To apply, please download the full job description/person specification along with the application and equality monitoring forms. Please send the completed application form and optional equality monitoring form direct to FearFree. 

The closing date for this role is 6th February 2026. We reserve the right to close the vacancy earlier if sufficient applications are received before then, so early applications are encouraged.

For information about the processing of your personal data at FearFree, please visit our website. 

FearFree is committed to encouraging equality and diversity in the workplace.  We strive to be a diverse and inclusive place to work where we can all be ourselves and individual differences are recognised and valued. 

General Overview

FearFree delivers services across the Southwest for victims, children and perpetrators of domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking with the aim to break the cycle of abuse and supporting all to live free from fear. We provide trauma responsive support, and this post will be fundamental to ensuring service users, stakeholders, and partners experience this in our daily delivery.

As the Devon Service Manager, you will oversee all the adult ITRS team and be instrumental in developing and sustaining networks, partnerships and new networks across Devon.  You will be responsible to the Head of Service and be part of the service manager team working closely alongside the other service managers.

Alongside your service manager colleagues, you will play a key leadership role in the delivery, development, and oversight of high-quality services for individuals impacted by domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking, as well as for those who use harmful behaviours. You will be part of a team managing a diverse portfolio of services spanning prevention, crisis intervention, behaviour change, survivor recovery, and professional training. These include in-person interventions and digital platforms, therapeutic services and outreach across all age groups and communities.

You will be responsible for ensuring that our services are trauma-responsive, culturally competent and inclusive, with a strong focus on safeguarding, survivor voice and best practice. You will support teams to deliver consistently excellent support, ensure contract compliance and drive continuous improvement and innovation in a changing landscape.

As part of the Service Manager team, you will also hold strategic responsibility in scoping new projects, supporting research and business development opportunities. You will also ensure that the wellbeing and development of our people is at the front of our management and leadership priorities.

As the Devon Service Manager, you will have experience working with health professionals in a management or training capacity, and a comprehensive understanding of trauma-informed practice and managing risk. This service takes an innovative approach to both delivering training to GP surgeries and providing therapeutic support to patients referred to us via surgeries who have received our training.

FearFree is committed to flexible and hybrid working and this role will be a mix of home based and office based, alongside requiring travel for multi-agency meetings and other deliverables.

This role may include evening and weekend work when required.

Operational Responsibilities

• Service Delivery Oversight: Ensure the smooth and effective daily running of services across all areas—domestic abuse, sexual violence, stalking, behaviour change, survivor recovery, and training—delivered both in-person and digitally.
• Leadership and Management: Role model trauma responsive and inclusive leadership. Ensuring all staff and volunteers are effectively performance managed and live the charity’s values and have all appropriate resources to achieve excellence in their field. Work alongside colleagues from across FearFree to provide support, assistance and management to over teams where required.
• Safeguarding and Risk Management: Lead on child safeguarding and act as Deputy Safeguarding Lead when required. Oversee safeguarding practices across services, ensuring timely risk assessments, safety planning, and escalation of concerns.
• Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement: Monitor service quality through audits, case file reviews, feedback, and outcome data. Lead service improvements in response to learning, client feedback, and evolving best practice.
• Policy and Compliance: Ensure all services operate within legal, regulatory, contractual, and policy frameworks. Maintain accurate and confidential records in accordance with data protection and safeguarding legislation.
• Performance Monitoring and Reporting: Track and analyse performance data to assess impact, identify trends, and inform service planning. Produce high-quality reports for internal leadership, commissioners, and funders.
• Partnerships and Representation: Maintain strong local and strategic partnerships with statutory and voluntary agencies. Represent the charity in multi-agency forums, commissioning meetings, and stakeholder events.
• Crisis and Incident Management: Support staff with complex or high-risk cases. Lead operational responses to critical incidents or safeguarding escalations in collaboration with senior leaders. Provide Duty Out of Hours cover as part of a Senior Management Rota for safeguarding and incident management.
• Volunteer and Student Engagement: Oversee the safe and meaningful integration of volunteers and student placements into service delivery, ensuring appropriate supervision and development opportunities.
• System and Process Improvement: Identify inefficiencies in operational systems and work with others to develop streamlined, integrated processes across services and reporting tools.
• Strategic Oversight: To take part in, and contribute to Executive Leadership meetings as required, providing operational guidance.
• Budgets and Financial performance: Carefully monitor and evaluate both financial and non-financial performance and create contingency plans to predict and rectify any variables. Contribute to the creation of annual and budgets and financial targets.
• Advising on new development opportunities: Utilising data, local and national knowledge, identification of unmet needs, professional relationships and best practice to contribute to new opportunities.

Application

To apply, please download the full job description/person specification along with the application and equality monitoring forms. Please send the completed application form and optional equality monitoring form direct to FearFree. 

There is no specific closing date for this role and this vacancy will close once a suitable candidate is found, so early applications are encouraged. 

For information about the processing of your personal data at FearFree, please visit our website. 

FearFree is committed to encouraging equality and diversity in the workplace.  We strive to be a diverse and inclusive place to work where we can all be ourselves and individual differences are recognised and valued.