Substance misuse jobs

Interviews will be held the w/c 9th February

Come and join us

We’re looking for passionate individuals with personal experience of homelessness, bad housing, which may include other related disadvantages such as substance misuse and mental ill-health; to come and join us and make a difference to the way we do things. If you believe that people should have a say in their own support and that they should be at the front of making meaningful change then this could be the traineeship for you.

About the role

This is a great opportunity to work with a lead provider of homelessness and housing advice and support and gain invaluable experience while being part of an exciting employability programme centred on lived experience. The traineeship lasts up to 12 months, and you will receive personalised training and support to help remove some of the barriers that may have prevented you from getting meaningful employment.

This role will work alongside our community services support teams, based in Weymouth. The main purpose of this will be to learn support skills and how to use your lived experience to actively engage with people recovering from homelessness. To do this you will work alongside members of the support team. You will be supported and guided by the services team leader and senior support worker. A key part of the role will be to support people as they move further into independent living, encouraging them to into learning, social activities and personal development.

You'll support local campaigns and strengthen connections between the lived experience involvement group and the Hub, making sure lived experiences are valued and included.

Role specifics
We are looking for people who are passionate about the opportunity to use their own life experiences to help make positive change for others.

You’ll also need a commitment to equality and a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination and exclusion.

Good communication skills and the ability to make people feel heard will also be essential.

Basic computer skills, e.g. word processing, the internet and email would be useful, but support can be provided.

Above all, we need people with a real desire to develop personally and learn new skills.

Apply to be part of our team and be the change you want to see in society.

Benefits 
We offer a wide range of benefits, including 30 days of annual leave, enhanced family friendly policies, pension and interest free travel loans. Our employees also have access to a tenancy deposit loan, payroll giving, cycle to work scheme and an employee assistance programme.

We are happy to talk about flexible working, personal growth, and to promote a workplace where you can be yourself and achieve success based only on your merit.

About the team
The team in Dorset is well-established and has been providing housing advice and support services within Dorset for over 20 years. With office bases in Bournemouth and Weymouth, we have contracts to deliver Housing First support in the Dorset Council area and offer Legal Aid Advice, including a court desk service at Bournemouth and Weymouth County Courts.

We are active in our communities and strive to understand what housing issues people are experiencing, providing advice and advocacy to individuals and groups to empower them to resolve their situation.

We work across Dorset with partner agencies including Julian House, Lantern, Dorset Council and drug and alcohol services to support individuals to access housing and support and prevent repeat homelessness.

How to Apply
Email and phone number details can be found on the Shelter advert found by clicking 'Redirect to Recruiter' on this page.

To apply you need to submit a copy of your CV and a completed application form (attached), this can be submitted either online, by email or you can submit a paper copy to the Shelter Weymouth, Lynch Lane Offices, Weymouth DT4 9DW.  Please don’t worry if your CV has gaps or limited work experience, this is not a problem.

When completing your application form please make sure you give an example for each of the criteria listed in ‘About You’ section. If you need support to create a CV, please contact Katie by phone or send her an email.

We will be holding support sessions at our hub in Dorset and online to give people practical support and advice on how to complete an application, or to pick up a paper application. These sessions will also give you the chance to find out more about the role as well as other opportunities at Shelter Dorset. These will take place on the following date:

Friday 23rd January, 13:30 – 15:30 at Shelter, Lynch Lane Offices & Wellbeing Centre, Lynch Lane, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 9DN

Monday 26th January, 13:30 – 15:30 Via Microsoft Teams: Join the meeting now , Meeting ID: 340 436 596 662 97, Passcode: hJ64fX2N

We operate Fair Chance Recruitment practices and will not ask for any information about convictions during the application process. This role is subject to a Basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. We are open to and inclusive of applicants with criminal convictions for this role; having a criminal conviction will not prevent us from considering you.

Following the interview stage, we will ask our preferred applicant to disclose any past unspent convictions. The information disclosed will be considered by a panel and a decision will be taken about making an offer.

This role is ring-fenced for those with lived experience of multiple disadvantage.

About Shelter

Home is a human right. It’s our foundation and where we thrive. Yet everyday millions of people are being devastated by the housing emergency.

We exist to defend the right to a safe home. Because home is everything.

We need ambitious, passionate people to join us. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve.

Our enemy is the social injustice at the core of the escalating housing emergency. To win this fight, we must be representative of the people we are here to help and those who support our movement. In all our people decisions, we take pride in being inclusive, equitable and transparent. We are committed to combating racism both within and outside Shelter. We welcome you on our journey to becoming truly anti-racist.

Safeguarding statement
Safeguarding is everyone's business. Shelter is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of those we support, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. All our staff will be expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in line with our Safeguarding Policies. 

Shelter does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.

About The Connection at St Martin’s

We believe that no one should have to sleep rough on London’s streets, and that everyone should get the support they need to find a place to call home. We get to know every person we work with, understanding what they need to recover, helping them build on their strengths, and supporting them to find their own way home. Help us make London a city where no one sleeps rough on our streets.

London’s diversity is its biggest asset and we strive to ensure our workforce reflects London’s diversity at all levels. We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability.

We particularly encourage applications from candidates with lived experience of homelessness who we believe are an essential asset in our sector.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and welcome the opportunity to consider flexible working arrangements.

About the Role

At The Connection Community, just off Trafalgar Square, we provide a safe and welcoming space where people can find respite from street homelessness, build social connections, and access vital support. Our multi-disciplinary team is dedicated to reducing the harms associated with rough sleeping, fostering inclusion, and empowering individuals to move towards stability and independent living.

As part of our creative and committed team, you’ll play a key role in:

• Building trusting relationships with people facing multiple exclusion.

• Understanding peoples’ needs and providing harm minimisation support.

• Helping individuals take steps towards securing a place to call home.

• Contributing to a pioneering new approach to homelessness support in Westminster.

We see relationships as the key tool for change. As a Community Practitioner you will build relationships of trust and solidarity that will help people to access our comprehensive professional support network, including NHS health services, DWP benefits advisors, migration specialists, and drug and alcohol support teams – all offering their services inside the Community.

Together we are piloting a psychologically-informed, trauma-responsive model with an embedded specialist NHS psychology team. This means you’ll receive high-quality training, 1:1 consultations, and reflective practice to enhance your skills, and to support you and your team to pioneer best practice in homelessness services.

Salary: £36,380
Closing Date: 18th January 2026
Interview Date: 26th January 2026

This is a fixed term contract until 31/12/2026.

Our Benefits

· 30 days holiday plus bank holidays

· Generous training budget, plus an annual personal training budget

· Enhanced Sick Pay Policy

· Enhanced family friendly policies

· Day off for moving house

· Hybrid working (depending on role requirements)

· Pension – 5% Employer, 3% Employee

· Cycle to Work Scheme

· Season Ticket Loan

· Employee Assistance Programme

· Reward Gateway (access to discount vouchers and cashback at the UK’s favourite retailers)

We are a London Living Wage employer

Do you want to support people with mental health issues in a moment of crisis?

Are you calm, non-judgemental and able to work effectively with people experiencing distress?

If you can embody our values of Hope, Courage, Togetherness, and Responsiveness, and want to help others build resilience and manage their wellbeing, we’d love to hear from you.

Community Outreach Worker (ConnectU St Albans)
Reference: 322
Salary: £26,000 - £27,000 per annum, pro rata
Hours: Part-time, 15 hours a week over 3 days (Flexible) (Friday is mandatory)
Contract: 1 Year
Reports to: Community Support Service Team Leader
Working base: St. Albans

About the Service

The ConnectU St Albans programme is a partnership-led initiative designed to address key social, economic, and health needs primarily those in Park Street and London Colney, as well as Chiswell Green, Sopwell and Cottonmill. Provide primary and secondary contact details to ensure continuity and responsiveness. Through a coordinated and targeted approach across Health and Wellbeing, Employment, and Community Engagement, the programme will expand vital services into underserved areas, while strengthening existing support to vulnerable groups.

The purpose of the Hertfordshire Mind Network Community Outreach Worker ConnectU St Albans role is to:

• Expand employment, health and wellbeing, and community engagement services into priority areas: Sopwell & Cottonmill, Park Street & Chiswell Green, and London Colney.
• Strengthen existing service provision for financial advice, food security, and homelessness support.
• Build strong local partnerships, volunteer networks, and stakeholder relationships.
• Deliver measurable outcomes for residents, with a focus on those experiencing deprivation and marginalisation.
• To provide advice, information, onward referral and holistic support to clients with coexisting drug and alcohol difficulties, mental ill-health, these will be clients who are presenting to the Police, Anti-Social Behaviour, Tenancy Enforcement, Housing and Environmental Health Services within Hertfordshire.
• To ensure that the safety and wellbeing of the client is monitored and reviewed regularly.
• To remain a source of independent support for all clients.
• Embed a person centred and solution focused approach in all aspects of the role.
• To raise greater awareness of complex needs and the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) amongst local service providers. Supporting them to gain confidence in working positively and consistently with people who have multiple needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Encourage and support clients to participate in group activities, workshops, and community-based mental health programs.
• Provide employment-related support as part of mental health and wellbeing recovery services, including goal setting, job readiness, and workplace adjustment support.
• Assist clients in developing CVs that reflect their strengths, skills, and recovery goals, supporting confidence and readiness for employment.
• Engage individuals with early-stage mental health needs or employment barriers through accessible, community-based support delivered in partnership with local organisations near client’s homes.
• Encourage and support clients to access volunteering opportunities that build skills, confidence, and community connection.
• Work from the local food bank every Friday from 10:00am–12:00pm as a point of contact for individuals to access support and information, including referrals and signposting to appropriate services.
• Hold a caseload proportionate to working hours, delivering support through home visits and community-based interventions.
• Provide practical support by transporting clients to external appointments to reduce barriers to access and promote wellbeing.

We offer:

• Annual leave entitlement of 25 days per year pro rata, rising in increments to a max. of 29 days after 5 years employment (plus 8 days Bank Holidays)
• An additional day of leave each year for your birthday following completion of probation period.
• Ongoing training relevant to your role.
• An Employee Assistance Programme.
• Eligibility for blue light card.
• Health cover (after 6 months employment) - compensation payment for Optical, Dental, Chiropody and Therapy Treatments.

Being able to drive and having access to your own vehicle (or equivalent) is essential for this role.

Closing date for receipt of applications is 30th January 2026
Interviews to be held on a rolling basis at our Watford well-being centre
N.B. Please quote reference number 322 when completing your application for this role.

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

We welcome applications from all suitably-qualified candidates, irrespective of gender, disability, marital or parental status, racial, ethnic or social origin, colour, religion, belief, or sexual orientation. In addition, during the various stages of recruitment, specific measures can be taken to ensure equal opportunities for candidates with disabilities or special needs.

Hertfordshire Mind Network is committed to the Disability Confident and Mindful Employer charters. We actively recruit staff who have a lived experience of mental ill health. Our inclusive approach recognises the unique skills, knowledge, and perspectives that lived experience brings to our team.

No agencies please.

Job Purpose:

Terms & Conditions:

To Apply:

• Is restricted to women only as a genuine occupational requirement
• Requires the right to work in the UK
• Is subject to an Enhanced + Adult Barred List DBS check
• Is subject to successful HMPPS enhanced vetting

Job Purpose:

To support the delivery of WIPs housing programme in Manchester and Trafford, with a focus on women coming into contact with the police and women being released back into the community following a period on remand, providing trauma-informed specialist support to improve housing outcomes for women affected by the criminal justice system.

Key Responsibility Areas

1. To deliver an effective housing intervention for women impacted by the criminal justice system.
2. To develop effective relationships with key stakeholders, such as housing departments, court-based and prison teams, to ensure a collaborative approach to women’s accommodation needs.
3. To provide expert advice and support to colleagues, including upskilling through information and training sessions, and supporting system change activities.

For the full list of responsibilities, please download the recruitment pack.

Terms & Conditions:

Start date: TBC

Salary: £26,650 per annum

Location: Manchester & Trafford, based at the WomenMATTA women’s centre.

Working hours: 35 hours – Full time

Contract: Permanent

About Women in Prison

Women in Prison is a national, women-led, feminist organisation.  We deliver front line support to women harmed by the criminal justice system, through our work in prisons, in the community and ‘through the prison gate’ as they resettle back into their communities. We also campaign for systems change that addresses the root causes of offending, reduces the harmful impact of prison, and creates workable, community-based alternatives to imprisonment. 
 

Terms & Conditions:

Start date: To be confirmed

Salary: £30,640 (inclusive of £3,990 South East weighting)

Location:Across South London

Working hours: Full time, 35 hours per week

Contract: Fixed term - 6 month contract to cover secondment

Job Purpose:

Women in Prison’s Advocates deliver high-quality, trauma-informed, independent advocacy for women in communities and in prisons, which focuses on early intervention, and holistic provision as part of a ‘whole system’ multi-agency response that looks to address the root causes of women’s offending. 

The primary purpose of this role is to provide in-depth, ongoing support to a caseload of women in the community, co-located in hubs across South London. This programme is funded by the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) co-commissioning grant, along with investment from the six Local Authorities, the Community Rehabilitation Company and NHS England. The funding will be used to develop and expand support for female offenders and women at risk of becoming involved in the criminal justice system across Bromley, Bexley Croydon, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and Wandsworth. 

The primary purpose of this role is to provide in-depth, ongoing support to a caseload of women across the South London boroughs. 

The Advocate will: 

• Provide advocacy, support and advice services to women in contact with, or at risk of being in contact with, the criminal justice system.  
• Be co-located across London Boroughs to support clients in Women’s Only Hubs.  
• Attend designated office for monthly team meetings, training and team development time.  
• Provide Through the Gate support to women leaving custody returning to one of the WIP’s boroughs. 

The job description does not form part of your contract of employment and can be amended from time to time as the needs of the organisation require.
 

To Apply:

Applications close: 23 March at 9am. We reserve the right to close the advert early.

Interviews: TBC 

To apply: Submit a completed application form. Please note, Curriculum Vitae’s (CVs) will not be accepted.

If you require reasonable adjustments to support you during the application process, please contact the HR team on hr@wipuk .org

We are happy to invest in developing the right person, so you are welcome to apply even if your professional experience does not fully meet the job description or person specification.

We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and minoritised women, and women who have personal experience of the criminal justice system. 

In line with legal requirements and the nature of our work, this role:

• Is restricted to women only as a genuine occupational requirement
• Requires the right to work in the UK
• Is subject to an Enhanced + Adult Barred List DBS check
• Is subject to successful HMPPS enhanced vetting