Overview

Mental Health Recovery Worker – Canterbury – Canterbury

Permanent

£24,000

Be the bridge between mental health and recovery and make every connection count.

Are you passionate about making a meaningful difference in the lives of people facing complex challenges?

We’re looking for a dynamic, compassionate, and committed practitioner to join our specialist team delivering high-impact support for individuals experiencing both mental health needs and substance misuse.

Working within the Kent & Medway Joint Working Protocol for Co-occurring Mental Health and Substance Misuse Disorders, you’ll provide vital psychosocial interventions to adults across Canterbury and Thanet, many of whom are at risk of rough sleeping or engaged with the criminal justice system.

You’ll be part of a multi-disciplinary team that values compassion, resilience, and creativity. We believe in doing what works, and we’ll support you with supervision, development opportunities, and a culture of learning and innovation. Your work will directly improve the health, stability, and prospects of some of the most vulnerable members of the community.

If you’re ready to play a crucial role in integrated care and recovery, we want to hear from you.

What you’ll do:

  • Deliver person-centred, evidence-based support through structured 1:1 and group interventions
  • Carry out assessments, care planning and risk management with a recovery-focused approach
  • Work collaboratively with mental health services, GPs, social care, criminal justice, housing and other partners to create seamless support pathways
  • Champion harm reduction, promote abstinence where appropriate, and always advocate for your clients’ needs
  • Take a lead role in outreach, helping clients access services in community settings and satellite hubs
  • Monitor progress, contribute to service targets, and ensure quality case management and reporting

Who we’re looking for:
You’ll be an experienced professional from a substance misuse, mental health, or related support background with a Level 3 Health and Social Care qualification (or equivalent). You’ll understand the challenges of co-occurring conditions and have a strong grasp of safeguarding, equality and diversity, and trauma-informed practice.

Your toolkit includes:

  • Solid experience of delivering structured interventions and facilitating groups
  • Confidence with outreach, engagement, and motivational interviewing
  • A collaborative mindset and a passion for supporting people on complex journeys
  • Strong IT and record-keeping skills
  • Flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends, with travel across sites when required

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.

We are committed to our cause and the work we carry out as a charity. Equally the wellbeing and the employees who work for us are also important. Joining us an employee, we will offer you the following 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)
    Diversity at Forward Trust
    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. Where operationally possible, we will consider flexible working requests and make reasonable adjustments for all roles.

    To find out more about Forward’s commitment to being an inclusive employer and our current EDI strategy click here.  


    Employee Screening and Eligibility to Work

    We recognise the importance of safeguarding, dependent on role you may be required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service Check, details of which will be shared with you at interview.

    If successful in your application, you will be required to provide eligibility to work evidence in line with the ‘Eligibility to Work in the UK’ requirements.

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