Adolescent Worker (Fixed Term 12 months)

Job IntroductionRU-Ok? provides a vital service to young people and their families within the city by working directly with young people whose life is being affected by substance use and other concerns such as sexual health, mental health and exploitation. RU-Ok? work in partnership with other teams in our service such as Youth Offending and Functional Family Therapy Teams as well as community organisations to support a wide number of young people across the city.
We are looking to recruit a motivated, reflective, creative practitioner who is committed to building strength-based relationships with young people. Our model of practice focuses on creating relationships with young people and their network, to build intervention plans with the young people being at the forefront of how the interventions are undertaken and reviewed. We are looking for a person who enjoys working with adolescent aged young people, who can use their skills and knowledge to deliver evidenced-based structured interventions and be part of service development.
You will need to be committed to playing a part in dismantling racist structures and challenging racial inequality and all forms of discrimination – this is a lead focus of BHCC Adolescent Service and something that each team within the service is actively working to address through individual and collective learning and development.
As an Adolescent Worker with RU-OK? you will work closely with partner agencies and young people.
The worker will also hold a treatment caseload undertaking comprehensive assessment of young people's needs and offering support and encouragement to them as they seek to address their problematic drug and alcohol use. The role involves working closely with partner agencies, most notably social work; well-being services and schools, to identify and meet children & young people's needs in this area. The multi-disciplinary nature of the Adolescent Service allows the substance use & sexual health team to work alongside professionals from youth offending, mental health, family therapy and social work teams.
We take a creative an innovative approach in responding to young people's needs, focusing on the effectiveness of trusting relationships, particularly with those young people with experience of trauma and attachment difficulties. This can require workers to utilise their skills and knowledge in undertaking tasks which sit outside traditional specialist roles. We believe in a "Team Around the Worker" model, which involves our workers receiving or offering specialist support and guidance within complex helping networks.
The post holder will co-create and deliver interventions, alongside young people experiencing problems with their use of substances. You will be expected to attend a range of statutory meetings and to work closely with parents and carers, wherever possible. The role offers opportunities to deliver training and consultation across the city. You will also have access to the council's comprehensive learning and development offer.
Our service is committed to ensuring equality of provision and we are proud to work within Brighton & Hove, which has pledged to be an anti-racist council.
You will have had experience of working with people affected by substance use, including experience and knowledge of risk assessment, safeguarding procedures and human development. For full details of essential criteria, please see attached job description and person specification.
At Brighton & Hove City Council we offer staff a range of benefits. If you choose to work for us, in return we can offer you:

• A competitive salary
• Career average pension scheme
• Generous holiday
• An opportunity to enhance your knowledge and skills
• A range of other staff benefits

Please read our Apply for a job at the council (brighton-hove.gov.uk) pages carefully. They give you all the guidance you need to complete your application as well as information on what will happen after you’ve submitted your application and at interview.
As part of your application, you will need to complete your education and work history and provide answers to some shortlisting questions. Your answers to the shortlisting questions are the most important part of your application as they will be used in the shortlisting process to assess whether you meet the essential requirements for the role that are set out in the person specification and to decide whether you should be offered an interview. Before you start your application, please read our guidance here (Shortlisting questions guidance (brighton-hove.gov.uk) as this gives important advice which will increase your chance of success in the shortlisting process.
Additional InformationYour starting salary will be pro rata if the above position is less than 37 hours or term-time only.
Part office / part home – hybrid - We are a workplace that supports flexibility and employee wellbeing in the way we work whilst providing the best service for our customers. Team and service working arrangements are designed to support both employee work life balance and team collaboration. These would be part of your individual working arrangements alongside any personal preference agreed with your manager in advance of joining.
Working arrangements are subject to Government guidance at the time. Your contractual location will be the designated council office for your team and travel to and from your contractual location would be at your own expense.
For more information about our values and the benefits of working at the council, visit Why work for us (brighton-hove.gov.uk)
Company InformationEncouraging a diverse workforce
Our city is known and loved for its diversity. Not only is the mixture of people, culture and skills vital to the economic and social development of the city, it's what makes Brighton & Hove such a great place to live, work and visit. We are committed to developing and retaining a workforce that is representative of the diverse communities we serve so we welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds. In order to achieve our aims of proportionate representation, we particularly encourage applicants from a BME or White Other background as well as those who identify as disabled, male or trans.
Find out more about our commitment to being a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone can achieve their potential by reading about our fair and inclusive actions, our anti-racism strategy and the work we are doing to encourage a diverse workforce (brighton-hove.gov.uk).
Please note that this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, and is subject to a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) Check.
Package DescriptionAre you a creative and motivated person looking to build meaningful relationships with young people within a well-established and skilled team?
Are you looking to make a real difference by working in partnership with young people and their networks to reduce substance use and promote wellbeing?
Are you looking for a rewarding, varied role where each day can offer diversity, challenge and success?
We are recruiting for a new Adolescent Worker to join our well established RU-OK? Team
Fixed term for:12 months maternity cover
For an informal discussion, please contact James Murphy James.Murphy@brighton-hove.gov.uk 07795335617 or Gemma Kerr gemma.kerr@brighton-hove.gov.uk 07825113881

Job Types: Full-time, Contract
Contract length: 12 months

Salary: £37,336.00-£40,221.00 per year

Work Location: In person