Young Peoples Drug and Alcohol Worker

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Young Peoples Drug and Alcohol Worker – North Yorkshire Horizons

Location: This role covers Harrogate, Richmond, Craven and surrounding areas, therefore holding a driving license and having use of a vehicle is required.
Working Hours: Part-time 30 hours - Monday-Friday
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: £25,110 - £32,090 per annum (pro rata)

Make a real difference in your community

Are you passionate about helping others live safer, healthier and more independent lives?

Join Waythrough, one of the UK’s leading mental health and social support charities, and make a lasting impact every day.

We support over 125,000 people each year through our 200 services, empowering individuals to overcome challenges around mental health, housing, and substance use.

About the Role

Are you looking for a challenging and rewarding role where you can make a real difference to the lives of vulnerable children, young people and their families? Look no further than Waythough’s North Yorkshire RISE!

NY RISE is a specialist young people’s drug and alcohol service. Commissioned by North Yorkshire Council. NY RISE works with young people across North Yorkshire aged 10-19 and up to 25 with SEND who need specialist support around drug and alcohol use.

As a Young Peoples Practitioner Worker, you will be a vital member of our team, delivering structured, evidence based interventions with the aim of supporting and empowering individuals, and diverting them away from substance use with the overall aim of improving their life outcomes based on their need.

At Waythrough, we are committed to creating a safe and supportive working environment that enables our staff to thrive. Our hybrid outreach working model includes a base site and will involve covering multiple locations to cover a county wide contract across North Yorkshire with your base being the one that is closest to your home address. 

So, if you are passionate about helping others and want to make a real difference in your community, apply today to join our team as a Young Peoples Worker!

What You’ll Do

• To undertake assessments and deliver structured treatment and early intervention to young people.
• To involve and support families of young people engaging with the service
• To provide harm minimisation advice and information to children, young people and families
• To deliver structured group work to targeted groups of young people around drugs, alcohol and associated issues
• To work with young people across a variety of settings including schools, early help provision, youth work provision and home visits.
• To deliver targeted early interventions and brief advice across a variety of settings
• Liaise with and work in partnership with key agencies and organisations across North Yorkshire
• Participate in and contribute to individual and group supervisions
• Work within national guidance and relevant legislation, i.e. CQC, NICE etc
• To contribute to the promotion and development of new North Yorkshire Young People’s Drug and Alcohol Service

To Succeed in This Role, You’ll Need:

• Experience of working with young people, and managing a caseload of service users is desirable, as is the ability to work with vulnerable individuals with multiple needs.
• Knowledge and understanding of safeguarding issues, as well as the ability to implement and monitor risk assessments and maintain confidentiality and professional boundaries is also essential.
• You will need to be proficient in Microsoft Outlook Office programmes and have excellent oral and written communication skills, including report writing.
• You should also be able to adapt your working practice to meet the needs of service users.
• Driving licence and access to a vehicle is essential.

To view the full job description and person specification, please click here.

About Waythrough

Formed in 2024 through the merger of Humankind and Richmond Fellowship, Waythrough is now one of the largest mental health and social support charities in England.

With 3,500 staff and volunteers across more than 200 services, we help people to live full, meaningful lives.

Some roles may still appear under our legacy brands (Humankind, Richmond Fellowship, Aquarius) while we complete our integration — but wherever you join us, you’ll be part of one supportive team, sharing one purpose.

What We Offer

We value the people who make a difference every day. Alongside meaningful work, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package:

• 27 days’ annual leave, rising to 32 after 1 year (plus bank holidays)
• Pension scheme with 4.5% employer contribution, matched up to 6.5%
• Life assurance (3× annual salary)
• Enhanced sick pay and family-friendly pay
• Birthday leave and the option to buy up to 5 extra days’ annual leave
• Professional fee reimbursement for relevant qualifications
• 24/7 online GP access and Employee Assistance Programme
• Recognition and long service awards via our Way to Go and Aspirations portals
• £500 Recommend a Friend bonus
• Cycle to Work scheme and Credit Union membership
• Discounts via Blue Light Card, Charity Discounts, Extras and Tickets for Good
• Free will writing service and wellbeing initiatives throughout the year

Inclusion and Accessibility

Waythrough is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and communities — especially those with lived experience of the issues we support.

If you need adjustments or support to apply, please email recruitmentteam@waythrough.org.uk.

How to Apply

If you’re viewing this advert on an external platform such as Indeed, please click ‘Apply via Company Website’ to view the full job description and submit your application.

Please note: The salary listed reflects the full earning potential for this role. Starting salaries depend on experience and progression within the band.

We have signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme  - all applicants are welcome, and adjustments can be made to enable fair participation.