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We Are With You

Lived Experience Support Worker (Ref:0053ZB)

The closing date is 06 August 2025

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Job summary

We are looking for a Lived Experience Support Worker to join our Penzance team. This role is suitable only for candidates who have had personal lived experience of drug and alcohol issues and who are willing to draw on this experience in their day to day work. This is likely to involve disclosure of this personal experience.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will work alongside Recovery Workers, using your knowledge and experience to encourage people to use the service and support them when they are not, and working with individuals to achieve their goals.

About us

WithYou provides free and confidential support, without judgement, to more than 100,000 people every year experiencing challenges with drugs, alcohol and mental health across England and Scotland. Our name reflects who we are - a positive place where people can progress, connect with others and get friendly, expert help in a way that's right for them. Our staff team changes lives. If you're passionate about helping people get the support they need for issues with drugs, alcohol and mental health, we'd love to hear from you.

Details

Date posted

24 July 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£24,570 to £24,570 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

oc-1753276921-5LKJM

Job locations

Penzance

Penzance

TR18 2JD


Job description

Job responsibilities

Join our team as a Lived Experience Support Worker in Penzance Are you a compassionate and motivated individual who wants to change people's lives? Our team in Penzance are looking for a Lived Experience Support Worker to join them in providing high-quality recovery care to a diverse client group. If you are enthusiastic, creative and passionate about helping others, we'd love to hear from you. As a leading charity supporting people with drug, alcohol, and mental health challenges, we operate over 80 services across England and Scotland, providing free and confidential support to more than 100,000 people each year. Find out more about us here. As an organisation we do not have a sponsorship license and are unable to provide sponsorship to live and work in the UK. As such candidates are required to hold the right to work in the UK for the duration of the contract you are applying for. About the Role We are part of a large integrated drug and alcohol service working with some of Cornwall's most excluded and disadvantaged people. Successful candidates will work as part of the adult community team, alongside in-house services which include outreach, hospital, clinical, criminal justice and a residential rehabilitation facility. WithYou is all about working with our clients to find the right path for them to get back to where they want to be, and you will be joining an amazing team of people who go the extra mile to make that happen. Working within one of our services is always busy, sometimes challenging but always rewarding. We work collaboratively to provide the best support and treatment to anyone who needs it, so why don't you apply to be part of something great! All applicants must submit a CV along with a cover letter explaining why they should be considered for this role. Applications will not be accepted without a cover letter. Please note: This role may close earlier than the stated deadline if we receive a high volume of applications, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. A full job description and person specification are available on request by emailing . Please note, this is a permanent, part-time position for 18.5 hours per week, and therefore the salary advertised will be pro-rata. Please specify your availability in your cover letter. Advert Close Date: 6th August 2025 Benefits

  • 28 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
  • An extra day off for your birthday or a special occasion of your choice
  • Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave
  • 2 days paid volunteer leave per year
  • Auto-enrollment into We Are With You's pension scheme
  • Access to a Blue Light Card - giving you great savings on big high-street and online brands
  • Flexible working opportunities and access to a range of services and resources to support you with your wellbeing
  • We have an excellent Refer a Friend scheme which offers you a £500 bonus for any recommendations, any role! Our scheme allows you to recommend your friends and family to work with us and earn a £500 bonus payment for every successful referral you make. Please note, the Refer a Friend scheme is only applicable if your recommended friend completes their 6 months probation period
    • DE&I As an organisation, we continue to build an inclusive culture that encourages, supports and celebrates the diverse voices and experiences of our staff. We know that representing the communities we serve is key to us meeting our goals of radically improving people's lives. We welcome the unique contributions that you can bring, and we encourage people from underrepresented communities and backgrounds to apply to join our team, including people with lived experience, people with disabilities, people from racialised communities, LGBTQ+ people, people of all ages and armed forces veterans. As part of our commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant, we provide a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates that are veterans and meet all the essential criteria for a role. WithYou is also a Disability Confident Employer, and we offer a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with a disability and meet all the essential criteria for a role. If you have a disability, a learning difficulty such as dyslexia or a medical condition which you believe may affect your performance during any aspect of our selection process, we'll be happy to make reasonable adjustments to enable you to perform at your best.

    Job description

    Job responsibilities

    Join our team as a Lived Experience Support Worker in Penzance Are you a compassionate and motivated individual who wants to change people's lives? Our team in Penzance are looking for a Lived Experience Support Worker to join them in providing high-quality recovery care to a diverse client group. If you are enthusiastic, creative and passionate about helping others, we'd love to hear from you. As a leading charity supporting people with drug, alcohol, and mental health challenges, we operate over 80 services across England and Scotland, providing free and confidential support to more than 100,000 people each year. Find out more about us here. As an organisation we do not have a sponsorship license and are unable to provide sponsorship to live and work in the UK. As such candidates are required to hold the right to work in the UK for the duration of the contract you are applying for. About the Role We are part of a large integrated drug and alcohol service working with some of Cornwall's most excluded and disadvantaged people. Successful candidates will work as part of the adult community team, alongside in-house services which include outreach, hospital, clinical, criminal justice and a residential rehabilitation facility. WithYou is all about working with our clients to find the right path for them to get back to where they want to be, and you will be joining an amazing team of people who go the extra mile to make that happen. Working within one of our services is always busy, sometimes challenging but always rewarding. We work collaboratively to provide the best support and treatment to anyone who needs it, so why don't you apply to be part of something great! All applicants must submit a CV along with a cover letter explaining why they should be considered for this role. Applications will not be accepted without a cover letter. Please note: This role may close earlier than the stated deadline if we receive a high volume of applications, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. A full job description and person specification are available on request by emailing . Please note, this is a permanent, part-time position for 18.5 hours per week, and therefore the salary advertised will be pro-rata. Please specify your availability in your cover letter. Advert Close Date: 6th August 2025 Benefits

  • 28 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
  • An extra day off for your birthday or a special occasion of your choice
  • Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave
  • 2 days paid volunteer leave per year
  • Auto-enrollment into We Are With You's pension scheme
  • Access to a Blue Light Card - giving you great savings on big high-street and online brands
  • Flexible working opportunities and access to a range of services and resources to support you with your wellbeing
  • We have an excellent Refer a Friend scheme which offers you a £500 bonus for any recommendations, any role! Our scheme allows you to recommend your friends and family to work with us and earn a £500 bonus payment for every successful referral you make. Please note, the Refer a Friend scheme is only applicable if your recommended friend completes their 6 months probation period
    • DE&I As an organisation, we continue to build an inclusive culture that encourages, supports and celebrates the diverse voices and experiences of our staff. We know that representing the communities we serve is key to us meeting our goals of radically improving people's lives. We welcome the unique contributions that you can bring, and we encourage people from underrepresented communities and backgrounds to apply to join our team, including people with lived experience, people with disabilities, people from racialised communities, LGBTQ+ people, people of all ages and armed forces veterans. As part of our commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant, we provide a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates that are veterans and meet all the essential criteria for a role. WithYou is also a Disability Confident Employer, and we offer a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with a disability and meet all the essential criteria for a role. If you have a disability, a learning difficulty such as dyslexia or a medical condition which you believe may affect your performance during any aspect of our selection process, we'll be happy to make reasonable adjustments to enable you to perform at your best.

    Person Specification

    Qualifications

    Essential

    • Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle
    • You will also need to meet our safeguarding requirements of a satisfactory enhanced DBS check

    Experience

    Essential

    • We're looking for a compassionate and motivated individual, with an exceptional ability to build meaningful relationships.
    • A successful track record of providing efficient and reliable customer service is essential.
    • You will be highly organised, have excellent communication skills, and be able to manage your time effectively. You will work collaboratively as part of a team to ensure a high-quality service is maintained.
    • Above all, we are looking for someone who is passionate about what we do and has a positive and engaging approach to our clients and key stakeholders.
    • To be successful in this role, you will:
    • have a personal lived experience of drugs or alcohol, and know what a positive user experience looks like
    • have knowledge and compassion around the issues affecting people who use drugs or alcohol
    • have the ability to develop relationships of trust whilst maintaining professional boundaries
    • have the ability to work effectively with people regardless of their backgrounds
    • have the ability to build effective relationships with colleagues and other agencies.
    • be 12 months not in treatment and 24 months away from problematic substance misuse
    • have a willingness to use personal experience to engage and motivate WithYou's clients
    Person Specification

    Qualifications

    Essential

    • Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle
    • You will also need to meet our safeguarding requirements of a satisfactory enhanced DBS check

    Experience

    Essential

    • We're looking for a compassionate and motivated individual, with an exceptional ability to build meaningful relationships.
    • A successful track record of providing efficient and reliable customer service is essential.
    • You will be highly organised, have excellent communication skills, and be able to manage your time effectively. You will work collaboratively as part of a team to ensure a high-quality service is maintained.
    • Above all, we are looking for someone who is passionate about what we do and has a positive and engaging approach to our clients and key stakeholders.
    • To be successful in this role, you will:
    • have a personal lived experience of drugs or alcohol, and know what a positive user experience looks like
    • have knowledge and compassion around the issues affecting people who use drugs or alcohol
    • have the ability to develop relationships of trust whilst maintaining professional boundaries
    • have the ability to work effectively with people regardless of their backgrounds
    • have the ability to build effective relationships with colleagues and other agencies.
    • be 12 months not in treatment and 24 months away from problematic substance misuse
    • have a willingness to use personal experience to engage and motivate WithYou's clients

    Disclosure and Barring Service Check

    This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

    Employer details

    Employer name

    We Are With You

    Address

    Penzance

    Penzance

    TR18 2JD


    Employer's website

    https://www.wearewithyou.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

    Employer details

    Employer name

    We Are With You

    Address

    Penzance

    Penzance

    TR18 2JD


    Employer's website

    https://www.wearewithyou.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

    Employer contact details

    For questions about the job, contact:

    Recruitment Manager

    Ella Lauder

    ella.lauder@wearewithyou.org.uk

    Details

    Date posted

    24 July 2025

    Pay scheme

    Other

    Salary

    £24,570 to £24,570 a year

    Contract

    Permanent

    Working pattern

    Part-time

    Reference number

    oc-1753276921-5LKJM

    Job locations

    Penzance

    Penzance

    TR18 2JD


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