Lived Experience Support Worker, Ref:0190ZS

withyou; Bournemouth; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

WithYou is seeking a Lived Experience Support Worker based in our Bournemouth office. The role requires you to draw on personal lived experience of drugs or alcohol to support clients on their recovery journey and engage with the community.

You will work alongside Recovery Workers to encourage use of the service and provide compassionate, motivational support. The successful candidate will contribute to recovery communities, undertake outreach, harm reduction and structured interventions, and

Qualifications

• Must have personal lived experience of drugs or alcohol and be willing to use this experience in day-to-day work.

Responsibilities

• Support clients using your own lived experience to engage and motivate service users.
• Collaborate with Recovery Workers to encourage service use and assist clients on their recovery journey.
• Conduct outreach, harm reduction activities and structured interventions to reach and support clients.

Job description

We are looking for a Lived Experience Support Worker to join our team. You will be based at our Station Approach office in Bournemouth. 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.

We are part of a large integrated drug and alcohol service working with some of Bournemouth's most excluded and disadvantaged people.

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, working with individuals to achieve their goals. Using your lived experience, you will support our clients with their journey either into recovery or maintaining their recovery.

Our Lived Experience Support Workers are an active and integral part of our teams, bringing ideas and solutions so we can develop and improve our recovery communities and helping our clients to get onto the path to recovery. In your role, you will reach people through outreach, harm reduction, structured interventions and activities and will show through your own experience, knowledge and learning that change is possible.

If you think this could be the career for you, take the first step and apply now to join our amazing team.

We’re looking for a compassionate and motivated individual, with an exceptional ability to build meaningful relationships:

• You will have been on your own journey with drugs or alcohol.
• You will have relevant experience (voluntary or paid) in the health and social care sector and/or clear motivations for applying.
• You will be able to develop relationships of trust whilst maintaining professional boundaries.
• Ability to work effectively with people regardless of their backgrounds.
• You will have the ability to be part of a team and also be able to use your own initiative and work alone.
• Ability to build effective relationships with colleagues and other agencies.
• 12 months not in treatment and 24 months away from problematic substance misuse.
• Willingness to use personal experience to engage and motivate service users.

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.

Join our team as a Lived Experience Support Worker in Bournemouth.

Are you a compassionate and motivated individual who wants to change people’s lives? Our Bournemouth Community Drug and Alcohol service is looking for a Lived Experience Support Worker to join them in providing high quality recovery care to a diverse client group. If you are looking for a role where you can connect with and support people who are using drugs or alcohol using your own lived experience, and are passionate about changing people’s lives for the better, we’d love to hear from you.

As a Lived Experience Support Worker in BCP you’ll join us on a salary of £26,250 per annum pro rata. This role is a full time (37.5 hours) fixed term contract for 12 months.

You’ll be part of a dedicated local team supporting people across our communities to make positive, lasting changes. At WithYou, we’re committed to supporting our staff just as much as the people we work alongside. You’ll have access to a supportive and inclusive team environment and a range of wellbeing benefits to help you thrive both professionally and personally. If you’d like to find out more about joining our BCP service, please get in touch with our Recruitment Team at [e-mail].

Please refer to the Job Description to support your application.

Please note that having experienced your own journey with drugs or alcohol and being willing to use that experience to help others is essential for this position.

The closing date for applications is 17th November 2026. 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.

All applicants must submit a CV along with a cover letter explaining why they should be considered for this role and more information about your lived experience with addiction. Applications will not be accepted without a cover letter.