Outreach Practitioner

Cranstoun; West Midlands Combined Authority; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

Cranstoun seeks an Outreach Practitioner to support individuals with substance use issues in Sandwell. You will engage with vulnerable groups, implementing harm reduction strategies and advocating for their needs. This role requires excellent engagement and advocacy skills, offering a unique opportunity to make a difference until March 2026.

Qualifications

• Experience in engaging vulnerable individuals.
• Excellent communication and writing skills.
• Ability to work with Microsoft programs confidently.

Responsibilities

• Support people with substance use in the Sandwell area.
• Respond effectively to overdoses among the client group.
• Implement harm reduction approaches.

Skills

Engagement

Communication

Listening

Organisational

Advocacy

Tools

Microsoft programs

Case management systems

Job description

Outreach Practitioner (DEMO)

Salary: £25,630 to £30,490 per annum pro rata

Hours: 21 per week

Contract: Fixed Term until 31st March 2026

Location: Sandwell area

Ref: 1558

A unique, exciting opportunity has arisen within the service to join us as our Dynamic-Evolving Model of Outreach (DEMO) Practitioner until March 2026 with scope for further employment post this.

This role will specifically support people who use substances and have little or no contact with the drug service in Sandwell. This will include those who inject drugs in public spaces and others with complex health concerns. Engaging with the core Sandwell drug service will not necessarily be an expected outcome of the DEMO project but being supported in their own space is the offer.

You will be part of a team led by the DEMO Advanced Nurse Practitioner, and supported by Sandwell peers, delivering harm reduction approaches and interventions, and supporting engagement around health issues with this very vulnerable and excluded group of people who inject drugs in the local area.

The successful candidate will have excellent engagement, communication, listening and organisational skills and can adapt to the ever-changing needs and circumstances of the target group. The DEMO Practitioner will continuously assess dynamic risks, providing a service which is risk alert not risk averse, and assist individuals to reduce the risk and harms they experience and work towards improving health outcomes, where this is someone’s aims.

An important part of this role is in responding quickly and effectively to near-fatal overdoses among the client group, coordinating the response to reduce the risk of a further overdose, with a fatal outcome.

You’ll need to have good writing and computing skills and be able to work confidently with all Microsoft programs and case management systems. You will need to be able to use a range of ways to bring the service to this group of individuals, including on foot and in vehicles. You will need courage and confidence to engage with people on their turf - sometimes in isolated and hidden spaces.

You will need to have highly developed advocacy skills to assist these individuals to engage with and benefit from wider social care, healthcare, benefits, housing and other services.

The most important things you’ll bring to this role are your commitment to meeting people where they’re at, an ability to build connections with people, a passion for and ability to implement harm reduction approaches, integrity, positive attitude, enthusiasm, motivation, flexibility and ability to use initiative and deliver the service with a trauma informed approach. Experience of developing and working in partnership with peers, your colleagues in the core service and other agencies is essential.

You will be required to work some evenings, and some unsociable hours in order to meet our service delivery requirements.

Secondments are welcome, whether internal or external.

This post will be subject to an enhanced DBS Disclosure.

We welcome applications from all sections of the community. Working towards equality.

Unfortunately, we are unable to accept CVs. Please download an application form by following the apply button below.

Closing Date: Sunday 28th June 2025

Interview Date(s): To be confirmed