Support Worker

recoveryfocus; Devon and Torbay; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 31,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

27 days annual leave

Pension scheme with employer contrib.

Life assurance (3× salary)

Enhanced sick pay

Birthday leave

Professional fee reimbursement

24/7 online GP & EAP

Cycle to Work

Blue Light/Card discounts

Job summary

Waythrough is seeking a dedicated Support Worker in Newton Abbot, with some duties across South Devon. The role focuses on recovery-oriented support, information, and structured interventions for people facing mental health and substance use challenges.

You will deliver 1:1 sessions, facilitate groups, and work with a multi-disciplinary team. This full-time fixed-term position requires safeguarding know‑how, strong communication, and the ability to collaborate with partner agencies.

Qualifications

• Knowledge and understanding of substance misuse and recovery.
• Experience managing, planning, and prioritising own workload.
• Safeguarding awareness and group facilitation skills.
• Excellent communication, organisation and time management.
• Full UK Driving Licence required.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload delivering psychosocial interventions.
• Undertake ongoing assessments, risk assessments and referrals.
• Facilitate group sessions for diverse individuals.
• Collaborate with partnership agencies to ensure continuity of care.
• Provide duty cover for service users.

Skills

Substance misuse knowledge

Workload management

Safeguarding

Group facilitation

Communication

Teamwork

Driving licence

Tools

Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Word

PowerPoint

Job description

Support Worker

Location: Newton Abbot (with some work at other community hubs in South Devon.)

Working Hours: Monday to Friday, 37 hours per week

Contract Type: Full-time, fixed term

Salary: £25,877.80 - £30,868.31 per annum

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

About Waythrough

Waythrough was formed in 2024 following the merger of Humankind and Richmond Fellowship. Together, we've created one of the largest mental health and social support charities in England.

Every year, we support around 125,000 people through nearly 200 services - and it's all made possible by our 3,500 brilliant staff and volunteers.

Make a real difference in your community

Are you passionate about helping others live safer, healthier, more independent lives? Join our team at Waythrough and support people facing challenges around mental health, substance use, housing or domestic abuse. This is more than just a job - it's a chance to build meaningful relationships and create lasting change.

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

As a Support Worker, you will work as part of a team to provide recovery-focused support, information, advice, guidance and structured interventions to people with problematic drug and alcohol use. To deliver continuity of care through effective working with partnership agencies and contribute to administrative tasks including the collection and inputting of data. Working alongside Recovery Workers and the wider team to enhance service users' experience and offer meaningful interventions such as 1:1 meetings, group work, clinical appointments, daily duty support, needle exchange, & working alongside our volunteers.

What You'll Do

• Working autonomously to manage a caseload of our service users, including delivering a range of psychosocial interventions.
• Working as part of a multi-disciplinary team to undertake ongoing assessments, risk assessments, and appropriate referrals within the community
• Facilitating group sessions with a range of individuals of varying backgrounds.
• Working with partnership agencies to ensure continuity of care and support.
• Providing duty cover for individuals accessing our services

Please note you do not need a background in substance misuse to apply.

To Succeed in This Role, You'll Need:

We're looking for a Support Worker with a real passion for working in a recovery-focused environment. You'll hold some transferable skills, ideally from working in a similar environment or sector. You'll also have:

• A knowledge and understanding of substance misuse and recovery
• Experience of managing, planning, and prioritising your own workload, delivering work of a high standard
• An understanding of safeguarding
• An understanding of group working, group dynamics and group facilitation
• Excellent communication, organisation and time management skills
• The ability to work well in a team environment alongside a range of people and organisations
• You must have basic IT skills and know how to use Microsoft Teams
• You must be proficient with Microsoft Word and PowerPoint
• You must hold a full UK Driving Licence

What We Offer

• 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.

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

If you need adjustments or support to apply, please email our recruitment team: [e-mail]

Closing Date: 2026-10-13