Youth Justice Substance Misuse Worker

Recovery Focus; York and North Yorkshire; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

27 days annual leave

Pension scheme with employer matched

Life assurance (3× annual salary)

Enhanced sick pay and family-friendly

Job summary

Waythrough in North Yorkshire is seeking a Youth Justice Drug and Alcohol Practitioner. The role is outreach based covering Scarborough, Whitby, Ryedale and surrounding areas.

You'll work with the Youth Justice Service to assess and treat young people for substance use, providing guidance to staff and ensuring safe, evidence-based interventions. You'll need experience with children and families, a valid UK driving licence and the ability to travel to schools and community settings.

Qualifications

• Experience of working with children, young people and families.
• Experience of comprehensive assessments of substance users with complex requirements.
• Understanding of the whole family approach and brief interventions (MI, PSIs, CBT, ITEP).
• Has a valid UK driving licence and access to own vehicle.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist drug and alcohol support to children and young people at risk of or using substances.
• Collaborate with partner agencies to undertake assessments and interventions.
• Promote progression from engagement to structured treatment and self-sustained recovery.
• Translate strategic visions into local plans in collaboration with professionals and service users.
• Deliver outreach, in-reach, diversionary activities, satellite advice and information.

Skills

Experience with children & families

Strong communication skills

Driving licence

Assessments of substance use

Job description

Youth Justice Substance Misuse Worker - North Yorkshire Horizons

Location: This role is outreach based covering the east side of North Yorkshire - Scarborough, Whitby, Ryedale and areas. This role will require you to attend site visits e.g. schools, home visits and other community settings.

Working Hours: 37 hours per week, Monday-Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4:30pm

Contract Type: Permanent

Salary: £25,877.80 - £34,240.03 per annum (please note that the starting salary for this post will be from £26,000 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.

About the Role

The position of Youth Justice Drug and Alcohol Practitioner will be employed by Waythrough and work within North Yorkshire Council's Youth Justice Team. The core focus of this job is to ensure that all young people supervised by the Youth Justice Service (YJS) are assessed and treated for drug and alcohol usage with the aim of minimising harm to them and preventing and reducing offending. The postholder will do this through the provision of advice, guidance and support to members of staff within the YJS team.

Key Duties

• You will provide specialist drug and alcohol support to children and young people at risk of or using substances, enabling them to make informed choices and build resilience to substance use.
• Work collaboratively with partner agencies to undertake shared assessments, key working and interventions to promote children and young people progression from engagement, through structured treatment to self-sustained recovery.
• To have a commitment to shared values and the common purpose of developing a culture of interagency working; including statutory bodies, third and private sector organisations.
• Improve outcomes for children, parents, carers and families of services users by reducing the impact of drug and alcohol related harm on family life and promote positive family involvement in recovery.
• To ensure that strategic visions are translated into local plans in collaboration with professionals, partners and people using the service.
• Provide targeted outreach and in reach, diversionary activities, satellite advice and information services with partner agencies.

To Succeed in This Role

Essential: Experience of working with children, young people & families (including carers & parents). Can demonstrate experience of working with vulnerable young people. Experience of undertaking comprehensive assessments of substance users with complex requirements. Understanding of and ability to implement interventions based on the whole family approach, including brief interventions MI, PSIs, CBT and ITEP. Has a valid UK driving licence and access to their own vehicle. Communicates effectively and accurately in writing, using existing documents, formats and styles.

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: 2026-11-13

Waythrough launched in October 2024 following the merger of Humankind and Richmond Fellowship. In April 2026, Aquarius, our former subsidiary partner, merged with Waythrough. Our vision is to break down the barriers that stop people getting the support they need to live a life they value. We tackle poverty and disadvantage in communities, through mental health, drug and alcohol, housing and related support. We have 260 services around England – and nearly 3,500 amazing staff and volunteers who run them. Every year our services support around 130,000 people.