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JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title
Acorn Addiction Group Work Counsellor
Location Base
Kingston Upon Hull
Salary
Up to 24 K dependant on experience
Hours of work
37.5 hours per week.
Team
Members/other
input
Acorn Regional Manager
Treatment Manager
RAMP coordinator and Facilitator
DEAP/12 Step Group workers
Other Key
Working
Relationships
J2R Partnership (Disc, Acorn and St Martins Health Care Service),
Compass, CRI (DIP), Humber Mental Health, NHS, Social Services,
Probation, Housing, Service delivery partners and families.
This is by no means an exhaustive list but represents the basic minimum
requirement for ensuring that service delivery is effective.
Purpose of Job
To primarily deliver our intensive group work therapeutic programme Dependency Emotional Attachment Programme (DEAP).
Also Intro to Smart Recovery, 1:1 counselling, RAMP, Family Therapy
and Aftercare across locations
Treatment aims are to provide group based abstinence therapies that
lead to reductions in health related issues, crime and the impacts upon
family and community.
Principle Responsibilities
To ensure treatment receives adequate number of referrals through promotion of the service
across project sites.
To contribute to effective programme delivery in conjunction with RAMP and supported
housing elements of the service.
To contribute to ongoing development of programme in line with local need.
To maintain all relevant records and documents
To contribute to meeting all relevant project targets
To represent Acorn professionally with all relevant stakeholders, including CRI, Work
Solutions, commissioning bodies and other statutory and non statutory agencies.
To provide written and verbal reports to the Treatment Manager as required.
To comply with all external data requirements i.e TOPS, NDTMS and local performance
management reporting.
To ensure that appropriate onward referrals to Acorn Tier 4 services are made
Additional Responsibilities
To actively engage in supervision (including external clinical) and ongoing appraisal.
To adhere to all health and safety requirements.
To work within Acorn policies and procedures.
To work across operational sites as required.
Attend staff development team meetings.
To promote harmonious work relations within the team, throughout the service and related
services and stakeholders.
To maintain basic IT literacy
To undertake any other task which may be deemed appropriate to the post
Person Specification
Essential
Measured
By
Desirable
Measured
By
Knowledge
Equality and diversity practices
Application
Interview
Attendance at Equal
Opportunities Courses
Application
/ Interview
Understanding of issues
relating to drug use and social
exclusion
Application
Attendance at courses
relating to drugs use and
social exclusion
Application
Understanding of social
exclusion effects
Application
Experience of working with
socially excluded groups
Application
Knowledge of the Criminal
Justice System in relation to the
client group.
Application
Attendance at courses
relating the Criminal Justice
System
Application
Awareness of the current
provisions to engage people
with a history of substance
misuse problems.
Application
Local knowledge of
treatment providers.
Application
/ Interview
Knowledge of the current
treatments used with people
misusing substances.
Application
Interview
Interview
Interview
Skills
Ability to deliver structured
group and one to one
counselling interventions
Application
Ability to produce written
reports & statistics to deadlines
Application
Ability to engage with Service
Users
Interview
Highly developed people skills
Application
Proven Networking Skills
Application
Interview
Interview
Experience
Experience
Working with multidisciplinary
partnership agencies
Application
Experience of using a range of
Abstinence therapeutic
methods and approaches.
Application
Interview
Experience of working with
people in an empowering way
that respects and values their
contribution.
Application
Interview
Experience of planning, coordinating and implementing
packages of care including
group work programmes.
Application
Interview
Qualifications
Recognised counselling
qualification i.e. Diploma
Application
CRB clearance at enhanced
level
Application
Interview
Person Specification expanded
Essential
Knowledge
Attitude
Measured By
Competencies
Understand a
variety of models
and theories of
addiction and
other problems
related to
substance use.
Terms and concepts
related to theory,
Etiology (cause),
research, and practice.
Openness to information
that may differ from
personally held views.
Appreciation of the
complexity inherent
in understanding
addiction.
Valuing of diverse
concepts, models,
and theories.
Willingness to form
personal concepts
through critical thinking.
Application/interview
Ability to
describe the
behavioural,
psychological,
physical health,
and social effects
of
The continuum of drug
use, such as
Sensitivity to multiple
influences in the
initiation, intoxication,
harmful use,
developmental course of
addiction.
abuse, dependence,
withdrawal, craving,
Interest in scientific
research findings.
psychoactive
substances on
the person using
and significant
others.
Behavioral,
psychological, social,
and
relapse, and recovery.
health effects of
psychoactive
substances.
The effects of chronic
substance useon clients,
significant others, and
communities within a
social, political,
cultural, and economic
context.
Application/interview
Recognize the
potential for
substance use
disorders to
mimic a variety
of
medical and
mental health
conditions and
the potential for
medical and
Normal human growth
and development.
Application/interview
Symptoms of
Willingness to work
substance use disorders with people who
that
might display and/or
are similar to those of
have mental health
other medical and/or
conditions.
mental health
Willingness to refer for
conditions and how
treating conditions
these disorders
interact.
outside one’s expertise.
Appreciation of the
contribution of
mental health
conditions to
coexist with
addiction and
substance abuse.
Recognize the
importance of
family, social
networks, and
community
systems
Willingness to reserve
judgment
multiple disciplines to
the evaluation
process.
The role of family,
social networks, and
community systems as
assets or obstacles in
treatment and recovery
processes.
Appreciation for the
significance and
Personal and
professional strengths
Openness to constructive
supervision.
and limitations.
Willingness to grow and
change personally
complementary nature of
various systems
in facilitating treatment
and recovery.
in the treatment
and recovery
process.
Understand the
importance of
self-awareness in
one’s personal,
professional,
Cultural, ethnic, or
gender biases.
and professionally.
and cultural life.
Understand the
obligations to
adhere to ethical
and
Willingness to conduct
oneself in
behavioural
standards of
conduct in the
helping
relationship.
standards.
accordance with the
highest ethical
Willingness to comply
with regulatory
expectations.
Understand the
importance of
ongoing
supervision and
continuing
education
Benefits of selfassessment and clinical
Commitment to
continuing professional
supervision to
professional growth
and
education.
in the delivery of
client services.
The value of
consultation to
enhance
development.
personal and
professional growth.
Resources available for
Willingness to engage in
a supervisory
relationship.
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Application/interview
Establish rapport,
with clients,
colleagues
Importance and purpose
of rapport
building.
SKILLS
Demonstrating effective
verbal and
nonverbal
communication in
establishing
rapport.
ATTITUDES
Recognition of personal
biases, values,
and beliefs and their
effect on communication
and the treatment
process.
Willingness to establish
rapport.
Assist the client
in identifying the
effect of
substance use on
his or her current
life problems and
the effects of
continued
harmful use or
abuse.
The progression and
characteristics of
SKILLS
substance use disorders.
Establishing a therapeutic
relationship.
The effects of
psychoactive substances
on
Demonstrating effective
communication
behavior, thinking,
feelings, health status,
and relationships.
Denial and other defense
mechanisms in
client resistance.
and interviewing skills.
Interpreting the client’s
perception of his
or her experiences.
ATTITUDES
Respect for the client’s
perception of his
or her experiences.
Establish a
helping
relationship with
the client
characterized by
warmth,
Theories, research, and
evidence-based
Approaches to
counseling that are
person
Conveying warmth,
respect,
respect,
genuineness,
concreteness, and
empathy.
centered and have
demonstrated
and genuineness in a
culturally appropriate
manner.
effectiveness with
substance use disorders.
Validating.
literature.
Definitions of warmth,
respect,
genuineness,
concreteness, and
empathy.
The role of the
counselor.
Transference and
countertransference.
Active listening,
including paraphrasing,
reflecting, and
summarizing.
Demonstrating empathic
understanding.
Using power and
authority appropriately
in support of treatment
goals.
ATTITUDES
Respect for the client.
Recognition of the
importance ofcooperation
and collaboration with
the client.
Encourage and
reinforce client
actions
determined to be
beneficial in
Counseling theory,
treatment, and
substance use disorders.
and other interventions that
reinforce
progressing
toward treatment
goals.
Relapse prevention
theory, practice,
positive client behaviours.
practice literature as it
applies to
SKILLS
Using behavioural and
cognitive methods
and outcome literature.
Using objective observation
and
Behaviors and cognition
consistent
documentation.
with the development,
maintenance,
and attainment of
treatment goals.
Counselling treatment
methods that
support positive client
behaviors
consistent with
recovery.
Assessing and reassessing
client behaviours.
ATTITUDES
Recognition of the
importance of
continued support,
encouragement,
and optimism.
Appreciation of strengthsbased principles
that emphasize client
autonomy and skills
development.
Appreciation for incremental
progress in
completing treatment goals.
Encourage and reinforce
client actions
determined to be
beneficial in
progressing toward
treatment goals.
Addiction Counseling
Competencies
Facilitate the
client’s
identification,
selection, and
practice of
strategies that
How the client and
client’s family,
Using behavioural
techniques to reinforce
significant others,
mutual-help groups,
positive client behaviours.
help sustain the
knowledge,
skills, and
attitudes needed
for maintaining
treatment progress,
relapse prevention,
treatment
progress and
preventing
relapse.
Skills-training methods.
Facilitate group
growth within the
established
ground rules and
movement
Leadership, facilitator,
and counselor
Applying group counseling
methods
methods appropriate for
each group type
leading to measurable
progress toward
and therapeutic setting.
toward group and
individual goals
by using methods
consistent with
group
Types and uses of power
and authority in
group and individual goals
and outcomes.
type.
and other systems
enhance and maintain
and continuing care.
Relapse prevention
strategies.
the therapeutic group
process.
Teaching relapse prevention
and life skills.
Motivating the client toward
involvement
in mutual-help groups.
ATTITUDES
Recognition that clients must
assume
responsibility for their
recovery.
Recognizing when and how
to use
appropriate power.
Stages of group
development and
Documenting measurable
progress toward
counselling methods
appropriate to
group and individual goals.
each stage.
ATTITUDES
Recognition of the value of
the use of
different group counselling
methods and
leadership or facilitation
styles.
Appreciation for the role and
power of the
group facilitator.
Appreciation for the role and
power of
various group members in
the group process.
Understand the
concepts of
process and
content, and shift
the focus of the
group when such
a shift will help
the group move
toward its goals.
Concepts of process and
content.
Difference between the
group process
and the content of the
discussion.
Methods and techniques
of group
SKILLS
Observing and documenting
process and
content.
Assessing when to make
appropriate
process interventions.
problemsolving,
decisionmaking,
Using strategies congruent
with enhancing
and addressing group
conflict.
both process and content to
meet
How process variables
affect the group’s
individual and group goals.
ability to focus on
content concerns.
How content variables
affect the group’s
ability to focus on
process concerns.
ATTITUDES
Appreciation of the
appropriate use of
content and process
interventions.
Understand the
characteristics
and dynamics of
families, couples,
and significant
Dynamics associated
with substance use,
abuse, dependence, and
recovery in
families, couples, and
significant others.
others affected by
The effect of interaction
substance use.
SKILLS
Identifying systemic
interactions that are
likely to affect recovery.
Recognizing the roles of
significant others
patterns on
in the client’s social system.
substance use behaviors.
Recognizing potential for
and signs and
Cultural factors related
to the effect of
substance use disorders
on families,
symptoms of domestic
violence.
ATTITUDES
couples, and significant
others.
Recognition of
nonconstructive family
Systems theory and
dynamics.
behaviors as systemic issues.
Signs and patterns of
domestic violence.
Effects of substance use
behaviors on
interaction patterns.
Appreciation of the role
systemic
interactions play in substance
use
behavior.
Appreciation for diverse
cultural factors
that influence characteristics
and dynamics
of families, couples, and
significant others.