Poly Drug Project Co-ordinator – Bushypark Addiction Treatment Centre.

Location: On site / Ennis, Co. Clare, Ireland

Job type: Permanent / Full-Time

Sector and subsector: Voluntary/Charity | General

Annual Fixed Salary: € 46231.00

Clarecare is a professional social enterprise organisation providing a range of peoplecentred social services to individuals and families in County Clare for over 50 years. Current services offered include Family Support, Elderly Care Services, and Bushypark Addiction Treatment Services. Clarecare’s headquarters are based in Ennis with local offices in Shannon, Kilrush, Killaloe and Ennistymon. 

Bushypark is supported by HSE Social Inclusion Alcohol and Drug Services, MWRDAF, Probation Service, HSE Mental Health Service, and other local funders.

Our Mission: is to provide personcentred services to individuals and families within our communities.

Our Vision: is to be the trusted quality care provider within our communities by supporting individuals and families to reach their full potential.

Our Core Values: • Collaborate • Accountability • Respect • Empathy • Trust

JOB DESCRIPTION

Poly Drug Project Coordinator – Bushypark Addiction Treatment Centre

FullTime, Permanent role

OBJECTIVE: This project is funded by the MidWest Drug and Alcohol Forum through the HSE. Reporting to the Bushypark Manager, the successful candidate will be responsible for supporting clients with addiction issues and families/affected others impacted by addiction. This will be done through onetoone and group sessions within the community, in addition to the use of blended groups. These interventions aim to reduce use, related behaviours and harms and to link with relevant supports. The successful candidate will work to further develop the Poly Drug Project with Bushypark and other initiatives in the MidWest Region. 

JOB RELATIONS: 

Reporting to the Bushypark Head of Addiction Services, the successful candidate will work as part of a wider Bushypark Team in Clarecare, comprising of the Head of Addiction Services, Deputy Manager, Counsellors, CommunityBased Cocaine Team, and administration. The successful candidate will manage and supervise volunteer facilitators in addition to adhering to the requirements of MWRDAF/HSE and in compliance with national protocols for interagency work.

JOB LOCATION: 

This fulltime, permanent role is currently based in Bushypark Addiction Treatment Centre, Ennis, and requires weekly travel within the MidWest Region to work with clients, attend meetings etc. Base location is subject to change. This is an onsite role, hybrid/remote working does not apply to this role.

HOURS OF WORK: 

37.5 hours per week (inclusive of 30 mins daily break) over 5 days, generally on a Monday to Friday basis. Some evening work and one Saturday every 6 weeks will be required to allow for supervision of volunteers. This is an onsite role, hybrid/remote working does not apply to this role.

TRAVEL: 

The successful candidate must be willing to travel on behalf of Clarecare to fulfil the duties of this position. Travel is within the MidWest Region and the successful candidate is required to indemnify Clarecare on their private motor insurance policy. 

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POSITION:

General Responsibilities:·

• To report to the Bushypark Head of Addiction Services or designate.
• To adhere to Clarecare policies and procedures in relation to all work with Clarecare.
• To maintain files in accordance with the requirements of the post in line with audit requirements.
• To complete statistics as required by the Line Manager in line with agreed KPI’s for the role.
• To maintain records and make returns to HRB as required by the post.
• To work as part of the wider Clarecare Structure.
• To support the work of staff, volunteers, students and others involved in Clarecare.
• To attend supervision sessions with your Line manager and external supervisor.
• To maintain professional boundaries in all work with clients.

Main Aims of the Role:

The main aim of the Polydrug Project is to support clients and their family members in the MidWest Region to access supports to enable them to make the necessary changes in their lives to attain either harm reduction strategies or full abstinence.

The overall aim of the project is to support clients to reduce their use and to reduce relapse rates for polydrug users and to provide them with the additional skills and supports to make the necessary and sustained changes in their lives and to enable them to live a full and active life. Treatment plans are devised to support clients in their pathway to recovery. Where appropriate, clients are referred to other services in the MidWest Region such as HSE Integrated Alcohol Team, Community Based Cocaine Project, Anna Liffey, Saoirse, HSE, NOVAS community detox or residential treatment centres and 12step meetings for both clients and family members.

We aim to support family members to improve the quality of their lives by learning better coping skills and by getting the tools to navigate both their own lives and those of their loved ones. This support will be provided by an experienced and qualified counsellor with training undertaken to deal with addiction, which may include 5Step Approach, SMART Recovery, CBT, CBST, MI and Brief Interventions. Other models of interventions in building up Recovery Capital are also used.

These supports for clients and their family members are provided free of charge on both onetone sessions and in group sessions, or online, depending on the individual needs. Groups for clients are run in Limerick and Ennis (day and night group) every week for clients and for family members impacted by a loved one's addiction.

Groups for family members are also run in Ennis and Limerick (day and night group) weekly. Individual sessions are held by appointment and are held in Ennis and Limerick as a free service.

The project also supports the Open Thoughts Dual Diagnosis Group, a group that provides additional supports for clients with an underlying mental health diagnosis in addition to an addiction issue. This group meets weekly and is run by an experienced addiction counsellor and supported by an experienced facilitator.

The Polydrugs project provides telephone support to a large number of clients and family members who seek assistance in dealing with their own or a concerned persons’ addiction and related behavioural issues. The callers are generally seeking assistance in how to carry out an intervention, what to do next, how to take the first steps in dealing with the issue. Referrals to one to one, groups or other agencies are made where applicable.

This polydrug project also provides ongoing training and support for recovery and aftercare group facilitators and provides ongoing supervision to these facilitators as required. With the development of additional recovery supports including SMART, Sports Recovery projects, Music and specialist groups, the role of the polydrugs coordinator is to oversee and support these groups to enhance client and family members longterm recovery and to support the rollout of workshops and training as required to support their project work.

Specific Responsibilities:

To provide weekly groups for polydrug users in both Ennis and Limerick who have been referred to the group from a range of sources, and to continue to provide a continuum of care for these clients. There is evidence from these groups, and one to one sessions, that we have reduced relapse rates for the clients involved, and we will endeavour to continue to support these clients toward harm reduction or abstinence based outcomes.

To provide family support services for the family members/affected others of polydrug users referred to this group. Both these family groups, and one to one sessions take place in both Ennis and Limerick on a weekly basis. Drop in service is also provided as a direct access point for family members with addiction related issues to assist them to access support. This service has been a demand led response and we will continue to run and develop this initiative under this project. Blended treatment options are also available under this initiative.

To provide telephone support for clients and family members impacted by addiction. This involves providing guidance and support in the first steps to take in bringing about change in a person's live, including carrying out interventions, challenging behaviours, how to support yourself, etc.

To run training programmes that will be demandled for facilitators, students and volunteers from the various alcohol and other drug projects in the region. It will continue to provide them with the skills and support necessary to deal with the complexity of issues emerging from polydrug use. A large number of staff, students and volunteer facilitators from a range of projects in the region availed of this training over the years and we envisage further training into the future.

To coordinate Aftercare and other recovery activities for clients’ posttreatment from residential and communitybased services in Bushypark and other services in the area. This involves managing and supervising volunteer facilitators to ensure that the highest quality of care and support is provided to clients and their family members post. treatment. This coordination role involves managing venues, ensuring cover for facilitators when absent, liaising with other service providers and ensuring that the services remain responsive to client needs in an ever changing environment.

To network and liaise with a wide range of agencies in the MidWest Region with a view to making referrals, developing best practice for clients, new service delivery, etc.

Other Duties of the Post·

Developing care plans for clients in line with NDRIC and other protocols, maintaining in line with Clarecare Data Protection Policies and Procedures.

Maintaining files in line with audit requirements as set out by Clarecare and HSE.

Maintaining a database of facilitators' details, ensuring all meet the requirements of their role.

Maintaining a database of groups, venues and meeting times.

Providing telephone support as needed to facilitators of all meetings.

Support students linked to the service.

Working in tandem with Bushypark counsellors, HSE and other services in the region.

Completion of Forms and case notes as required by the post, including HRB records.

Assisting with Accreditation being undertaken by the organisation, including CHKS accreditation.

Attending Internal Supervision and external supervision.

Attendance at Health, Safety and Quality meetings on a quarterly basis.

Any other relevant duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS/QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE POSITION

Essential Requirements:

Qualified as a Counsellor to a minimum of Diploma in Counselling or Diploma in Counselling & Psychotherapy and accredited with either BACP, IACP, IAHIP orACI.

Current member of BACP, IACP, IAHIP or ACI.

Minimum of 2 years relevant Counselling experience working with individuals, families and groups, of which 1 year’s relevant experience must have beengained in paid employment. 

Treatment Planning and developing care pathways with clients with excellent record keeping and case management skills

Working in various settings with families affected by addiction using various approaches.

Excellent facilitation and group work skills.

Experience of working with and supervising students or volunteers.

Good computer skills i.e. MS Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook and databases.

Excellent communication, organisational/planning, interpersonal and presentation/group facilitation skills with the ability to work on own initiative and as part ofa team and networking with other agencies·

Ability to communicate appropriately with service users, staff and other statutory and voluntary agencies and to develop interagency services where necessary.

Ability to maintain professional boundaries with all clients and agencies.

Ability to maintain the principles of confidentiality in all areas of work.

A positive ‘fit to work’ medical.

A positive Garda vetting.Two positive written references from your current/most recent employer.

Full driving licence with indemnity to Clarecare on your own private insurance policy.

Desirable Requirements:

Additional training and experience of working with clients impacted by addiction and family members affected by addiction and related behaviours.

Recruitment, selection or management of volunteers

Experience of interagency and or project management skills.

Ability to demonstrate empathetic understanding of issues/dilemmas which may arise for clients.

A knowledge of the ethos of Clarecare.

Salary/Grade:

The salary for this position based on 5 days working week and commensurate with experience will be €46,231.56 gross per annum, paid monthly in arrears into a nominated Bank Account by EFT. 

26 days annual leave per annum excluding Public Holidays.

Free access to Employee Assistance Programme Service via VHI.

Defined Contribution Pension Scheme Membership on successful completion of probation (6 months).

Access to the full terms of Clarecare's Sick Pay Scheme on successful completion of probation (6 months duration).

Payroll deduction facility for Health Insurance cover.

Cycle to Work Scheme.

Access to Clarecare’s Wellness Programmes.