Job Title
Senior Ketamine Harm Reduction & Family Support Worker
Grade / Pay scale
From £27,500
Location
Morecambe (covering North Lancashire – Lancaster, Fylde & Wyre)
Hours
37.5 hours per week (flexible, includes evenings, weekends)
Accountable To
Operations Manager
Contract
Fixed Term Contract until 31st March 2029
DBS Requirement
Enhanced level
JOB DESCRIPTION
Overview
The Well Communities CIC (The Well) is a not‑for‑profit Community Interest Company led by people with lived experience of recovery. We work alongside statutory, NHS, and voluntary partners to deliver innovative, community‑based, trauma‑informed harm reduction and recovery support.
We believe deeply in the inherent capacity and potential of people to change their lives. Our work is grounded in courage, humility, responsibility, creativity, and determination.
This senior role provides leadership and guidance to two essential service strands:
- The Family Support Team (2 x Family Support Workers)
- The Ketamine Harm Reduction Team (2 x Ketamine Support Workers)
You will play a crucial part in shaping, delivering, and assuring the safe, effective, and person‑centred support provided across these teams.
This includes direct work with ketamine users, direct work with families and carers, service development, risk coordination, outreach, supervision, and the development of peer-led group models that grow into self‑sustaining community assets.
Role Overview
As the Senior Family Support and Ketamine Harm Reduction Worker, you will lead and supervise both teams, ensuring high‑quality delivery of 1‑to‑1 support, group work, outreach, and community‑based interventions.
You will hold responsibility for overseeing service standards, embedding trauma‑informed practice, managing safeguarding responsibilities, supporting staff development, and building collaborative pathways with partner organisations.
Your work will directly increase engagement among ketamine users and families who are currently underserved, creating opportunities for meaningful change, improved wellbeing, and community resilience.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership & Service Coordination
- Provide day‑to‑day leadership, guidance, and motivation to both Family Support Workers and Ketamine Support Workers.
- Deliver regular staff supervision, case oversight, reflective practice, and coaching.
- Ensure consistent, high‑quality, trauma‑informed service delivery.
- Support the development and training of new peer facilitators emerging from both service areas.
- Coordinate staff rotas, caseload management, outreach planning, and flexible service coverage.
Direct Work with Ketamine Users
- Provide 1‑to‑1 support for individuals using ketamine, including motivational interventions, harm reduction, crisis support, and preparation for change.
- Undertake assessments, risk management, and ongoing reviews.
- Facilitate structured ketamine-specific groups and psychoeducation sessions.
- Conduct assertive outreach to engage users not currently connected to treatment or support.
- Support users with navigating treatment pathways, mental health services, clinical support, housing, and wider wellbeing resources.
- Recognise and respond to ketamine-specific harms (e.g., bladder issues, dissociation, trauma, psychological deterioration).
Direct Work with Families, Carers & Affected Others
- Provide 1‑to‑1 emotional, practical, and advocacy support to families affected by ketamine use.
- Facilitate family support groups (in-person and virtual) centred on boundaries, stabilisation, resilience, and Affected Other recovery perspectives.
- Support families experiencing crisis, offering safe holding, stabilisation, and coordinated signposting.
- Embed families into wider community and recovery networks.
Service Development & Sustainability
- Lead the development of self‑sustaining ketamine peer groups, gradually transitioning TWC’s role from active involvement to light‑touch oversight.
- Contribute to the delivery of a contract‑wide step‑back plan, ensuring group sustainability and community ownership.
- Support the recruitment, coaching, and development of peer facilitators, aspiring towards a trained bank of facilitators by Year 3.
- Contribute to data collection, monitoring, evaluation, and service improvement.
- Proactively identify and engage underserved communities, supporting innovation and inclusivity.
Partnership Working
- Work collaboratively with CGL, Red Rose Recovery, mental health teams, health services, and other community partners.
- Represent The Well in multi‑agency forums and strategy meetings.
- Facilitate timely referrals into relevant services, ensuring clear and coordinated care pathways.
- Build strong local relationships to strengthen community engagement and service impact.
Safeguarding, Governance & Record Keeping
- Maintain accurate case notes, data quality, and administrative standards for yourself and your team.
- Ensure staff comply with safeguarding procedures and escalate concerns as appropriate.
- Promote safe working practices, strong boundaries, confidentiality, and adherence to The Well’s policies.
- Support the development of local procedures, risk protocols, and governance frameworks.
Confidentiality
The post‑holder must maintain the confidentiality of all information and records relating to service users, staff, partners, and The Well, in line with GDPR and organisational policy.
Person Specification
Essential – Values
- Commitment to peer‑led, community-based recovery
- Solution‑focused, reflective, honest, collaborative, brave, and resilient
- Compassionate and able to inspire confidence in others
Essential – Experience & Knowledge
- Experience working with individuals affected by substance use, including high‑risk or dependent ketamine use
- Experience supporting families or carers affected by substance use
- Knowledge of harm reduction, trauma-informed practice, and relapse prevention
- Experience supervising or mentoring staff, volunteers, or peer facilitators
- Experience delivering 1:1 and group interventions
- Knowledge of safeguarding (adults and children), mental health risks, and community‑based approaches
- Ability to work effectively with partner organisations
Essential – Skills
- Strong leadership and team‑development skills
- Excellent communication, report‑writing, and presentation skills
- Ability to prioritise, manage time, and handle complex caseloads
- Strong IT competency and accurate record-keeping
- Ability to build trust rapidly and work across diverse communities
- Skilled in assertive outreach and community engagement
Desirable
- Lived experience of recovery
- Experience developing peer-led or mutual-aid groups
- Knowledge of local services, communities, and geography
Terms
- Annual leave: 25 days plus public holidays
- Full-time post: evening, weekend, and bank holiday work will be required
Equality and Diversity
The Well Communities CIC is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. We make every effort to meet access needs and will collaborate with individuals to identify reasonable adjustments.
Additional Notes
This job description reflects the current role but may be reviewed and amended following appropriate consultation as the service evolves.
To Apply
Please send your expressions of interest/CV to [email protected]
All applications should be clearly marked:
Confidential – Senior Family and Ketamine Support Worker
To arrive no later than 5pm on 11 September 2026
Pay: £27,500.00 per year
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Morecambe LA4 4JE
