Why Harbour?

Harbour holds its core values at the heart of the organisation;

Harbour collectively, and individually, aspires to

 ... treat people with dignity and respect
 ... be open and honest
 ... be socially inclusive
 ... do what works, implement good practice
 ... take responsibility for our behaviour
 ... accept accountability for our results
 ... listen actively

We have included a selection of our policies and procedures in this section to give an idea of our standards and working practices. Below are a series of downloadable documents for your review.  We are proud of our employee support mechanisms and are keen to instill our values throughout our organisation.

The organisation values the contribution of its staff and is pleased to offer a renumeration package which includes:

• A company pension scheme which features a 5% employer contribution
• Annual leave entitlements starting at a generous 28 days per annum rising, with length of service, to a maximum of 31 days per annum.
• Flexible working practices
• And, most importantly, the reward of personal satisfaction from supporting our client groups

Why be a Substance Misuse Worker?

The Harbour Drugs and Alcohol Services Centre is committed to developing services in the Plymouth area to support its clients. Roles within Harbour are designed to support the organisation to effectively and efficiently achieve its goals. Some roles are client focused while others support the business functions.

There are a variety of roles which involve engaging with substance users, essentially they are about initiating and facilitating a positive lifestyle change. Client roles are divided into two categories; Substance Misuse Practioners who provide initial interventions and monitoring and Substance Misuse Specialists who offer detailed knowledge to create comprehensive care plans to guide the client through treatment to recovery.

Sean's Story

Sean is a Substance Misuse Specialist at harbour. We asked him to complete some key questions to provide an insight into working here.

How would you outline your role?

I offer therapeutic support to individuals who are experiencing difficulties as a consequence of their use of drugs and/or alcohol. I also offer support to others who are affected by an individual's substance use.

What are your main responsibilites?

I see people individually to assess their needs and goals and draw up a comprehensive care plan to support them. This can include educational programmes designed to reduce risk taking behaviour. It could also involve responding to overdose situations or providing information regarding the importance of healthy eating. I may arrange provision of substitute medication, liasing with the prescriber to ensure that clinical needs are met and conducting care plan and treatment reviews. I use motivational techniques to engage and support clients. My role includes identifying cases of hidden harm, such as children who may be at risk of harm or abuse or adults with mental health issues. We monitor an individual's progress and record this on a computerised client management system.

What is your working environment like?

I work within a multi-disciplinary team which includes Social Workers, Probation and Housing Officers, health care professionals, such as Doctors and Community Psychiatric Nurses and non medical prescribers, such as Pharmacists. I enjoy being part of a team that works to enable individuals to achieve their goals.

Describe your journey through Harbour?

Having undertaken a placement in a substance misuse centre my interest in drug and alcohol support began. I soon obtained a Practitioner post working with the Criminal Justice Team and very much enjoyed being a part of a multi-disciplinary team. I was then offered the opportunity to undertake outreach work with young people, which presented a whole new challenge. Having successfully completed a series of training courses, including a Level 3 City & Guilds Certificate in Working with Substance Misuse qualification, I moved into a specialist role.

What do you like/dislike about your job?

I particularly like having lots of client contact. The best part is seeing someone come into the service with a chaotic lifestyle and leave having attained their goals, whether these were to use less drugs or alcohol or to give them up completely. The work can be demanding and traumatic, especially supporting parents through child protection cases.

Living and Working in Plymouth

Plymouth is a diverse coastal city in the South West of England which has a long standing naval tradition with Devonport Dockyard supporting the MOD services for hundreds of years. In recent years Plymouth has become known for its world renowned marine scientists who are pioneering technologies in the sector. The city has benefited from recent regeneration programmes and is able to offer a wide variety of services and leisure facilities.

Set on the beautiful South Devon coast, Plymouth has a wealth of heritage ranging from the historical Barbican where fishing boats anchor to unload their catch of the day among a wealth of independant shops, restaurants and public houses, to the vibrant city centre with shops and businesses to meet your every need.

Within easy reach of Plymouth is the dramatic landscape of Dartmoor National Park which covers 954 sq km, offering the opportunity to undertake walking, rock climbing, cycling, letter boxing and much more. For those sunny days a range of beaches are within reach and offer a wealth of water sports activities.

For further information on services and facilities in Plymouth please visit the following sites:

http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/
http://www.visitplymouth.co.uk/
http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/

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