What is a Recovery Worker and how do you become one?

What is a Recovery Worker? 

Recovery Workers provide support, care, and advice to vulnerable individuals, and help them to turn their lives around for the better. Recovery Workers manage a caseload of people, and complete assessments to develop person-centred recovery plans to suit the individual’s needs.

Recovery Workers support a wide range of people, including people who:

• Are homeless.
• Suffer from issues with substance misuse (drug and alcohol).
• Have challenging behaviour.
• Are unemployed.
• Suffer from social exclusion.

What does a Recovery worker do?

 Typical day-to-day tasks of a Recovery Worker include:

• Writing reports.
• Developing close links with local communities to help them build a greater understanding of mental health issues.
• Providing practical and emotional support, care and companionship to vulnerable individuals and their families.
• Helping individuals to access services such as benefits or housing.
• Finding out individuals circumstances and providing them with support that suits their needs.
• Handling confidential and sensitive information.

How can I become a Recovery Worker?

There are various routes you can take to become a Recovery Worker. With no specific requirements or qualifications needed, other than a GCSE in both Maths and English, experience is key. Experience of working within a Mental Health service, either paid or voluntary, is a great start to a career as a Recovery Worker.

Skills and Characteristics required:

• Ability to remain calm when situations turn stressful.
• Understanding nature.
• Resilience.
• Ability to work in effective partnerships with others.
• Counselling skills, such as active listening on a non-judgemental approach.
• Ability to motivate people to make positive changes in their lives.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Flexible and adaptable.
• Effective problem-solving skills.

What are the Working conditions?

As a Recovery Worker, you will typically find yourself visiting individuals. From visiting them in their homes to mental health units, the working conditions can vary.

The environment that you work in can be challenging, as well as being emotionally demanding.

Recovery Worker shifts can involve working weekends, nights, evenings and early starts, as well working between 37 – 39 hours a week, on average. 

How much can a Recovery Worker expect to get paid?

The average yearly salary for a Recovery Worker can vary depending on the position and years of experience. The starting salary begins at around £20,000 with more experienced Recovery Workers having the opportunity to earn anything up to £35,000.

Looking for your next role as a Recovery Worker?

If you are looking for a Recovery Worker role, click here to view our latest positions.

Can’t find what you are looking for? Call us today on 01473 939670 and a dedicated member of our Criminal Justice team will be able to help you find your next role.