Youth Justice Drug and Alcohol Practitioner – North Yorkshire Horizons

Location: Covering Harrogate, Richmondshire, Hambleton and Craven.
Working Hours: 24.50 hours per week over 3.5 days
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: £25,110 - £32,090 per annum (pro rata)

Make a real difference in your community

Are you passionate about helping others live safer, healthier and more independent lives?

Join Waythrough, one of the UK’s leading mental health and social support charities, and make a lasting impact every day.

We support over 125,000 people each year through our 200 services, empowering individuals to overcome challenges around mental health, housing, and substance use.

About the Role

Are you looking for a challenging and rewarding role where you can make a real difference to the lives of vulnerable children, young people and their families? Look no further than North Yorkshire RISE.

North Yorkshire RISE is a specialist young people’s drug and alcohol service. Commissioned by North Yorkshire Council. NY RISE works with young people across North Yorkshire aged 10-19 and up to 24 with SEND who need specialist support around drug and alcohol use.

The position of Youth Justice Drug and Alcohol Practitioner will work within North Yorkshire Council's Youth Justice Team.

The core focus of this job is to ensure that all young people supervised by the Youth Justice Service (YJS) are assessed and treated for drug and alcohol usage with the aim of minimising harm to them and preventing and reducing offending. The postholder will do this through the provision of advice, guidance and support to members of staff within the YJS team.

What You’ll Do

You will provide specialist drug and alcohol support to children and young people at risk of or using substances, enabling them to make informed choices and build resilience to substance use.
Undertake assessments of children and young people supervised by the YJS.
To have a commitment to shared values and the common purpose of developing a culture of interagency working; including statutory bodies, third and private sector organisations.
To ensure that strategic visions are translated into local plans in collaboration with professionals, partners and people using the service.
This role involves spoken communications so a confident use of English language is required.

To Succeed in This Role, You’ll Need:

A Level 3 NVQ in Health and Social Care.
Strong IT skills.
Strong communication skills.
Experience of working with children, young people and/or families.
Experience of undertaking comprehensive assessments.
Experience of delivering 1-2-1 and group therapeutic interventions.
Driving licence essential for this role.

To view the full job description and person specification, please click here.
Please be advised, if you are viewing this role on Indeed, the link to the job description will not work. Please click the 'Apply via Company Website' button to be redirected to our careers page, where you will be able to view the job description in full.

The salary advertised above demonstrates the full earning potential for this role, starting salaries will allow for pay progression within the pay band.

About Waythrough

Formed in 2024 through the merger of Humankind and Richmond Fellowship, Waythrough is now one of the largest mental health and social support charities in England.

With 3,500 staff and volunteers across more than 200 services, we help people to live full, meaningful lives.

Some roles may still appear under our legacy brands (Humankind, Richmond Fellowship, Aquarius) while we complete our integration — but wherever you join us, you’ll be part of one supportive team, sharing one purpose.

What We Offer

We value the people who make a difference every day. Alongside meaningful work, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package:

27 days’ annual leave, rising to 32 after 1 year (plus bank holidays)
Pension scheme with 4.5% employer contribution, matched up to 6.5%
Life assurance (3× annual salary)
Enhanced sick pay and family-friendly pay
Birthday leave and the option to buy up to 5 extra days’ annual leave
Professional fee reimbursement for relevant qualifications
24/7 online GP access and Employee Assistance Programme
Recognition and long service awards via our Way to Go and Aspirations portals
£500 Recommend a Friend bonus
Cycle to Work scheme and Credit Union membership
Discounts via Blue Light Card, Charity Discounts, Extras and Tickets for Good
Free will writing service and wellbeing initiatives throughout the year

Inclusion and Accessibility

Waythrough is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and communities — especially those with lived experience of the issues we support.

If you need adjustments or support to apply, please email recruitmentteam@waythrough.org.uk.

How to Apply

If you’re viewing this advert on an external platform such as Indeed, please click ‘Apply via Company Website’ to view the full job description and submit your application.

Please note: The salary listed reflects the full earning potential for this role. Starting salaries depend on experience and progression within the band.