1. Home: Explore careers
  2. Drug and alcohol worker

Drug and alcohol worker

Alternative titles for this job include Recovery worker

Drug and alcohol workers help people tackle their drug, alcohol or substance misuse problems.

Average salary (a year)

£17,000 Starter

to

£30,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

30 to 37 a week

You could work

on call at short notice

How to become

How to become a drug and alcohol worker

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
  • volunteering
  • applying directly

College

There are part-time college courses which will give you an understanding of some of the issues. These include:

  • Level 1 or Level 2 Award in Substance Misuse Awareness
  • Level 3 Certificate in Tackling Substance Misuse

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

More Information

Apprenticeship

You could start out by completing an adult care worker intermediate apprenticeship then move into support work.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

More Information

Work

You can be a support worker with few qualifications, as long as you have enough relevant experience and the qualities employers are looking for.

Volunteering

This is a job where volunteering is highly valued and can lead to paid work. You can find volunteering opportunities by contacting local substance misuse organisations listed on Frank.

Do It has more information on general volunteering opportunities in your area.

Direct Application

You could apply directly to become a drug and alcohol worker. There are no formal entry requirements. You could have an advantage if you've got personal experience of addiction or dependency.

You may also come into this work from a variety of backgrounds, like nursing, criminal justice, social care, youth work or counselling. For example, you may have dealt with drug or alcohol-dependent patients as a nurse, or worked in the probation service, supporting offenders after their release.

More Information

Further information

You can find out more about becoming a drug and alcohol worker from Turning Point.

What it takes

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
  • knowledge of psychology
  • customer service skills
  • sensitivity and understanding
  • the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • the ability to work well with others
  • the ability to understand people’s reactions
  • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

What you’ll do

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

You could do:

  • outreach work - visit substance users and help with immediate needs
  • drop-in centre work - talk to clients about their needs and find ways of supporting them towards recovery
  • counselling and rehabilitation - give support and deal with the causes of substance misuse
  • arrest referral work - support clients arrested for drug-related offences
  • education and training - help clients access services
  • healthcare - work as a specialist nurse in an addiction clinic
  • needle exchange - provide clean sharps and give advice on how to use substances safely

Working environment

You could work at a health centre, at a school, in the community, in a prison or at an outreach centre.

Your working environment may be emotionally demanding.

Career path and progression

Career path and progression

With experience, you could become a volunteer coordinator, project team leader or service manager.

Current opportunities

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

Adult Care Worker Apprentice

  • Wage: £8,281.00 Annually
  • Location:

Apprentice Adult Care Worker - Manchester

  • Wage: £17,550.00 Annually
  • Location:
Find apprenticeships near you

Courses In England

Are you interested in becoming a drug and alcohol worker?

Search for training courses near you.

Jobs In the United Kingdom

The Find a job service can help you with your search for jobs and send alerts when new jobs become available.

Search further careers

Related careers

Skills assessment

Take an assessment to learn more about your skills and the careers that might suit you.

Speak to an adviser

Call 0800 100 900 or use webchat

  • 8am - 8pm Monday - Friday
  • 10am - 5pm Saturday

Is this page useful?

Yes No

Thank you for your feedback.

Thank you for your feedback. Click here if you'd like to let us know how we can improve the service.