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DRINK & DRUGS NEWS :: Q&AYou ask the questions - you answer the questions. Please keep your answers coming, and feel free to email a new question. Thanks to this issue's respondents for their contributions. Question:I have just qualified as a mental health nurse and although
I am working at a psychiatric unit I realise that this is not the
area I want to pursue. I have begun working on a detox unit doing
occasional shifts and this has finalised my goals of becoming a
substance misuse worker or something similar. However, I am unsure
what length of experience I require to start applying for posts.
I have volunteered for Turning Point in Chester to gain experience
and will be spending a day at Addaction next week. Any advice would
be greatly accepted. [Lynze, Wrexham] Your replies...Lynze, Hi, like you I decided that wanted to work within the drugs field. Unlike you I had no real relevant experience, or so I thought. I was working as a recruitment consultant interviewing people and sending them off to do what sounded like really exciting jobs, working in hostels, in outreach services, with substance users etc. I contacted one of the companies that I was recruiting for, and asked the question 'what experience do I need to work for you'? They informed me that they take on people with no experience, but in a support role to the project workers, it meant a £5k paycut, but I was excited about a job for the first time in ages. I had the interview... waited with baited breath... only to get the call. They had decided that because of my other work experience, my approachability, my non-judgemental attitude and my obvious willingness to learn that they would start me off as a project worker (only a £4k paycut!) So I started work in a hostel for clients with a history of substance use. I knew from experience, as a recruitment consultant, that once I gained 12 months experience I would be a much more marketable proposition, so I set about attending as many training courses as I could, and spent lots of my own time researching drugs on the internet. After my 12 months I started to look for other opportunities, and landed a job as a Housing Assessment and Support Worker on the substance use team with the local authority. A brilliant job to say the least. You already have many transferable skills, especially with your knowledge around mental health issues, I am guessing that you will be fantastic around issues relating to dual diagnosis. You are going in the right direction, start looking on the web, getting job specs for posts you like the look off, see what experience you need to do them, and go out and get it. Good luck Oh, by the way, I have just been promoted, my new job title is 'policy and development officer - substance use'. Never forget those transferable skills! Alyson Taylor
Dear Lynze Check out this site which has all sorts of information on what it takes to become a drug worker - it's pretty good. www.drugshelper.org Cheers Simon
Hi Lynze It sounds as though your experience would equip you very well for working in dual diagnosis. You would be using your skills and training and working in a vital and under-resourced part of the field. There's a desperate need for expertise such as yours. We have lots of enthusiastic staff at our service - myself included - but we recognise we are out of our depth with dual diagnosis and are quick to call on our colleagues in the mental health services to help out. If we had someone with your training, we might be able to keep people engaged with our support services for longer. Good luck with finding your new role. Helen, Portsmouth
Dear Lynze How about dual diagnosis? It sounds to me that you have the twin skills to work in this expanding field. There are dual diagnosis positions being advertised in this issue for Powys Council. If this doesn't appeal, lots of organisations out there will offer on the job training to someone with your background and your enthusiasm. Why not send them all your CV? And of course always keep your eyes on the job pages in DDN! Good luck with your job search. Ian Ralph, advertising manager, DDN
Dear Lynze As a newly qualified mental health nurse you would be very welcome to apply for posts (substantive and bank work) at Kenyon House. Kenyon House is an NHS in-patient unit at Prestwich, Manchester providing detoxification and stabilisation to people from Greater Manchester and Lancashire. The unit is part of a substance misuse directorate within a mental health trust, which offers career opportunities in alcohol and drug treatment, including both in-patient and community work. The telephone number is 0161 773 9121. Regards Louise Sell, Associate Clinical Director
Lynze, Great news to hear that you want to join the drugs and alcohol field. It's actually quite difficult to give you firm advice on how to do so - but for someone with your qualifications it should be a fairly straightforward matter. As you are probably aware our field has grown substantially in recent years, which makes it an employees' market to some extent, particularly for someone with a qualification and experience in the health care sector. You may well find that you could apply for some positions with what you already have - particularly those aimed at nurses. But certainly doing some voluntary work can only enhance your CV. You could also do some introductory training - the 'training' section of the DDN website has probably the most comprehensive list of courses, and you might also want to contact your local colleges to find out what they have on offer. Good luck - and we look forward to you joining the field soon! Simon Shepherd, FDAP
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