Why did you join Phoenix Futures?
Following my degree in psychology and sports at Nottingham Trent University, I volunteered for some community work at a large prison. It was here that I first became aware of Phoenix Futures. It was recognised as one of the best organisations involved in the drug and alcohol field, and I felt that it could offer a great way to take my own career forward.
I joined Phoenix Futures as a case manager and spent around nine months in that role before taking on my current role as an interventions worker.
What does your job involve?
Photograph: Phoenix Futures
This is an incredibly varied role. I work in a women’s prison and use my expertise to run a range of groups and treatment packages. Most of these address substance misuse, from providing practical advice and strategies to motivating service users and encouraging them to take responsibility for their own health and welfare.
I am also heavily involved in setting up and managing a peer mentoring scheme. This not only allows service users to share their knowledge and experience with others, it gives them the opportunity to gain NVQ level 2 qualifications as well. It’s a way of building their confidence, equipping them with new skills and contributing to the development of a more supportive and focused environment for everyone involved.
What makes your role interesting?
It may be a cliché, but every day really is different at Phoenix Futures. There’s something intensely satisfying in watching the women change and knowing that even the smallest success matters to them. You get to know the inmates really well and quickly realise that your work is having an impact. Not that it’s an easy environment to work in. You need to be consistent in everything you do and make sure that you look after your own safety as part of a professional team. But the sheer variety of work and personalities is both enjoyable and stimulating.
How much room is there for creative thinking?
Lots. Phoenix Futures is at the forefront of developments in the field and encourages you to explore new ideas and approaches. This has led to a number of recent initiatives, such as our Families in Recovery group, which enables prisoners and their family members to meet to discuss substance misuse, why people use, the impact on the individual using and their family, and coping mechanisms, and to set goals for the future of their relationship.
For me, being involved in the peer mentoring scheme has been particularly exciting. We now have four peer support groups in the prison, with several inmates now running their own groups. There’s a strong sense of purpose and cooperation. The prison staff are also great. They ask us to be here and help make our work possible. We have a really positive and productive relationship with them.
Is there a Phoenix Futures way of doing things?
I would say that our ambition is to be the best rather than the biggest, and that means building on the strengths that set us apart. One of those is our specialist expertise. People here work hard to learn from the past, identify best practice and share that knowledge right across the organisation. But there’s something beyond that. We are also passionate about recovery – always believing that individuals have the capacity to recover, always determined to develop the most effective evidence-based interventions, and always working together to deliver outcomes that make a real difference to others. That makes for a quite special career environment.
What about training and career development?
There’s a strong emphasis on both at Phoenix Futures. Even during my original probationary period, managers were helping me identify areas for development. Everyone here has a personal development plan and regular reviews to make sure that you stay on course to achieve your goals. Along with some great on-the-job training, I have attended a range of external courses including a four-day facilitator training course. I also hold an NVQ level 3 certificate in tackling substance misuse. The management team here are very supportive and I can see a good career path for myself within Phoenix Futures. If you are passionate about helping others recover from substance misuse and are willing to work hard and implement new ideas, this is a good place to be.
Find out more about job opportunities at Phoenix Futures here
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