Support, time and recovery worker
A support, time and recovery (STR) worker helps adults and young people with mental health problems or a learning disability. By offering practical support and advice, they are improving people's lives across the local community.
Working life
STR workers provide support and give time to the service user to help their recovery.
You'll help people manage a variety of issues affecting their ability to live their lives such as:
- homelessness
- substance misuse (alcohol and drugs)
- social exclusion
- challenging behaviour
- unemployment
- basic skills
You'll help them by:
- undestanding what they need and building relationships
- planning a programme of support
- working with their families and friends
- referring them to other agencies that can help
- recording information and updating records.
Where will I work?
You may be based in mental health units, probation service offices, clinics, courts, hospitals or police headquarters. Wherever they are based, STR workers spend a lot of time visiting people in their homes.
Who will I work with?
As well as working with people in the local community, you may work with mental health nurses, psychiatrists and social workers. You will also work with other agencies such as housing, police, training providers and accommodation providers.
Entry requirements
There are no set entry requirements to become a support, time and recovery worker. However, employers ask for a qualification in healthcare and/or relevant experience.
Employers often want to see that you have experience of mental health services. This could be from working with young people or adults with mental health issues, either paid or voluntary. Your experience could also be from your personal circumstances - looking after someone with mental health issues or dealing with your own mental health issues.
Employers also expect good literacy and numeracy. They may ask for GCSEs or equivalent.
Skills and personal characteristics needed
STR workers need to be:
- willing to work with people with challenging behaviour
- able to motivate people to make changes in their lives
- accepting of other peoples lifestyles
- understanding of people with mental health issues
- flexible and adaptable to deal with unpredictable situations
- resilient
- calm in stressful situations
You'll also need
- very good communication skills, including listening
- accurate report-writing skills
- practical skills for everyday living
- problem-solving skills
Training and development
As an STR worker, you will go through an induction programme. You will have ongoing training to keep your skills and knowledge up to date.
You may work towards a qualification in mental health at level 2 or 3. This may be via an apprenticeship.
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Support, time and recovery workers working in the NHS are paid on the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay system. You would typically start on AfC band 3. With further training and experience, you could apply for more senior positions at bands 4 and above.
STR workers work standard hours of around 37.5 a week. They often work shifts, which could involve nights, early starts, evenings and weekends.
Terms and conditions will usually be different for STR workers working outside of the NHS.
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You could apply to train as an assistant practitioner or with necessary qualifications, as a mental health nurse or for a career in the psychological therapies.
If you're applying for a role either directly in the NHS or in an organisation that provides NHS services, you'll be asked to show how you think the NHS values apply in your everyday work. Find out more about NHS values.
Most NHS trusts advertise their vacancies on NHS Jobs. You can find some of the current vacancies below.
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Senior Support Time, and Recovery Worker
London, SE25 6LL
- Salary :
- £32199.00 to £34876.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
-
Support to Recovery Worker
Batley, WF17 5PW
- Salary :
- £24937.00 to £26598.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust
-
Theatre Support Worker - Recovery
Preston, PR2 9HT
- Salary :
- £24465.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Recovery Worker
Werington, ST9 0DX
- Salary :
- £31049.00 to £37796.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Inclusion
-
Recovery Worker
Gosport, PO12 3PW
- Salary :
- £24625.00 to £25674.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
-
Crisis Recovery Worker
Tunbridge Wells, TN4 9QT
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Mental Health Matters
-
Crisis Recovery Worker
Ashford, TN24 0LZ
- Salary :
- £25958.00 to £28662.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Mental Health Matters
-
Part Time Senior Support Worker
Keighley, BD20 7JS
- Salary :
- £25740.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Elysium Healthcare
-
Recovery Worker (Ref:0063ZB)
Truro, TR1 2EJ
- Salary :
- £26383.00 to £26383.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- We Are With You
-
Dual Diagnosis Recovery Worker
London, N15 3TH
- Salary :
- £35763.00 to £43466.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- North London NHS Foundation Trust
-
Substance Misuse Recovery Worker
Glen Parva, LE18 4WS
- Salary :
- £32346.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Practice Plus Group
-
Recovery Worker (Ref:0046ZB)
Penzance, TR18 2JD
- Salary :
- £26384.00 to £31762.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- We Are With You
-
Recovery Worker (Ref: 0006ZC)
Darlington, DL3 7JX
- Salary :
- £24570.00 to £31762.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- We Are With You
-
Recovery Worker (Ref:0040ZB)
St. Austell, PL25 4DB
- Salary :
- £26384.00 to £26384.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- We Are With You
-
Specialist Alcohol Recovery Worker
Eastleigh, SO50 5LG
- Salary :
- £31049.00 to £37796.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Inclusion
-
Mental Health Recovery Worker
Enfield, N21 2RH
- Salary :
- £27000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- The Social Interest Group
-
Outreach Recovery Worker (Ref:0028ZB)
Truro, TR1 2EJ
- Salary :
- £26535.00 to £26535.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- We Are With You
-
Recovery Worker - Wandsworth Ref:0065ZD
Wandsworth, SW11 1SW
- Salary :
- £28570.00 to £34762.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- We Are With You
-
Band 6 Deputy Ward Manager - Dan Mooney House (Steps to Recovery)
Solihull, B93 0QA
- Salary :
- £38682.00 to £46580.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
-
Recovery Worker - Rough Sleepers (Ref: 0051ZA)
Wigan, WN1 1HR
- Salary :
- £23821.00 to £29000.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- We Are With You
-
Recovery Worker - Offender Care (Ref:0062ZD)
Wandsworth, SW11 1SW
- Salary :
- £28570.00 to £35762.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- We Are With You
-
Recovery Worker - Criminal Justice (Ref: 0057ZA)
Leigh, WN7 2PJ
- Salary :
- £24570.00 to £31762.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- We Are With You
-
Specialist Community Forensic Team Recovery Worker
Sheffield, S1 4RH
- Salary :
- £24937.00 to £26598.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust
-
Administrator / Healthcare Support Worker (term-time only)
Banbury, OX16 2EZ
- Salary :
- £24937.00 to £26598.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Oxford Health NHS Trust
-
Part time Enhanced Response Service Support Workers
Cambridge, PE15 8NE
- Salary :
- £26403.00 to £28142.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cambridgeshire County Council
-
Recovery Workers - Substance Misuse (Fixed Term Ref:0064ZD)
Bournemouth, BH1 4NB
- Salary :
- £24570.00 to £26000.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- We Are With You
-
Recovery Worker - covering the duty office (Ref:0064ZB)
Truro, TR1 2EJ
- Salary :
- £26383.00 to £26383.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- We Are With You
-
Night Support Worker – Complex Care | Full-Time | Norwich, Norfolk
Norwich, NR14 7AH
- Salary :
- £14.15 to £15.20
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Enviva Complex Care
-
Social Worker - Part-time
Walton on the Hill, KT20 7RQ
- Salary :
- £23800.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Elysium Healthcare
-
Welcome Home Worker - part time
Bristol, BS15 8DB
- Salary :
- £27394.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Southernbrooks Community Partnerships
-
Support Worker
Darlington, DL3 9LN
- Salary :
- £12.60
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cygnet Health Care
-
Support Worker
South West, GL1 5UA
- Salary :
- £29243.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cygnet Health Care
-
Support Worker
Long Eaton Day Services, East Midlands, NG10 1DS
- Salary :
- £26208.00 to £26208.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cygnet Health Care
-
Support Worker
Clayton, BD14 6NP
- Salary :
- £12.60
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cygnet Health Care
-
Support Worker
Redhill, RH1 6JJ
- Salary :
- £12.85
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Elysium Healthcare
-
Support Worker
East Midlands, DE24 8WZ
- Salary :
- £27476.80 to £27476.80
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cygnet Health Care
-
Support worker
Keighley, BD21 4HP
- Salary :
- £13.00 to £13.92
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Enviva Complex Care
-
Support Worker
Trowbridge, BA14 8JN
- Salary :
- £25183.00 to £25992.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Wiltshire Council
-
Support Worker
Wales, SA20 0LP
- Salary :
- £12.60
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cygnet Health Care
-
Support Worker
Manchester, M14 6UB
- Salary :
- £12.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Equilibrium Healthcare
-
Support Worker
Manchester, M14 6UB
- Salary :
- £12.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Equilibrium Healthcare
-
Support Worker
Mansfield, East Midlands, NG21 0HR
- Salary :
- £27736.80 to £27736.80
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cygnet Health Care
-
Support Worker
Keighley, BD20 6NA
- Salary :
- £12.60
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cygnet Health Care
-
Support Worker
Dunblane, Scotland, FK15 0DR
- Salary :
- £26540.80 to £26540.80
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cygnet Health Care
-
Support Workers
Huntingdon, PE29 1JT
- Salary :
- £25583.00 to £25989.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cambridgeshire County Council
-
Support Worker
Nr Pontypool, NP4 0AH
- Salary :
- £25448.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Elysium Healthcare
-
Support Worker
Wales, SA19 6DB
- Salary :
- £12.60
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cygnet Health Care
-
Support Worker
Wales, CH7 6FQ
- Salary :
- £27518.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cygnet Health Care
-
Support Worker
Chesterfield, S43 3DN
- Salary :
- £12.60
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cygnet Health Care
-
Support Worker
South Leverton, Retford, East Midlands, DN22 0BY
- Salary :
- £26208.00 to £26208.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cygnet Health Care
-
Support Worker
Manchester, M13 0YL
- Salary :
- £12.21
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Equilibrium Healthcare
-
Support Worker
Idle, BD10 8QY
- Salary :
- £12.60
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cygnet Health Care
-
Support Worker
East Bridgford, East Midlands, NG13 8PJ
- Salary :
- £26208.00 to £26208.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cygnet Health Care
-
Support Worker
Maidenhead, SL6 4EP
- Salary :
- £23807.45
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Optalis Limited
-
Support Worker
Charlwood, Horley, RH6 0BG
- Salary :
- £24465.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
-
Support Worker
Sheerness, ME12 3LT
- Salary :
- £24486.00 to £24486.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- HCRG Care Group
-
Support Worker
Lockerbie, Scotland, DG11 2DS
- Salary :
- £26540.80 to £26540.80
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cygnet Health Care
-
SUPPORT WORKER
Chippenham, SN15 3PA
- Salary :
- £13.47 to £13.90
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Wiltshire Council
-
Support Worker
Newport, PO30 5TG
- Salary :
- £24937.00 to £26598.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
-
Support Worker
Hartlepool, TS26 9PW
- Salary :
- £12.60
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cygnet Health Care
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