Workforce development
In 2010-11 Adfam was part of The Drug Sector Partnership with Drugscope, The Alliance and eATA. Funded by the Department of Health it existed to improve working on drugs and alcohol between government and the third sector. Adfam carried out the workforce development part of the project.
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Developing a qualification
The first stage of the project consisted of developing an accreditation for practitioners supporting families affected by drug and alcohol use. A mapping exercise, an online survey and focus group in London and Leeds were used to gather information and develop a role profile, used as the basis of a joint accreditation between Adfam and FDAP. You can learn more on FDAP’s site.
These role profiles are now ready to be used by the sector. Role profiles are extremely useful in both recruitment and continued professional development and assessment.
Resources (pdfs)
- Role profiles for Family support worker and Drug and alcohol worker
- Role profiles briefing
- Summary literature review of relevant policy
- Summary of results from our online survey of family support providers
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Training directory
Adfam developed a simple training directory for training around families, drugs and alcohol. It is open to all training in England relevant to practitioners who support families affected by substance use.
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Volunteering toolkit
Adfam has developed a toolkit ‘Real voices in volunteering’ for use by any volunteer, prospective volunteer, volunteer-manager or prospective volunteer-manager.
It represents an important new resource – the first time that both the generic volunteering material and the background information on drugs, alcohol and families has been brought together into one place, illustrated by the real life experiences of recovering substance users, family members and volunteer managers. Throughout the creation of the toolkit these groups were consulted and their knowledge and expertise used.
Adfam hope and believe that this toolkit will aid those already involved in volunteering, encourage those thinking about becoming a volunteer and reassure organisations which are worried about employing someone with a history of substance use. We hope that you will, as a contributor said to us, – ‘be brave – step out there!’.
Resources (pdfs)