Welcome to our next Weekly Bulletin. If you would like us to include something on our weekly news, please get in touch by emailing [email protected].
Welcome James!
We are delighted to welcome James Slater to our team as Community Co-ordinator, following a recent staff reshuffle. James will be covering South East and South West England, bringing his experience and enthusiasm to the role.
About James:
After seven-plus years as a SMART Participant & Facilitator, I’m delighted to join the team at UK SMART Recovery as Community Coordinator for the South of England. I’m returning to the world of work after five years semi-retired & volunteering: with SMART; my local Drug & Alcohol service; Citizens Advice; & a few other worthwhile enterprises.
Before that, I was very fortunate to have a near-40-year career of Public Service, split into two halves: the Police and then NHS management.
SMART’s behavioural & mindful approach is central to my life in Recovery. As a Facilitator, I hope to get across the messages that I took from my very first meeting: 1. we are not alone in this; 2. we can begin to tell the truth; & 3. change is possible.
So: applying those messages – these days, as part of my balanced life in Bath, I play the ukulele & the bass guitar (but not at the same time)…
Please join us in giving James a warm welcome to the team!
North East and Yorkshire News
Our North East and Yorkshire Community Coordinator, Jeni Langley, had a busy start to Recovery Month with fantastic events at the Road to Recovery Trust in Newcastle on Monday and it was on to Hartlepool on Tuesday. Here are the timetables for the brilliant events happening the regions.
We’re Hiring
UK SMART Recovery Community Coordinator – The Midlands plus London.
Full-Time (30-37.5hrs available) | Starting Salary £23,809.50 per annum| Home-based with regular travel
Initial 12-month contract, becoming permanent following a successful probation period
UK SMART Recovery is excited to announce a rare opportunity for a highly motivated and compassionate individual with experience in addiction recovery and/or mental health to join our small but passionate team as a Community Coordinator. By supporting our amazing volunteer facilitators and our highly valued partnership organisations, you’ll help drive the growth of our SMART Recovery meetings across 2 distinct geographical areas: The Midlands and London making our 4 Point Programmes even more accessible to those wanting to successfully manage any type of addictive behaviour.
The West Midlands: Cities and Boroughs; Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Walsall, Solihull and the counties of Staffordshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire.
The East Midlands: Cities and Boroughs; Derby, Leicester, Lincoln, Nottingham and the counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, South Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Rutland.
London: London city region.
To thrive in this role, you’ll need hands-on experience of facilitating groups or meetings and an understanding of what great facilitation looks like. Whilst already being a qualified SMART Recovery Facilitator and/or having engaged with our meetings as a previous participant is a distinct advantage, we also accept applications from individuals with a general awareness and understanding of our 4-Point Programme. Importantly, you’ll be someone who brings people together, listens deeply, and creates a safe, empowering space for growth and recovery. Moreover, it’s your ability to connect and nurture these attributes in others that matters most.
Your presentation skills should engage, inspire, and inform with clarity and warmth, whether you’re speaking with a room full of volunteers, delivering training via Zoom, or presenting to our partnership organisations.
We welcome applications from individuals with lived experience of addiction, whether that’s your own recovery journey or being close to someone else’s. It’s essential for you to bring empathy, authenticity, and a deep respect for others’ experiences to all of your interactions. You’ll need to be self-motivated and highly organised, and able to manage your time, workload, and travel with autonomy. You’ll be someone who uplifts, encourages, and empowers, helping others see what’s possible.
You should be experienced in working with volunteers, understanding how to support and develop their skills. Previous delivery of training is essential, and if that experience has been gained in a peer-support or recovery setting, all the better. This role requires emotional intelligence and groundedness; you’ll be working with people who have faced adversity, and your ability to support them within clear, professional boundaries is critical. Giving and receiving feedback, gathering data and other evidence to inform service development, and exercising reflective practice are all essential attributes.
As this is a home-based role, you’ll need to be comfortable forming meaningful relationships online, building trust and connection via email, phone, and video calls. We’ll provide the equipment you need, but you’ll bring the energy and adaptability to make remote working feel personal and productive. Regular travel across the defined regions is a vital part of the role, visiting SMART Recovery meetings in the community and within partner organisations, and offering continual support to facilitators, are all essential in helping our network continue to grow with the quality we strive for.
You’ll also contribute to key projects that move SMART Recovery forward, adding your voice and insight to help shape what comes next. To do this well, it’s essential that you live in the South of England (excluding London), have a valid UK driving license, and access to a car for regular regional travel.
For an application pack: Email [email protected]
Or Call Central Office 0330 053 6022 (Monday -Friday, 9.30am – 4.00pm)
The closing date for completed applications is 5pm on Friday 5th September 2025.
Interviews are anticipated to take place week commencing 29th September 2025.
his post is subject to a satisfactory DBS/PVG check and references.