We are seeking a playful, adaptable, and confident individuals for play worker posts at Play Midlothian, to deliver high quality services, enabling children to thrive through play.

Community Play Worker (CPW)

• First Aid: Desirable – can be attained whilst employed by the company. PM can support sourcing and funding courses.
• Child Protection Training: Essential – PM can support sourcing and funding courses.
• PVG Membership – Essential – PM can facilitate.
• Responsibility / duties – facilitating adventurous and creative play under the supervision of the Play Team Lead. The Community Play Worker may be asked to ‘lead’ a session alongside another CPW or APW once an agreed induction period has been fulfilled.

About Play Midlothian

Play Midlothian is a registered charity (no. SC025474) working to support children to thrive through play. We focus on play because we know how much this benefits children’s health, wellbeing and development. It is important for their lives in the here and now as well as for their future life chances.

We strive to remove barriers to play where they exist, to ensure all children have access to play that meets their needs. We provide services for children and families and build the capacity of communities to support play. This includes training and development opportunities for other settings, including schools. We are also a partner in the Midlothian Play Strategy, which takes a strategic approach in planning for and promoting play in Midlothian.

We have an office base in Dalkeith but deliver services throughout Midlothian, and if commissioned, beyond.

About the role

Our Playworkers support session planning and the day-to-day practicalities of our play services, carry out play work, and support services users. It is essential that the successful applicant enjoys all types of play and can respond flexibly to the needs of participants.

We are looking for someone who enjoys working as part of a team and can build productive relationships with our participants, colleagues and other stakeholders, while demonstrating an enthusiasm for Play Midlothian’s aims and values.

The postholder will be directed day to day by a Team Leader, and work as part of a team of Community Playworkers and at times volunteers.

It is important the postholder can be flexible about their hours, which will be worked over four or five days on a rota pattern over a 7-day week. Out 2 Play shifts may finish approx. 6.00/6.30pm. We value employees having work/life balance and aim to establish a pattern that shares out any evening and weekend working, so each employee has regular weekends off.

Play Midlothian’s services take place in a variety of community settings. Some are indoors, though a high proportion of our current services are exclusively outdoors (all year round), therefore the role will particularly suit applicants with a fondness for the outdoors.

We work with children and young people aged 0-13 (and at times older), with their parents/carers at some of our services, and at times with specific needs (including disability and emerging mental health challenges). We work with a variety of service models, though with the focus firmly on self-directed play. The goal is always to ensure that children have access to play opportunities that enable them to thrive.

Information on our current services can be found on our website.

For the right candidate, this will be a highly rewarding and stimulating role, offering plenty of variety in their work – all the while enabling their passion for children’s play to shine though.

To lead the provision of relationship-based support delivered to young people and families in the community and to promote positive outcomes in line with the values and principles of includem.

Purpose & Context of Role

The postholder will manage their own caseload ensuring support plans are developed with the young person to respond to their individual needs and supporting them to improve outcomes in line with GIRFEC principles and includem’s model of support.

A project worker will demonstrate leadership and ownership over effective service delivery to young people by managing outcomes for young people through use of line managers, colleagues and organisational tools, processes, policies, and procedures.

The key responsibilities of the Project Worker include, but are not limited to:

Service Delivery

• To build relationships and deliver outcome-based support to young people and families, involving all key stakeholders.
• To be available for young people and families at critical times
• To explore values and attitudes with young people in a supportive manner, to affirm and validate their feelings and ideas, and nurture and confirm their learning.
• To ensure a focus on regular and appropriate case progression to help young people and families recognise progress.
• To assess and respond appropriately to situations where young people and/or families may be at risk of harm.
• To support with crisis management and generate solutions for young people and families using the Helpline, with risk enablement being at the heart of professional judgement and decision making.

People

• To understand the different coping mechanisms that young people and their families use to deal with stress and high emotions, and to respond appropriately.
• To demonstrate professional resilience when providing support with sensitive or challenging issues
• To use a strengths-based approach to empower individuals facing adversity to find solutions and make positive changes, ensuring resources are in place to sustain these changes.
• To establish mutually trusting, open and non-judgemental relationship with young people and their families
• To encourage and lead collaborative team work to provide a ‘scaffolding of support’ around each young person and their family.
• To respect and value the contribution of wider stakeholders and the delivery of includem services.
• Where opportunity allows experience of directing, supporting, and mentoring Assistant Project Workers/Sessional staff.
• Any other duties as designated by your line manager.

Resources

• To deploy time effectively to meet the needs of young people and families to ensure the service is available 24/7, 365 days per year.
• To maintain and produce accurate and timely records and reports.
• To ensure support is delivered in line with includem’s Policies Procedures, SSSC Codes of Practice & National Guidelines

Influence

• To gain commitment from other stakeholders with varying demands and priorities
• To ensure young people and families are empowered to make informed choices.
• To support young people and families to effectively communicate with others.
• To work with young people to identify goals aligned to wellbeing indicators and to positively influence progression towards these goals.
• To reflect on practice, share learning and promote continuous practice improvement within a team setting.
• To articulate and endorse the includem framework of intervention and the key aspects of the service delivery model to a wide audience.
• To role model appropriate practice standards and professional boundaries to others
• To ensure a high-quality service is delivered to young people and families.
• Demonstrate understanding of your impact on people and how they might see you.

Quality Assurance

• To be accountable for the quality of your work and be able to evidence this work effectively.
• To actively participate in formal supervision and continuous professional development.
• To generate creative and new solutions to issues faced by young people and families.

If you want to apply you must have full UK driving licence.

Full job description can be found here.

About Volunteering Matters

We are looking for a talented, dynamic, and compassionate Youth Engagement Manager to join our team in Edinburgh. The right candidate would be someone who can work flexibly and demonstrate an understanding and total commitment to our organisational values.

This role will be working in partnership with St Thomas of Aquins R.C High School, we have been delivering Brighter Futures here for two years and have funding till June 2025.

At Volunteering Matters we use volunteering’s unique power to bring people together and build stronger, more resilient communities across the UK.

We bring people together to resolve some of society’s most complex issues. From social isolation and loneliness; improving health and wellbeing; building skills, confidence, and opportunity; to ensuring young people can become change makers in their community, the impact that we make is great. And we won’t stop until everyone in the UK has the opportunity to thrive.

People-led and impact driven, we are a national charity that is deeply embedded in local areas across the UK. We operate in five regions: London and the South East; Wales and the West of England; East of England; the Midlands and North West England; and Scotland and North East England. We also have an Employee Volunteering Team with over 25 years’ experience, acting as a broker to provide tailor-made solutions to employers. We turn local knowledge and energy into action and progress, building stronger communities and a better future for all.

This is an exciting time to be joining the team. We’re changing the way we work to meet new ambitions and make sure our impact continues to grow alongside out business.

About the role

Project Scotland, part of the national charity Volunteering Matters, supports young people to get on in life through the power of volunteering. Brighter futures work with pupils (aged 13-16), we offer disadvantaged pupils struggling to engage with the regular school curriculum the opportunity to undertake a volunteering placement as well as the option of having a mentor. We support and empower pupils to gain skills and confidence in a new environment within the wider community, promoting a sense of belonging, whilst extending horizons and aspirations.

We are looking for a talented, dynamic, and compassionate Youth Engagement Manager to join our team in Edinburgh. The right candidate would be someone who can work flexibly and demonstrate an understanding and total commitment to our organisational values.

This role will be working in partnership with St Thomas of Aquins R.C High School, we have been delivering Brighter Futures here for two years and have funding till June 2025.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

• To build relationships with secondary school pupils, particularly those on flexible timetables, who have complex and challenging barriers, acting in a non-judgemental way to support them through their Brighter Futures journey
• Consistently role modelling and displaying Volunteering Matters organisational values
• Deliver and develop the Brighter Futures Schools programme within in St Thomas of Aquins R.C High School, meeting ambitious targets and milestones, ensuring all young people engaged achieve positive outcome.
• Provide pre and post volunteering practical and emotional support to each pupil, helping to build their confidence and identify achievable goals as well support the pupil to complete awards and qualifications linked to their volunteering.
• Engaging with current charity partners, not for profit organisations and social enterprises and developing new ones in line with our Best Practice for under 16’s volunteering.
• Develop diverse, high quality and bespoke volunteer placements with third sector partners that reflect the needs and interests of pupils.
• Effective recruitment, selection, training, and ongoing support of a diverse pool of talented and dedicated volunteer mentors from a wide cross-section of the community
• To maintain Volunteering Matters standards around quality and effective Volunteer Management
• To manage all elements of a young person’s experience, from referral to completion of their journey, including managing the match with their mentor.
• To manage the risk assessment, safeguarding, quality assurance and audit processes as appropriate
• Ensure monitoring, impact and evaluation information is collected and that Brighter Futures meets it’s agreed targets, reporting format and schedule.
• Administration tasks including maintaining effective and accessible records, the use of Microsoft Office, Teams, Zoom and other software such as Canva (use to develop relevant promotional material and information)

Our Values & Way of Working:

In all that we do, we embrace a philosophy of ‘Freedom within a Framework’ and are guided by our values: Empowering, Inclusive, Compassionate, Positive & Straightforward.

Benefits

Our employee benefits reflect our culture which is built on an approach of full flexibility with accountability, and designed to let you make your most positive contribution; we offer Flexible Working by Default (re hours & place of work), Unlimited Annual Leave, Employee Pension scheme, Life Assurance, Cycle to Work Scheme, Season Ticket Loan, Employee Assistance Programme, enhanced sick and family leave. We are also open to discuss job share applications.

Are you passionate about making a positive impact in the lives of others? Do you possess exceptional skills and a drive to create meaningful change? If so, we invite you to join our team as a Therapeutic Practitioner for our brand new Dayhab service in Aberdeen City.

As a Therapeutic Practitioner at our brand-new Dayhab facility in Aberdeen, you will play a pivotal role in providing high-quality therapeutic services to our service users. Supported and guided by the Service Manager, you will also take on a senior role in guiding and supervising volunteers within the facility.

The Role

• Provide leadership and guidance to volunteers to ensure effective delivery of services.
• Collaborate with the Service Manager and colleagues to develop and refine the Therapeutic Community program tailored to the needs of our service user
• Oversee the implementation of the Therapeutic Community program, ensuring adherence to best practices and standards.
• Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of the program, making adjustments as necessary to optimize outcomes for service users.
• Contribute to the ongoing development and improvement of the overall service in Aberdeen, working closely with the Service Manager and other team members.

About You

• Experience of facilitating or co-facilitating group programmes
• Experience of delivering 1 to 1 support
• An understanding of the complex issues presented by individuals within drug and alcohol recovery.
• Experience of working with individuals in the substance use sector or related field.
• The ability to be innovative and be flexible in order to meet the needs of the service.
• Be able to work effectively with multi-agencies, whilst maintaining the excellent reputation of the service.
• Knowledge of adult and child protection essential as you will be working with vulnerable people in a community setting

Your Rewards

• Starting salary of £24,250 per year, with opportunity to access potential yearly salary increments subject to appraisal, meaning potential salary increase up to £28,000
• Generous annual leave, benefits package, and continuous training opportunities
• Access to employee assistance programs and wellbeing activities
• The chance to be part of a collaborative team dedicated to making a difference
• Potential relocation package if you are not in the area - get in touch to discuss

The Service

Due to new funding from the Scottish Government, this brand new service will be based in Aberdeen City centre and is currently being procured. This community based service will be framed around our Residential Therapeutic Community model, providing a structured day service. This flexible service will run a structured group work programme in addition to 1 to 1 support, including a range of meaningful activities to build recovery capital. Ran by a small team of 3 staff with support from volunteers and peer mentors. You will also work closely and collaborate with our new Residential service based in Alford and the new Housing team also based in Aberdeen city centre.

About Phoenix Futures

Join a legacy of over 50 years in providing rehabilitation services. At Phoenix Futures, we're committed to rebuilding capacity in the residential rehab sector across England and Scotland. Your dedication will contribute to our mission of delivering hope and transformation to individuals and families affected by addiction. We believe in being the best, we are passionate about recovery, and we value our history.

Read more about our history and guiding principles on our website