Elpis Trust delivers a person centred housing support service to 19 young women who are experiencing homelessness or are care leavers aged between 16-25 years. The supported accommodation is based in the Core service and satellite flats in the Ruchill and Maryhill area of Glasgow. Elpis provides a high-quality support service which addresses young woman’ identified and assessed needs and reflects the aims of the service to work within relevant organisational and statutory policies, including health and safety, employment and equality laws. This includes adhering to Scottish Social Services Council codes of practice, National Care Standards and contractual requirements. Staffs work closely with the young women to write up support plans and deliver an individually tailored service, utilising Ladders to Success and GIRFEC, SHANARRI Outcomes.

Job Purpose:

To have specific working responsibility at present for 19 vulnerable young women, 9 living in the Core building and 10 in scatter flats (to include mother & baby flats) in the Ruchill and Maryhill areas of Glasgow.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide direct support to young women who have experienced homelessness and/or have a variety of complex emotional and mental health needs.
• Provide support to young women in all areas of service.
• Establish a supportive relationship with each young woman, enabling them to maximise their own resources in order to improve their quality of life, and to assist each young woman to be as independent as possible in all aspects of their daily life, in line with their support plans.
• On a daily basis assist and support young women to carry out identified housing support tasks to ensure that they maintain and sustain their accommodation and be flexible and responsive to meet the changing needs of the young women, as well as the housing support service itself.
• Problem solve unexpected and difficult issues that may arise during shift and deal with challenging behaviour when lone working, use own initiative in order to support the young women’s complex issues, and make decisions based on current assessments of risk, following set risk assessments protocols and procedures.
• Resolve complex young women issues, involving discussion with colleagues and relevant agencies through reviews and meetings, ensuring correct procedures are followed.
• Risk assess young woman’s needs and actions and consult with appropriate people such as line manager, social worker, case worker.
• Complete and update all relevant paperwork including housing support plans, risk assessments and case notes for each young woman, complying with National Care Standards, SSSC Codes of Practice, GIRFEC model of outcomes (SHANARRI) to ensure person centred service delivery and to meet service aims.
• Complete regular health and safety welfare checks of the young women, the building environment and equipment, reporting and dealing with any issues raised during these checks.
• Inform line management of any areas of concern or significant change when delivering young women support, to ensure that appropriate risk assessment is undertaken.
• Carry out all duties in compliance with Elpis Trust’s policies and procedures.
• Actively participate in 3 monthly support, supervision and observation.
• Work closely with and with direction from the Duty Manager, to plan and deliver young women’s identified support needs.
• Work co-operatively as part of a team including attending and contributing to team meetings and work in co-operation with other members of the support team, as well as colleagues from other agencies.
• Communicate in a knowledgeable, confident and professional manner with external agencies, including social workers, case work team, commissioning team, carers and relatives of young women. This may include email, telephone calls, letters or face to face meetings.
• Communicate with other team members in a respectful and supportive manner in order to promote positive team work and cohesion.
• Ensure the young women’s views and wishes are central to your work and encourage a high level of young women participation.
• To actively participate in identified training, on-going supervision and performance development.

Note: Duties will be reviewed and modified in line with the exigencies of the service.

Knowledge, education, qualifications, competences and experience:

Essential:

• Membership of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme.
• Able to meet registration requirements with Scottish Social Services Council, Health and Social Care at S.V.Q. level 3, or be willing to achieve qualifications within specified timescale.
• Have an awareness of relevant National Care Standards and their application to work practice.
• Understand and adhere to the Codes of Practice from Scottish Social Services Council.
• Willing to maintain and enhance own knowledge, practice and competency.
• Previous experience working in Social Care.
• Be registered with SSSC or apply for registration within three months of start date.

Desirable:

• Experience of working with vulnerable young women and an understanding of the issues and needs involved.

Care Support Scotland

We are a charity with decades of experience supporting people across Scotland, providing those who need us with support that ranges from Mental Health, Learning Disability and Neurodiversity, Youth and Adult Homelessness and Older People services. Guided by our values of Respect and Compassion, we empower both the people we support and our colleagues to Thrive every day.

Why work with us?

At Care Support Scotland caring isn’t just a job — it’s who we are. Join our dedicated team and help transform lives while growing your own career.

• Pension contributions matched up to 6%

• Financial Flexibility – Access your wages as you earn them with our Earned Wage Access benefit.

• Employee Assistance Programme through HSF

• Contribution to HSF Health Plan – supporting your everyday health needs

• Generous annual leave – 33 days including public holidays, increasing with service

• Supportive absence policies to help when you need time off

• Death in Benefit Cover – 2x annual salary

• Support with funded qualifications

• Career development and progression opportunities

About the Role

We are delighted to offer this 3-year fixed-term post, made possible thanks to National Lottery Fairer Life Chances fund.

Due to the personal nature of the role, this post is restricted to female applicants in accordance with the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1, which permits an occupational requirement for specific genders in such circumstances.

• We are seeking a Community Connector to join our new Women’s Homelessness Service in Midlothian. This is an exciting opportunity to support women who have experienced homelessness and multiple disadvantage.

• Working alongside support workers, the Community Connector will focus on helping women to build recovery capital – their personal resilience, social networks, and community connections. The role brings additional capacity for group work, community engagement, and peer-led activities, complementing the direct support already provided by the team.

• You will support women to set goals, explore their strengths and aspirations, and access opportunities that promote wellbeing, recovery, and inclusion. By co-designing groups and activities, and linking women into local services, volunteering, and community resources, you will play a key part in reducing isolation and repeat homelessness.

Who we are looking for?

• Experience of supporting people facing disadvantage or exclusion.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

• Ability to build trust, deliver 1:1 support, and facilitate group sessions.

• Understanding of the impact of homelessness and multiple disadvantage on women.

• Compassionate, resilient, and committed to inclusion and empowerment.

• A driver with access to a car is essential for this role.

What You will Do

• Provide 1:1 relational support, using tools such as Outcome Star (Home Star) to set and review goals.

• Facilitate co-designed group activities that promote wellbeing, creativity, and peer support.

• Support women experiencing multiple disadvantage to strengthen their recovery capital.

• Build connections with local partners (e.g. Women’s Aid, recovery networks, community groups) to expand opportunities for women.

• Advocate alongside women to ensure their voices are heard and rights are respected.

• Work in a trauma-informed, gender-responsive, and strengths-based way.

(Experience in women’s services, homelessness, or recovery is desirable but not essential. Lived experience is valued.)