OVERVIEW

Since August 2023, the Citadel has received funding from the Strategic Equity Fund to deliver a Wellbeing Project in the Trinity Academy Learning Community (Trinity Academy, Trinity PS, Victoria PS, Wardie PS). The aims of the project are to promote the mental health and wellbeing of targeted pupils, and to improve their school attendance and engagement with learning. This project builds on the Citadel’s relationship with the Trinity Learning Community, which includes school-based youth work at Trinity Academy and family support at Trinity PS and Victoria PS. The postholder will work closely with other members of the Citadel team to co-ordinate support for pupils and their families, and will be a Lead Worker in the Citadel’s Unboxed Club.

JOB DESCRIPTION

• Develop, facilitate and evaluate school based group work programmes to support the mental health and wellbeing of pupils in the Trinity Learning Community
• Provide non-clinical 1:1 support for pupils who are experiencing mental health difficulties, such as low mood and anxiety
• Plan, prepare, facilitate and evaluate activities with a focus on promoting mental health and wellbeing for young people aged 12-15, attending the Citadel’s Unboxed Club
• Co-ordinate summer holiday activities for P7 pupils who would benefit from additional support making the transition to Trinity Academy
• Introduce pupils to community based groups and activities at the Citadel and other local agencies, which will support their mental health and wellbeing
• Work closely with school colleagues in the Trinity Learning Community to identify pupils who would benefit from this project and to evaluate the benefits of their involvement
• Liaise with colleagues in Education, Social Work, Health and other agencies to co-ordinate the support of pupils involved in the project
• Maintain up to date, accurate records of work
• Provide regular progress reports to schools
• Any other duties, as required (including occasional weekend and evening work)

Youth Scotland, Scotland’s national charity for the support and delivery of community-based youth work, would love you to come and join our dynamic team.

We are looking for an experienced worker who has direct experience of life in Scotland’s rural communities and great skills in supporting youth engagement and participation.

Scotland already has a rich landscape of organisations which support young people to mobilise and have their voices heard. The Rural Youth Action Network Project will not duplicate or dilute this work but will build upon this work to provide opportunities for young people from Scotland’s rural communities to come together and share their experiences, have their voices heard, shape decision-making about issues that impact their lives and ensure that Government plans consider their interests and priorities.

This project is a partnership between Youth Scotland and Scottish Rural Action, funded by Scottish Government. This project has been designed to work separately but in parallel to the existing Young Islanders Network (YIN) which is also delivered by Youth Scotland, and will distinctly support rural young people and not duplicate existing engagement with YIN stakeholders where practicable.

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.

We are seeking a qualified and compassionate mental health and wellbeing worker.

Join our team to deliver face-to-face services for children and young people from armed forces families in a boarding school environment.

In this role, you will provide essential mental health support, promote emotional wellbeing, and empower young people to navigate challenges faced through our Lighthouse Project at Queen Victoria School (Dunblane), funded by the Veterans Foundation. You will be responsible for planning and delivery of one-to-one, peer group, and drop-in sessions. You will work directly with young people to co-produce mental health and wellbeing resources, to empower young people to become wellbeing ambassadors and support staff and parents to enhance understanding of many relevant topics.

About the Lighthouse project

The Lighthouse project was coproduced with young people from Queen Victoria School in recognition of the unique challenges of forces life and boarding. It has been delivered as a pilot for the past year and has shown success in supporting young people to maintain or improve their mental health and wellbeing. With generous funding from The Veterans Foundation the project Forces Children Scotland will continue the delivery of the Lighthouse Project for a further two years.

In this unique role, the post holder will be employed by Forces Children Scotland but based and embedded in Queen Victoria School which is located in Dunblane. The school delivers board and education for children and young people from aged 11-18 years who have parents serving in the armed forces across the United Kingdom and overseas.

About the person we’re looking for

You will need an undergraduate degree in psychology, mental health, social work, education, youth work, or equivalent qualification/experience to apply. Moreover, you require at least 2 years’ experience working in mental health service delivery/support.

Here’s a selection of further essential criteria:

• Experience in working collaboratively and an ability to engage with children and young people and work effectively in distressing and challenging circumstances,.
• Experience in coproducing projects with children and young people in a mental health and wellbeing context.
• Experience in developing and delivering mental health and wellbeing support for children and young.
• Experience in evaluating the impact of mental health and wellbeing.
• Detailed understanding of Safeguarding and its application in practice.
• A strong understanding of trauma and adversity in childhood and the impact this can have on mental health and wellbeing.

Please download our job/person description for further details.