Are you passionate about helping people to live a better life? Do you want to work for a charity where your health
and wellbeing matter just as much as the people you support? Do you want to be part of a trauma-informed team
where you will be supported to develop creative and flexible ways of working?
At LinkLiving, our values and people are at the heart of everything we do including how we recruit our staff. It is
important for us to find people who share our values, which are:
- Empathy (listen to and understand an individual’s needs and circumstances)
- Respect (treat others the way
they wish to be treated)
- Integrity (be honest and have strong moral principles)
- Caring (show
kindness and concern for others)
LinkLiving is a Scottish health and wellbeing charity that supports people to manage or overcome the effects of
negative life experiences (including trauma, mental health challenges, poverty and inequality) so that they can
build on their strengths and aspirations in order to live their best possible lives. We support people through a
range of models including:
- Personal development and employability programmes
- Self-help coaching
- Supported
accommodation
- Care at home
- Housing support
- Befriending
- Social cafes
The Service
The Link Academy team works primarily with people with complex backgrounds. The experiences of these young people
often result in low self-esteem and confidence, poor mental health and a pattern of destructive behaviours.
Because of this, these young people find it difficult to manage key transitions such as moving into work or
training, into a tenancy or leaving care. The service works hard and creatively to maintain the early engagement
of participants. By offering mental health and wellbeing programmes, independent living skills and a wide range
of qualifications to support their progression, we give young people the tools to better manage their own mental
health. Doing so helps them break negative and destructive cycles of behaviour and thinking, with the aim of
putting them on the path to having the best life possible. Staff are trained in using a trauma-informed approach
to support young people to build confidence, develop resilience and realise their goals for the future.
The Job
The purpose of the Development Worker role is to provide support to children and young people with a range of issues
affecting their lives to achieve their goals and aspirations by providing guidance and practical tools to
enhance their knowledge and skills. The Development Worker will provide support and offer guidance to young
people, and develop training to help young people address the issues facing them and guide them towards a
positive destination. You will support the achievement of high standards and provide monitoring information in
relation to the programme's outcomes.
LinkLiving aims to provide volunteering and ongoing learning and capacity building opportunities to enable more
vulnerable people to actively participate in our service. This role will support that aim by ensuring that
opportunities are provided to course participants equipping them with the skills to make a valuable contribution
to the service and their wider community. The Development Worker will develop relationships with other agencies
and services and actively promote LinkLiving's volunteer programmes and employability services.
About You
You will be an experienced and motivated professional, educated to SCQF Level 7 (HNC or equivalent), with a strong
background in youth work. With at least three years’ experience in a professional youth work setting, you will
have a proven track record of developing and delivering engaging programmes that support young people to achieve
positive outcomes.
You will hold (or be willing to work towards) an SCQF Assessor and Verifier qualification (LD9–LD11) and have
experience of creating and delivering effective training to both young people and adults. You will be confident
in developing high-quality training materials and digital resources, and skilled in evaluating programmes using
a range of tools to evidence impact and outcomes.
You will have a sound understanding of the current Scottish policy landscape and the challenges facing young people
and families. You’ll be able to apply this knowledge in your work, ensuring that programmes and support remain
relevant, inclusive, and responsive to need. A commitment to mental health awareness and the use of self-help
resources will be central to your approach.
You’ll bring excellent communication skills, with the ability to present information clearly in writing and in
person, and to build strong relationships with young people, colleagues, and partner agencies. Your approach
will be trauma-informed, enabling you to create safe and supportive environments that help young people
thrive.
Highly organised and adaptable, you’ll have excellent planning skills, a “can-do” attitude, and the flexibility to
work across different areas when required. Proficiency in ICT and confidence in using digital tools are
essential, as is a full driving licence and access to a car. Evening and weekend work may occasionally be
required to meet the needs of the service.
For a comprehensive list of the essential and desirable criteria required for this post, please refer to the Job
Specification in the Job information Pack above.
What’s in it for you?
The benefits of being a LinkLiving employee (subject to the policies and benefit terms and conditions) include:
- Competitive salary, reviewed annually, and opportunity for annual performance related salary increases and
discretionary non-consolidated pay awards, subject to terms of the scheme
- 35 days’ holiday per year
(inclusive of public holidays) pro rata plus additional 3 days pro rata after 3 years’
service
- opportunity to buy and sell holiday
- enhanced company sick and family friendly
pay
- access to paid SVQ qualifications and a wide range of learning and development
opportunities
- funded Disclosure Scotland and Scottish Social Services Council
memberships
- defined contribution pension scheme with generous employer contributions plus salary
exchange and additional voluntary contribution options
- access to an Electric vehicle leasing scheme,
subject to the terms of the scheme
- life assurance scheme providing death in service benefits to named
beneficiaries
- healthcare cash plan for employees (and dependents) to support health and wellbeing plus
discounts on shopping, restaurants, and other services
- employee assistance programme for employees and
their immediate household dependants to support health, mental and financial well-being
- annual flu
vaccination
- access to a savings and borrowing scheme
- cycle to work scheme
- monthly bus
pass scheme
- season/travel ticket loan and much more!
For a full list of benefits available to employees, please see the following link -
linkliving.org.uk/work-with-us
This post is subject to Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme registration. Link will meet the cost of any new
PVG scheme membership or scheme record update.