Join Our Team – Supporting the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Ukrainian Young People

Are you passionate about making a difference to the lives of young people? Do you want to be part of an innovative partnership supporting Ukrainian young people to thrive in their new communities?

U-evolve and The Junction are delighted to be recruiting for two exciting new roles as part of a partnership project providing dedicated mental health and wellbeing support for Ukrainian young people aged 12–21 living in Edinburgh.

Together, our organisations bring over 30 years of experience supporting young people's mental health across the city. Through this new programme, we will deliver accessible, trauma-informed and culturally responsive support that helps Ukrainian young people build resilience, improve their mental health and wellbeing, strengthen social connections and access the support they need.

Working closely with Ukrainian communities, local organisations and young people themselves, this project will combine individual and group wellbeing support with community engagement and service development to ensure support is shaped by the voices and experiences of the young people it serves.

The Mental Health Support Worker will provide direct mental health and wellbeing support to Ukrainian young people through one-to-one and group interventions, helping them develop resilience, confidence and positive coping strategies.

Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, you will build trusted relationships with young people, deliver evidence-informed interventions and contribute to a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment where young people feel heard, supported and empowered.

You'll have experience supporting young people's mental health, a strong understanding of trauma-informed practice and safeguarding and be passionate about helping young people achieve positive mental health outcomes.

What we're looking for

We are looking for compassionate, motivated and collaborative people who believe every young person deserves access to high-quality mental health support.

Successful candidates will be passionate about improving the mental health and wellbeing of young people and committed to delivering inclusive, culturally responsive services. You'll be empathetic, approachable and reflective, with excellent relationship-building skills and the ability to work both independently and as part of a supportive team.

For both roles, fluency in Ukrainian and lived experience or a strong understanding of Ukrainian culture and community needs is essential.

Both roles require experience of working with young people, knowledge of trauma-informed approaches, safeguarding and professional boundaries, and a commitment to working collaboratively with young people, communities and partner organisations.

Why join us?

At U-evolve and The Junction, you'll become part of two organisations committed to improving young people's mental health through compassionate, evidence-informed, collaborative and person-centred support.

You'll have the opportunity to:

• Make a meaningful difference to the lives of Ukrainian young people.
• Help shape an innovative new service from the beginning.
• Work within a supportive and collaborative partnership.
• Receive regular supervision, reflective practice and opportunities for professional development.
• Be part of organisations that value kindness, inclusion, collaboration and learning.

We will offer you:

• Competitive holiday package
• Flexible working patterns
• Competitive Pension
• Positive supportive working environment which promotes learning and development.

If you're passionate about supporting young people's mental health and want to help build an innovative service that makes a lasting impact, we'd love to hear from you.

The Junction is seeking an enthusiastic and skilled manager to lead the delivery of our high-quality, innovative projects and services. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in ensuring our work meets the needs of young people, delivers meaningful outcomes, and creates lasting impact within our communities.

About The Junction

The Junction is an award-winning charity in North East Edinburgh that supports and improves young people’s health and wellbeing.

Last year, we supported more than 1,800 young people and supported around 150 young people through one-to-one support. As a result of the service:

• 100% of young people learned practical ways to look after their wellbeing
• 88% felt more able to cope with difficult situations
• 94% reduced or stopped substance use or learned how to reduce harm associated.

About this Role

Within this role you will champion youth participation, ensuring that young people have a genuine voice in shaping both our services and the wider development of the organisation. You will build and maintain strong relationships with partners, funders, and stakeholders, helping to strengthen The Junction’s reputation and reach.

You will lead and support a dedicated team of Project Workers, fostering a collaborative, reflective, and supportive working environment where staff and volunteers can thrive. Alongside this, you will take organisational responsibility for safeguarding as The Junction’s Child Protection Officer, ensuring the highest standards of practice and compliance.

Person Specification Summary

Essential

• Experience of supervising and managing others to deliver high-quality services
• Experience managing and leading issues related to child protection and safeguarding
• Experience of developing effective monitoring and evaluation mechanisms
• Experience of working with young people or providing one-to-one support
• Experience of reporting to and building relationships with funders
• Experience of working collaboratively with partners
• Understanding of a range of health wellbeing issues that affect young people (including mental health needs)
• Understanding of inclusive and accessible service delivery
• Passionate about improving the lives of young people
• Empathetic, approachable and positive motivator of others.

Desirable

• Professional qualification in Community Education, Counselling, Social Work, Health Promotion or equivalent
• Experience of managing waiting lists
• Knowledge of trauma informed practice.

What We Offer

• Flexible Working – We offer flexible working hours to accommodate families and childcare, caring responsibilities. Home working is anticipated and welcome for this role.
• Competitive Annual Leave Entitlement - 38 annual leave days in total, pro-rated for part-time positions.
• Competitive Pension Contribution – Auto enrolment in our pension scheme with a 5% contribution from The Junction.
• Positive Working Environment – An opportunity to work with a values-based organisation that is committed to equality & inclusion.

Are you passionate about making a difference to the lives of young people? Do you want a flexible, varied and meaningful job in a supportive team? Do you value great employee benefits such as generous holidays and an annual training budget? Apply to join us!

Bridges Project is a leading youth work charity that helps young people aged 12-25 in East Lothian and Midlothian overcome challenges and adapt to adulthood. Since 1984, we have helped young people develop their life skills, improve their educational attainment and move into employment or further education. Join our team and take pride inspiring young people!

We have a vacancy for a Support Worker to deliver a support programme to young people aged 13 – 21 from East Lothian who are experiencing a wide range of challenges including family poverty and family substance use.

The successful candidate will:

• Support young people in areas such as reducing social isolation and improving mental health
• Provide mentoring support to young people enabling them to engage in activities within their local communities

This is an exciting position in which the successful candidate will take pride in developing a programme of delivery which will improve the lives of young people in East Lothian.

It is essential that candidates have a full, clean driving licence and constant use of a car. Membership of the PVG scheme will be an essential requirement of the post. A contributory company pension scheme is offered with a 10% employer contribution.

Are you passionate about making a difference to the lives of young people? Do you want a flexible, varied and meaningful job in a supportive team? Do you value great employee benefits such as generous holidays and an annual training budget? Apply to join us!

Bridges Project is a leading youth work charity that helps young people aged 12-25 in East Lothian and Midlothian overcome challenges and adapt to adulthood. Since 1984, we have helped young people develop their life skills, improve their educational attainment and move into employment or further education. Join our team and take pride inspiring young people!

We have a vacancy for an Employability Support Worker to deliver an effective casework and group work service to young people experiencing a range of challenges such as non-attendance at school, low attainment, lack of confidence, poor mental health and family poverty.

The successful candidate will:

• Support young people to gain employability skills, life skills and accreditation; helping them in to work, apprenticeships, further education, training, work experience and volunteering
• Provide training to groups of young people alongside individual support to address particular barriers

This is an exciting position in which the successful candidate will take pride in developing a programme of delivery which will provide young people with clear pathways to positive destinations.

It is essential that candidates have a full, clean driving licence and constant use of a car. Membership of the PVG scheme will be an essential requirement of the post. A contributory company pension scheme is offered with a 10% employer contribution.