Ayrshire Council on Alcohol is looking for a Sessional Alcohol Counsellor to join our team and help make a positive difference to the lives of people affected by alcohol.
We provide free, confidential, one-to-one alcohol information, advice & counselling across East and South Ayrshire for people aged 16 and over who want to stop drinking, reduce their alcohol use, or who are concerned about a loved one's drinking.
About You
We are looking for someone who:
• Possesses a counselling qualification, or is an accredited Alcohol Counsellor with post-qualifying supervised counselling practice hours
• Has knowledge or experience of working with individuals affected by alcohol
• Is self-motivated, flexible, and able to manage their own diary and caseload
• Holds a full UK driving licence and has access to a car
A PVG check will be carried out for the successful candidate.
Why Join Us?
This is an opportunity to use your counselling skills within an organisation dedicated to supporting people to make positive changes. You will work directly with individuals affected by alcohol in the local community while benefiting from negotiable working hours and days.
How to Apply
Please send your C.V. to:
Kerry McGee
Director of Service
Email: kerry@acaayr.org
For an informal chat about the role, contact Kerry McGee on 01292 281238.
Scottish Charity No: SC0 97498
Company Reg No: SC0 16848
Sessional Alcohol Counsellor
Postcode: KA7 1UB
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As a Therapeutic Worker at our 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
About You
Your Rewards
The Service
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 andguiding principles on our website here
About Simon Community Scotland
Simon Community Scotland is the largest provider of homelessness services in Scotland. Our vision is for everyone to have a safe place to live, with access to the support they need. Every day we help make positive things happen for people facing extremely difficult circumstances. Everything we do is about and for people, the people we support, our staff, our partners and everyone affected by homelessness. Our values are built into every area of activity and tell the story of how people remain at the heart of Simon Community.
Day by day, person-to-person, we tailor what we offer to what people need. We are here to provide consistent, friendly and informed support so that people can explore options and take 'the next step' towards a positive future. We offer support across a range of service delivery points; Street Outreach teams, Housing First initiatives, Floating Support, Information Hubs, Managed Alcohol Program (MAP), Supported Accommodations, Emergency Accommodation, Rapid Access Accommodation, and our own rented properties. These services are delivered across many local authorities within Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, Edinburgh and Perth.
We welcome people with a wide range of skills and experiences to our team. To make a difference, we need to work flexibly, with everyday leadership and a 'can-do' approach. We want to make it right and make it happen –not only for the people we support, but also for each other.
Our #OneTeam ethos is core to who we are, and it means caring for and supporting each other regardless of our role, service or location. Find out more about our services here.
Job Purpose
The Health Improvement Worker delivers compassionate, person-centered care to individuals experiencing homelessness who face severe health inequalities, including complex trauma, mental health challenges, problem drug and alcohol use, and blood-borne viruses (BBVs). Working as an essential part of a 24/7 residential care team at the Milestone Intermediary Care Unit (MICU), you will provide hands-on clinical and practical support, including medication administration, harm reduction interventions, and 1:1 emotional support, to promote recovery and stability. Through trauma-informed practice and close collaboration with multi-agency health partners, you will empower people to overcome barriers to their wellbeing, build resilience, and transition safely toward positive, long-term outcomes.
Job Summary
The Milestone Intermediate Care Unit (MICU) is a ten-bed Care Inspectorate registered care facility that provides short-term residential care and support for vulnerable people recently discharged from the hospital who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, as well as those in the community where admission can lead to early intervention, prevent hospitalisation, or mitigate serious harm. The service supports people navigating multiple complex needs across physical health conditions, mental health challenges, and severe morbidity, including those requiring the initiation or stabilisation of medication-assisted treatment for addiction, starting or adjusting treatment regimes for blood-borne viruses, or needing to engage with intensive community care to manage complex wound infections and trauma related to substance use. Accepting referrals from both in-patient care through a step-down pathway and the community through a step-up pathway, MICU delivers a patient-centered and trauma-informed holistic package of care to facilitate recovery, address health needs, and offer connection to other community projects both within Simon Community Scotland and externally to enable a safe and appropriate discharge.
The shift patterns are 3 or 4 days over 7, day shift 7.30am to 7.45pm and waking night shift 7.00pm to 7.45am for a total of 37.5hrs per week.
Key Responsibilities
About Simon Community Scotland
Simon Community Scotland is the largest provider of homelessness services in Scotland. Our vision is for everyone to have a safe place to live, with access to the support they need. Every day we help make positive things happen for people facing extremely difficult circumstances. Everything we do is about and for people, the people we support, our staff, our partners and everyone affected by homelessness. Our values are built into every area of activity and tell the story of how people remain at the heart of Simon Community.
Day by day, person-to-person, we tailor what we offer to what people need. We are here to provide consistent, friendly and informed support so that people can explore options and take 'the next step' towards a positive future. We offer support across a range of service delivery points; Street Outreach teams, Housing First initiatives, Floating Support, Information Hubs, Managed Alcohol Program (MAP), Supported Accommodations, Emergency Accommodation, Rapid Access Accommodation, and our own rented properties. These services are delivered across many local authorities within Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, Edinburgh and Perth.
We welcome people with a wide range of skills and experiences to our team. To make a difference, we need to work flexibly, with everyday leadership and a 'can-do' approach. We want to make it right and make it happen –not only for the people we support, but also for each other.
Our #OneTeam ethos is core to who we are, and it means caring for and supporting each other regardless of our role, service or location. Find out more about our services here.
Job Purpose
Working as a Service Coordinator within Simon Community Scotland’s Milestone service is a unique opportunity. You are operating at the intersection of acute clinical care, harm reduction, social prescribing and residential support.
Milestone is an intermediate care service designed for people experiencing homelessness who have complex health needs. To succeed here, your role must bridge the gap between the Safer Services (risk management and trauma-informed care) and the complex health issues (physical and psychosocial recovery). This is a great opportunity for the right person.
Service Delivery
This role will support the Service Lead at Milestone with the day-to-day delivery of the service and the development of our Safer Services Model at Milestone.
The Safer Services framework is about more than just physical safety. It focuses on psychological safety and reducing harm in a way that keeps the person at the centre.
Trauma-Informed Triage
Work with the Service Lead to ensure that Milestone operates within the Safer Services model, informing MDT decisions, creating holistic safety and wellbeing plans based on each person’s unique needs, and leading on activity coordination.
Harm Reduction Coordination
Lead on Naloxone training, overdose prevention education, and providing safety plans for people when they move on from Milestone. This includes social prescribing and community mapping.
Safe Transitions
Help remove the “cliff edge” of discharge by coordinating warm handovers between Milestone and community GP or harm reduction services, healthcare providers, and community-based services.
Coordinate SCS Pathways
Ensure the service is connected with all relevant Simon Community Scotland services, including Street Services, Housing First, VHS and Safer Communities, We See You, and StreetReads.
Job Summary
Community Mapping: “The Strengths-Based Approach”
In this role, community mapping isn’t just about making a list of nearby GPs. It’s about identifying the person’s strengths and community and healthcare options and people that offer connection without judgement.
Reintegration: The Warm Handover
Milestone is a temporary stay. Reintegration is the most important phase of the journey.
Psychosocial Activities: Building Social Capital
Psychosocial support at Milestone focuses on the idea that recovery is easier when life is full of meaningful
alternatives to harmful activities.
Health Outcome Focus: Acute medical stabilisation; BBV screening, attending appointments, transport and advocacy, holistic healthcare planning and safety plans.
Psychosocial/Mapping Focus:Creating a “Safety Map” & building trust.
Health Outcome Focus: Medication adherence; chronic condition management.
Psychosocial/Mapping Focus: Engaging in group activities; identifying community assets.
Health Outcome Focus: GP registration; “Warm” clinical handover. Warm handovers for health and housing services.
Psychosocial/Mapping Focus: First visit to a community hub; digital health setup.
Health Outcome Focus: Reduced A&E presentations.
Psychosocial/Mapping Focus: Enhanced community networks and engagement. Sustained social connection; peer support engagement.
Simon Community Scotland is the largest provider of homelessness services in Scotland. Our vision is for everyone to have a safe place to live, with access to the support they need. Every day we help make positive things happen for people facing extremely difficult circumstances. Everything we do is about and for people, the people we support, our staff, our partners and everyone affected by homelessness. Our values are built into every area of activity and tell the story of how people remain at the heart of Simon Community.
Day by day, person-to-person, we tailor what we offer to what people need. We are here to provide consistent, friendly and informed support so that people can explore options and take 'the next step' towards a positive future. We offer support across a range of service delivery points; Street Outreach teams, Housing First initiatives, Floating Support, Information Hubs, Managed Alcohol Program (MAP), Supported Accommodations, Emergency Accommodation, Rapid Access Accommodation, and our own rented properties. These services are delivered across many local authorities within Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, Edinburgh and Perth.
We welcome people with a wide range of skills and experiences to our team. To make a difference, we need to work flexibly, with everyday leadership and a 'can-do' approach. We want to make it right and make it happen – not only for the people we support, but also for each other.
Our #OneTeam ethos is core to who we are, and it means caring for and supporting each other regardless of our role, service or location. Find out more about our services here.
Job Purpose
The Support Worker role is to support and engage with people to manage and recover their mental health, in line with our trauma-informed approach. You will help people with safer substance use and assist them with the process when they choose to stop. You will assist our people to build a positive network of connections to enable them to gain and sustain their own housing.
As a Support Worker, you will provide work alongside people impacted by homelessness, addiction, mental health challenges and trauma. You will provide guidance and assistance to the people we support to achieve their goals of securing safe housing and accessing the necessary support to feel secure, manage their challenges and live an independent life free from harm or abuse.
Our Preventing Migrant Homelessness programme works with people who are destitute and subject to immigration control, as well as refugees who are at risk of homelessness. You’ll be based in the community, working one to one with individuals to provide person-centred, trauma informed support, linking in with other agencies and partners as required.
You will be part of a new service being rolled out in North Ayrshire, Saffron which is currently running in Glasgow and has had some very good outcomes for young people so to take this model across another local authority will be an excellent opportunity for all involved.
You will work directly alongside our UASC service, Saffron, to provide specialised support to unaccompanied young people. Using a trauma-informed approach, you will deliver practical housing support—helping young people to adjust to living independently, navigate tenancy responsibilities, and build key life skills as they work towards sustainable, independent living. You will also collaborate closely with partner charities and external agencies to offer a safe, holistic support network tailored to the needs of the people we work alongside.
To be part of this team, you will be passionate about changing expectations and experiences of people we support, many of whom have experienced significant trauma and continue to experience exclusion, stigma and racism in Scotland. You will understand the differential impact of race on their experience of services and support. As part of our Preventing Migrant Homelessness team you’ll contribute to the development of our service, provide support to colleagues and work to improve outcomes for the people we support.
This post is part time, working 18.75 hours per week.
Days to be arranged but will be in the Monday - Friday 9.00 am - 5.00 pm perimeter
Job Summary
You will be passionate about supporting and changing expectations and experiences of people we support, many of whom have experienced significant trauma, exclusion and stigma.
As a Support Worker in homelessness services, you'll be instrumental in empowering individuals affected by homelessness, addiction, challenging mental health and trauma. You'll provide compassionate, person-centred support, guiding them towards securing safe and stable housing and developing tools to manage their challenges. Your role is vital in helping people access essential resources, build resilience, and ultimately live a life free from harm and abuse.
As part of our Team, you will be at the forefront of supporting people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. You will work collaboratively with partner agencies in a supportive environment. The role involves providing both practical and emotional support, helping individuals to secure accommodation, access benefits, and connect with a wide range of health, wellbeing, and advocacy services.
Our team builds strong professional relationships with local authorities, support providers, and other external partners to ensure our support is coordinated and effective. You will adopt a harm reduction approach, providing advice and Naloxone trained as needed.