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.
Our Support Services
The Development Worker role is designed to provide a progressive model of support and care that goes beyond traditional approaches, reimagining services for women. You will play a key role in embedding psychologically-informed environments (PIE) and trauma-informed principles into everyday practice.
In this role, you will participate in reflective practice and invest in your own development through mentoring, coaching and modelling best practice. You will support meaningful co-production workstreams that ensure women with lived and living experience can help shape the service and ongoing improvement and development.
As a Development Worker, you will collaborate with partners (e.g. health, social care, justice, VAWG services, housing) to ensure responsive, flexible and joined-up support. You will contribute to service evaluation, monitoring and continuous improvement with a focus on equity, inclusion, and outcomes.
At Simon Community Scotland, we believe in breaking down barriers and tailoring support to the real needs of women facing homelessness. Our services are grounded in trauma-informed, relationship-based, and gender responsive practice. We work with women who may be navigating substance use, psychological distress, homelessness, gender based violence, and contact with the justice system, and need an offer of support that is grounded in compassion, understanding and flexibility.
We are seeking an experienced and values-driven practitioner to join our small skilled team to directly support women while guiding and shaping trauma-informed and psychologically-informed practice. You will provide relational, compassionate and non-judgemental support, whilst always holding women’s needs, wants and rights at the centre of the work.
The shift patterns are:
23 hours over 7 days
These shift patterns may be changed accordingly to meet the needs of the service delivery.
- For genuine occupational requirement reasons we are looking to appoint females only for these posts (exemption under the Equality Act 2010 Part 1 Schedule 9).
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 Development 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.
Direct Practice
Developing honest and open relationships with the women we work with and the wider community that foster trust.
Exercise our training and reflective practices to develop additional skills to support and respond appropriately to our community who have experienced trauma.
Working with people with a wide range of experiences and cultural backgrounds with dignity, respect and kindness.
Work as part of a team with a range of experiences and knowledge to the benefit of our community.
Supporting our community to influence their care and support to meet their goals.
Provide emotional and practical support as required.
Fostering connection, hope, and a positive identity and meaning in life and a sense of control for our community.
Working with other teams in SCS and with partners to support good outcomes for our community.
Seeking opportunities that will make a difference to our community.
Any other duties directed by the Service Lead.
Service Development and Co-production
Ensure lived experience and women's voices are central to service development and improvement
Work with the Service Coordinator and Service Lead to implement, monitor and refine the service model
Develop tools and feedback loops to increase understanding of trauma and pathways through and out of homelessness for women
Partnerships
Build and maintain strong partnerships across statutory and third-sector services
Advocate for inclusive, responsive, and barrier-free services for women
Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning
Support data collection, impact measurement and service evaluation
Contribute to learning reviews and reflective reports that highlight what works for women
Contribute to research partnerships, learning events and shared practice platforms
Inclusion & Participation
We include everyone in the services and resources they need, regardless of their circumstances and ensure each person's voice and influence are heard and felt in everything that we do.
Personalised & Creative
Each person we support is an individual with unique circumstances, needs and future potential which requires a uniquely tailored response.
Warmth & Regard
We see beyond a person's current or past circumstances, recognising their inherent value, worth and potential as human beings.
Partnership & Collaboration
We know we need to work positively with others to deliver a truly inclusive and personalised approach, improve our response and add value to the experience of the people we support.
Supportive & Ambitious
We encourage and support ambition, building on strengths to foster hope for the people we support as well as deliver growth and development for staff and volunteers.
Create and manage personalised support plans for people, prioritising tasks and managing resources effectively to help them achieve their goals.
Monitor progress against established goals and adjust support plans as needed to ensure the best possible outcomes.
Maintain accurate and detailed records of your contacts using our Netsuite platform throughout your shift.
Advance despite adversity, responding to challenging and difficult situations with a calm, professional, and composed approach.
Handle sensitive decisions with compassion and due regard for others, maintaining a positive and proactive attitude.
Act with care and compassion, demonstrating a clear commitment to the role and its importance in empowering individuals to live independently.
Bring hope through your words and actions, helping to build trust and change public perception of the causes of rough sleeping.
Carefully analyse problems, breaking them down into parts to find practical, person-centred solutions.
Innovate and be creative to find solutions that are a perfect fit for someone, irrespective of their background of the problem they are facing.
When someone isn't at their best, quickly recognise that there may be an underlying issue and find ways to respond with care.
Work with colleagues in a supportive and collaborative way, fostering team togetherness and a positive, problem-solving vibe.
Be a reliable member of the team, participating actively in group meetings and sharing insights to improve our service continuously.
Foster positive relationships with our partners to ensure our support is coordinated and effective.
Communicate effectively with a range of stakeholders, including service users, partners, and other colleagues, adapting your communication style to be clear, empathetic, and respectful.
Encourage the participation and inclusion of the people you support by exploring choices and options with them in an accessible way.
Embrace and champion digital inclusion, helping clients, staff, and volunteers to connect, understand, and use digital tools safely. You will use our GSuite, Chromebook, and smartphone to facilitate this.
Play an active role in our social media strategy by helping to create blogs, videos, and posts to change society's misconceptions about homelessness.
Essential
SVQ Level 3 or HNC level in Social Work, Community Education, Health, or related fields OR equivalent experience
Willing to work towards qualification
SSSC registered
Ability to work within the parameters of the SSSC Code of Practice
Desirable
Essential
Experience of working with women affected by homelessness, violence, trauma and/or substance use or addictions
Experience of working in a psychologically-informed or trauma-informed setting
Experience in managing and resolving conflict in a safe, calm manner
Desirable
Lived experience of homelessness, poverty, or service involvement
Service co-design or co-production projects
Experience of working across multi-agencies
Networking and connecting skills
Essential
Understanding of substance use, trauma, gender based violence and systemic violence women experience
Confident in providing support in crisis situations and safeguarding
Knowledge of relevant legislation, frameworks (e.g. Equally Safe, PIE, TIP)
Confident in supporting others' learning and wellbeing
Experience of working with people with a variety of individual and cultural beliefs
Ability to use empathy and relational skills to build positive relationships with our community and colleagues
Understanding of and ability to work within ethical and relational boundaries
Knowledge and understanding of homelessness, addictions and mental health
Evidence of good communication skills, written and verbal
Worked with a range of digital systems
Desirable
Understanding of services that support homelessness, addictions and mental health
Knowledge of the impact of poverty and intersectional inequalities in access to services
Essential
Demonstrated commitment to inclusion, anti-oppression and feminist values
Personal integrity, warmth and emotional resilience, ability to work on your own or part of a team, whilst advocating for the needs of the women being supported
Hold clear boundaries while understanding how this aligns with taking a trauma informed approach
Have a flexible approach to work with the changing needs of the women we are supporting whilst holding in mind a trauma informed personalised approach
Willingness to contribute to research and evaluation
A reflective, learning-focused approach
Desirable
Please note that in accordance with the Equality Act 2010 (Schedule 9, Part 1, Paragraph 1), this post is open to women only.
To be eligible for this position, we require candidates to either hold British citizenship or have the right to work in the UK. Unfortunately, we are unable to sponsor applications from candidates who do not currently possess the right to work in the UK.
