Senior Youth Worker – SafeMates Scotland
Location: Inverness (hybrid role between home and various face-to-face events across the region)
Fixed Term Contract until March 2029
35 hours per week, Monday to Friday
Salary: £30,708 per annum
Are you passionate about making a difference in your community? Are you ready to support the everyday delivery of our SafeMates Scotland: Peer Support through Cashback programme?
Through this programme we’ll be training over 1,000 young people over 3 years to become skilled volunteer peer supporters. We’ll give them the practical and emotional skills to help their peers at local events, freshers’ fayres, music festivals and in their own communities. Can you help lead the delivery and ongoing development of youth peer support activities across Scotland?
This is a fantastic opportunity for an ambitious and well-organised individual to support the programme (that’s directly supported by CashBack for Communities funding). Could this be you?
A day in the life of our Senior Youth Worker – SafeMates Scotland
Everyday you’ll be central to the smooth running of our SafeMates Scotland (Cashback for Communities) programme. Your day could include:
- Programme Delivery: You’ll be responsible for managing high-quality, trauma-informed SafeMates training, volunteer initiatives, community hub activities, and major events. You’ll collaborate with communities to design and expand local, responsive strategies that support the evolving needs of young people. You’ll provide inclusive leadership, coaching, and development to youth workers and volunteers to foster a high-performing team. You’ll oversee volunteer wellbeing and equip them to manage complex situations through structured guidance and reflective practice.
- Risk Management, Safeguarding & Wellbeing Support: You’ll lead safe working practices by developing and reviewing robust risk assessments for all events. You’ll be the safeguarding point of contact, managing concerns and escalating them according to policy. You’ll champion trauma-informed practice and provide compassionate leadership during complex crisis situations.
- Volunteer & Participant Support: You will provide day-to-day leadership, coaching, and wellbeing support to Red Cross Youth volunteers to help them manage complex situations. You will also build trusting relationships with young people while ensuring everyone complies with organisational policies and standards.
- Stakeholder & Community Engagement: You’ll build and manage strategic local partnerships while driving communications and social media to boost programme awareness and community participation. You’ll gather grassroots insights and youth perspectives to directly inform and develop the broader SafeMates Scotland initiative. You’ll work collaboratively with both internal and external stakeholders to identify, shape and facilitate opportunities.
To be a successful Senior Youth Worker – SafeMates Scotland you’ll need:
- Experience of managing programmes (both remotely and in person). This includes delivery of events, monitoring & evaluation and report writing.
- Up to date knowledge of volunteering policy and practice. Experience of working with volunteers and young people in community, education, youth work or outreach settings. This should include planning and leading the delivery of activities and events.
- Highly organised and able to work independently (as well as part of a team) while managing multiple priorities and workstreams effectively in a fast-paced environment.
- Experience working collaboratively with partners and different stakeholders, including on the coordination of events and activities.
- Proactive, solution-focused and able to respond appropriately and sensitively in crisis situations.
- Proficiency and confidence in using multiple IT systems. Ability to work dynamically with technology across a range of platforms.
Interested? Closing date for applications is 23.59 on Sunday 21st June 2026. Interviews will take place soon after.
In return for your commitment and expertise, you’ll get:
- Flexible working: Remote and hybrid working, flexitime, compressed hours, and job sharing.
- Holidays: 36 days annual leave (including bank holidays) + option to buy 5 extra days (per annum).
- Pension scheme: Up to 6% contributory pension.
- Learning & Development: A range of career & learning opportunities.
- Discounts: Blue Light Discount Card, Tickets For Good & employee benefits platform.
- Wellbeing: Peer Supporters, CiC (EAP) & Headspace App.
- Cycle2Work: Lease a bicycle through the scheme.
We are proud to be a Disability Confident and Carers Confident employer.
We are dedicated to building an inclusive, equitable and wellbeing‑focused culture where everyone feels safe, valued and can thrive. Guided by our Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing Strategy, we foster belonging, psychological and physical wellbeing, and work to remove barriers to fair opportunities. Grounded in compassion and anti‑racist practice, we listen to diverse voices, value lived experience and create environments where staff and volunteers can succeed. Join us and be part of an organisation that leads with care, celebrates difference and helps everyone succeed.
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