We are looking to recruit an experienced and reliable person to join our reception team.

You will play a vital role in the daily operations of Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home. As our customers’ first point of contact you will be expected to deliver a service which is friendly, welcoming, and informative both in person and on our busy phone lines. Strong customer service and interpersonal skills are key to success in the role.

The right applicant will be someone who can complete tasks thoroughly and effectively ensuring a high quality of work in a busy environment with frequent distractions. An ability to multi-task various projects and assignments while also serving customers and answering calls is essential. We are looking for a pro-active individual with strong administration and computer skills and a “can do” attitude.

It is vital that you can respect the confidentiality of our customers and can use your judgment in difficult situations. An understanding and awareness of rehoming centres and general animal welfare is advantageous, a desire to learn is essential.

LinkLiving's Comely Green Health Service is a visiting housing support service, delivered by teams which work across Edinburgh. As well as enabling people affected by mental health problems to live as independently as possible in their own homes, we engage with a range of statutory and voluntary organisations to ensure the people we work with get the support they need.

Visiting housing support

We deliver visiting housing support to around 180 people in Scotland's capital who experience a variety of mental health problems. Our support includes:

* Engaging with people and professionals who have an interest in their welfare.

* Equipping people with skills and tools to help them manage their mental health

* Creating personal support plans to help the people achieve the outcomes they desire

Recovery-based approach

We work from a recovery-based perspective, which means we enable the people we support to live a good life - as defined by them - with or without symptoms.

We use conversations and plans to help people identify their long-term ambitions and short-terms goals and develop strategies for achieving them.

We recognise the importance of the home as the base from which people can work towards recovery. We provide support in all aspects of maintaining a home, with an emphasis on developing people's skills to look after and sustain their home independently.

The role of communities

We also recognise the role which communities can play in recovery. We connect the people we work with appropriate sources of local support and with networks and organisations which deliver social benefits, including a sense of belonging, community and purpose.

Putting people at the centre

We appreciate that the mental health problems experienced by the people we work with can sometimes have a significant adverse impact on their lives, so we take time to help them to recognise, understand and manage their symptoms.

At all times, our support is flexible, person-centred and responsive to the changing needs of the people we work with.

The job

We have an exciting opportunity for ambitious and motivated Support Workers to join our team and improve the lives of people supported by our Edinburgh Mental Health Service.

In this role, you will develop effective relationships with people affected by a range of mental health problems, supporting them to cope in difficult times and working towards recovery and a good life. You will provide emotional, practical and social support to enable people to live as independently as possible and make informed choices in all aspects of their lives.

Working in partnership

Multi-agency working is an important part of the job. You will develop positive relationships with a range of partners, including the NHS (in the community and in hospitals), social work and voluntary organisations. By understanding the assistance they offer and maintaining strong links with partner agencies, you will extend the breadth and quality of support available to the people we work with.

You will work as part of a team while managing your own workload and being a key worker for some of the people we support. You will take part in regular team meetings and receive regular support and supervision. You will participate in a range of learning and development opportunities to enhance your experience and skills and improve the quality of our service.

Using technology to deliver the best service

You will embrace technology to help deliver the best service we can to the people we support. You will be given a laptop and smart phone to access Carista, our integrated social care management system. You will use Carista to create support plans and risk assessments, record support, monitor outcomes and gather feedback from the people you work with.

Your working hours

Your will be required to work five evenings per week. Occasional flexible working will be required, as and when needed, to meet the needs of the people we support and our service. You will also be required to work public holidays.

What you will need

- Willingness to work towards and achieve an appropriate qualification recognised by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) - for example, SVQ Social Services and Healthcare at SCQF Level 6.

- Ability to meet the standards of care set out in the national Health and Social Care Standards.

- Ability to meet the requirements of membership of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups scheme.

- An approach which is flexible, practical, proactive and reliable.

Successful applicants will be required to register with the SSSC within six months of their start date.

For a comprehensive list of the essential and desirable criteria required for this post, please refer to the Job Specification in the Job information available on our online recruitment portal.

About us

LinkLiving is a not-for-profit organisation and a Scottish charity. We have been providing specialist services to support health, wellbeing, independence and community inclusion for over 25 years.

We are dedicated to making a positive difference to the lives of the people we work with and are recognised as a leader in responding to and delivering on individual needs.

We provide accommodation, care, employability and support services to over 1000 people each year in Clackmannanshire, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Fife and North Lanarkshire.

LinkLiving is part of the Link group of award-winning social enterprises.

Annual leave and benefits

LinkLiving offer up to 38 days annual leave pro rata, a wide-range of benefits including flexible working arrangements and access to a generous contributory pension scheme. Working within a supportive environment you can expect a range of training and development opportunities

This post is subject to Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme membership.