About Us

Change Mental Health is a leading national mental health charity providing non-clinical, person-centred support to people in communities across Scotland. With over 50 years’ experience, we are fighting for a future where no one faces mental illness alone. We are changing society by changing attitudes, fighting stigma and influencing government to ensure a better of quality of life for those affected by poor mental health and mental illness. As a charity supporting over 10,000 people year, we believe everyone should have access to the support they need, when they need it and in a way which works best for them.

About the Stafford Centre

Our resource centre in Edinburgh provides a drop in service, offering a safe environment to begin to build supportive networks through support and activities, and a main café area where people can chat and feel welcomed and valued. There are many supportive groups which help to build resilience and improve skills and confidence, from art and music sessions to our outdoor walking groups, peer support groups and more.

We also deliver the Signature Project for men suffering with PTSD, and have a Veterans Community Café to support veterans, former and retired members of the UK armed forces, police, fire services, merchant navy or other emergency services and their families.

About the Role

As a Project Worker, you will take a primary role within the staff team. You will ensure the efficient and effective daily running of the resource centre and meeting it’s aims; to provide a safe welcoming supportive space for clients which prioritises mental health and wellbeing. The service is recovery focussed and as Project Worker you will contribute to empowering people to manage their mental health, gain greater self-confidence and become more integrated within the community.

We are seeking a Helpline Support Worker (0.8 – 1.0 FTE) to support a number of national programmes and services, including Scottish Families Helpline, Click & Deliver Naloxone, and Bereavement Support services. The post operates as the first point of contact for family members (age 16+) affected by someone else’s alcohol or drug use, and others contacting our Helpline and associated services.

The role includes:

• Helpline & National Support: Providing empathetic support and accurate information, signposting enquiries, taking referrals and all associated administrative processes associated with Scottish Families’ national Helpline. The Helpline contact will be multi-channel (phone and online communication, including email and webchat).
• Bereavement Service Support: Conducting virtual assessments, supporting the service in facilitating groups (virtual support groups and the WhatsApp group)
• Click and Deliver Naloxone service: Fulfilling Naloxone orders for family members (age 16+) and others resident in Scotland, ensuring data is captured accurately, and supporting overall programme delivery (including Naloxone training sessions)
• Scottish Families’ Service Directory: Working with the communications team to deliver an ongoing programme of content revision of Scottish Families’ National Service Directory to ensure all information is accurate and current, through actively liaising with support services across Scotland.
• Volunteers: Working in conjunction with the Befriending & Volunteering Assistant, supporting our volunteers in their role and handling any escalated complex calls.

The post is located at Robertson House, Glasgow – Scottish Families’ national office. Note that staff work flexibly between home and office, but the post-holder is expected to work in the office at least two days a week. The postholder will be required to work some early evenings and occasional weekend hours to support planned Helpline coverage and event commitments. The post will be part of the Scottish Families’ staff team and be supervised by the Development Officer (National Support and Harm Reduction).

We are seeking applicants who are educated to HNC level or equivalent, with experience of providing support and information within a helpline or telephone capacity, and providing support in a health and social care setting. Applicants should have knowledge of issues for families affected by substance use, as well as the ability to listen to and support individuals from diverse demographics, and excellent IT skills, particularly use of Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word and Excel). We are seeking applicants with the ability to identify and evaluate risk relating to safeguarding; an empathetic, non-judgemental approach; and the ability to work in a team and work independently.

About RAMH

RAMH promotes recovery from mental ill health, empowering people to build resilience, connection, and hope. We provide a wide range of community-based services that support individuals and families to live well, with compassion at the heart of all we do.

The Role

We are looking for a highly motivated, organised and empathetic individual to support the delivery and co-ordination of our East Renfrewshire Mental Health Community Services (ERMHCS), including community-based supports but with specific emphasis on the co-ordination and delivery of Distress Brief Intervention (DBI) support from within ERMHCS. The main focus of DBI is to provide a compassionate, connected and timely response to those identified as being in distress and referred to Level 2 practitioners by Level 1 responders, such as Police Scotland, SAS and statutory services.

The Distress Brief Intervention (DBI) program is a Scottish Government initiative designed to support individuals experiencing distress by providing a framework for improved inter-agency coordination and community support.

Alongside the service manager, this key role within East Renfrewshire Community service will be to lead the development and growth of East Renfrewshire DBI service. As well as ensuring our community support and wellbeing activity is delivered with a strong focus and commitment to the development of peers.

In this role you will provide short-term, person-centred support whilst also working alongside individuals to link them with longer-term community and wellbeing resources. You’ll coordinate support, build trusting relationships, and help people feel listened to, valued, and empowered.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide compassionate, non-judgemental, and brief interventions for individuals referred through DBI pathways.
• Work collaboratively with individuals to identify strengths, develop coping strategies, and build resilience.
• Connect people with local community services and resources that promote wellbeing and recovery.
• Coordinate service delivery and liaise with partners, colleagues, and volunteers to ensure joined-up support.
• Keep accurate records, contribute to service monitoring, and share learning to improve our support.

About You

We are looking for someone who:

• Is caring, approachable, and resilient.
• Has experience of supporting people in distress or with mental health challenges.
• Understands the value of lived experience in shaping recovery.
• Has knowledge of local community resources and a willingness to learn.
• Can communicate effectively and build relationships across different groups.
• Is committed to person-centred, trauma-informed, and recovery-focused approaches.

What We Offer

A host of soft benefits including an extensive training and development programme, access to 24hr online GP service, occupational sick pay, employee assistance programme, unlimited mental health support sessions, physiotherapy sessions, day one death in service insurance, cycle to work scheme, eligibility for blue light cards and other discounts, medical second opinion, ‘Join the Team’ refer a friend & receive £200 scheme, and competitive annual leave allowance that increases with length of service.

(benefits may change over time but are an accurate representation at the time of this job advert)

Please refer to the job description when completing your application and clearly demonstrate how your learning and your experience supports you in applying for this role.

This post is subject to a Disclosure Scotland PVG check.

Change Mental Health is a leading national mental health charity whose vision is a future where no one needs to face mental illness alone. We have been supporting people with mental illness for over 50 years across Scotland. Our mission is to provide transformational support where everyone has access to the support they need, when they need it and in a way that works for them.

About the service:

The Senior Support Workers in the Thrive Early Access Mental Health Service undertake short-term focused work with adults of all ages and from a wide range of backgrounds. They help people to identify what is important to them and the steps they can take to manage their mental health and wellbeing. The workers connect people into community services, clinical treatment options and self-management resources as appropriate.

Along with mental health nurses and other members of the multi-disciplinary teams, the Senior Support Workers staff the Open Access drop-ins that take place within the locality. They work closely with colleagues within health and social care, the wider third sector, and with community organisations across the city, ensuring that the service is accessible to and meets the needs of all sections of the community.

Key responsibilities:

• Assess the mental health and wellbeing of people who attend Open Access
• Ensure that any risks identified are escalated in line with NHS Lothian protocols
• Manage a caseload, working in conjunction with the nurses, occupational therapists and social workers in the team when needed
• Devise asset-based plans that focus on personal outcomes
• Assist people to utilise community services and self-help resources
• Facilitate Decider Skills and other psycho-educational groups
• Complete ongoing records on TRAK in line with NHS Lothian timescales
• Attend team Huddles, business meetings and locality wide Learning Labs
• Follow all operational processes and procedures
• Develop positive working relationships with statutory colleagues and CMH staff and contribute to effective team working
• Ensure all Health and Safety standards are maintained, including lone working and personal safety procedures

Essential Criteria:

• An appropriate professional qualification (at least SVQ Level 3)
• At least two years’ experience of working in the mental health field
• Experience of enabling people to identify and achieve their personal goals
• Experience of assessing risk and devising collaborative safety plans
• Experience of devising asset-based support plans
• A track record of managing own caseload and completing administrative tasks with minimal supervision
• Knowledge of theories and good practice around early intervention, asset-based approaches and person-centred working
• An awareness of support services in the city and of mental health self-help resources
• Able to work in a trauma-informed way and to apply trauma-skilled approaches
• Able to work with a high level of autonomy and to use an analytical and problem-solving approach
• Committed to continuous professional development and willing to undertake appropriate training and developmental opportunities
• A high level of competency with IT
• Able to effectively manage their own mental health and wellbeing

Successful applicants for this post will require a PVG Membership (this will be arranged by Change Mental Health before you start your role)

General Duties

• Ensure all records and client data are managed in line with NHS Lothian’s Data Management and Information Governance policies
• Comply with all legal and regulatory requirements such as the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
• To act in accordance with Safeguarding procedures
• To follow all lone working and team safety procedures
• To participate in regular supervision, appraisals, team and business meetings
• To undertake induction training and any other training appropriate to the role
• To work in accordance with the charity’s policies and the local operating procedures of Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership
• To represent and promote Change Mental Health within the Thrive Early Access Mental Health Service and at external meetings and forums as required

This job profile and list of duties is not exhaustive and serves only to highlight the main requirements. The line manager may stipulate other reasonable requirements and projects commensurate with the general profile and grade of the post.

All successful candidates will require a PVG Membership. Please be aware that it is classed as an offence if you apply for this role and are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children or vulnerable adults.