Venture Scotland offers an outdoor-based personal development programme which empowers young people aged 16-30, who face complex and difficult challenges in their lives and want help to change.

We focus on the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of our Young People, working with them to make lasting changes to their lives and helping them play a positive role in their communities.

We are seeking an Outreach and Support Worker, who identifies with our values of Trust, Respect, Diversity, Inclusion, Environment and Personal Development, to recruit and support a diverse range of young people into and through our programmes and on to positive destinations following graduation.

The job will also include building a network of local referrers, public speaking to interested groups, staff teams and funders, presenting our programmes in engaging and creative ways to young people interested in joining our programmes and supporting them on their journey with Venture Scotland and beyond.

Do you want to work in a supportive team of people, who really care about the young people we are helping?

Do you want to work in an organisation who listens, values everyone views and cares about the health and wellbeing of their staff?

Do you understand the transformative effect of the outdoors?

Are you passionate about #ChangingYoungLives Outdoors?

Funded by East Lothian Council’s No One Left Behind Employability Grants Programme as part of the UK Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund

Are you passionate about making a difference to the lives of young people? Do you want a flexible, varied and meaningful job in a supportive team? Do you value great employee benefits such as 360 Wellbeing membership and an annual training budget? Apply to join us!

Bridges Project is a leading youth work charity that helps young people aged 12-25 in East Lothian and Midlothian overcome challenges and adapt to adulthood. For nearly 40 years, we have helped young people develop their life skills, improve their educational attainment and move into employment or further education.

We have a vacancy for an Employability Support Worker 16 + to deliver an effective employability casework and group work service to young East Lothian residents aged 16-24 furthest away from the labour market and who face a particularly challenging combination of barriers to finding and making progress in work.

The post holder will support young people to gain employability skills, life skills and accreditation; helping them in to work, apprenticeships, further education or vocational training. The successful candidate will provide vocational/industry specific accreditation and training to groups of young people alongside individual support to address particular barriers. They will develop and deliver a programme which will provide young people with clear pathways to positive destinations and sustainable and fair work.

It is essential that candidates have a full, clean driving licence and constant use of a car. Membership of the PVG scheme will be an essential requirement of the post. The post is funded by East Lothian Council’s No One Left Behind Employability Grant Programme. A contributory company pension scheme is offered with a 10% employer contribution.

This is a 3 year post funded by The National Lottery Community Fund/Improving Lives grant and commences on 1st July 2023 to ends on 30th June 2026

WORK REMIT: To provide focussed family support to families with complex needs. The aim of which is to improve factors such as:

• Build parenting capacity
• Improve the educational attendance of children
• Support parents/families to reach more positive destinations
• Modify parenting behaviours and risks which cause risk to children
• Increase confidence and self-worth levels

Key elements of the work:

To work within targets and/or Early Intervention and in line with the GIRFEC principles and SHANARRI wellbeing model.

To work with parents and their children in their homes and in groups, within and outside of core office hours including evenings and weekends, to increase the skills, confidence and abilities of all family members to live their daily lives in a positive and safe way.

Main Responsibilities:

1. To offer emotional and practical support to parents and their families, in their own homes and in the community.
2. To offer a whole family / family centred approach to families with complex needs.
3. To understand the context and remit of families who are in need of support and the necessary focus to the work.
4. To ensure you have an understanding (appropriate to your role) of, and comply with the North United Communities procedures for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and vulnerable adults.
5. To build a trusting relationship with the parents and young people to help alleviate or break their social isolation and increase capacity.
6. To build up knowledge and understanding of local resources and community and statutory services, including Mental Health Teams, Social Services, Health, CAMHS, Schools and voluntary services, and communicate effectively with them in the best interests of the child and family.
7. To comply with North United Communities’ Equalities and Diversities Policy, Child Protection Policy and Data Protection Policy in every aspect of your work and positively promote the principles of these policies amongst colleagues, service users and other members of the community.
8. To work alongside colleagues to assess the needs of the families referred for support and participate in the reviews and evaluation of the work.
9. To comply and contribute actively to the required monitoring of outcomes for the service.
10. To help plan creative and innovative responses to families’ needs, to keep timed and in-depth records of supports and to assist with the preparation of reports.
11. To attend conferences, review meetings, supervision and training sessions as requested.
12. To ensure that work is carried out within a framework, which promotes equality of opportunity in accordance with North United Communities’ policies.
13. To comply with North United Communities’ Health and Safety policy, data protection policy and to protect your own and other’s health, safety and welfare.
14. To ensure you have an understanding (appropriate to your role) of, and comply with North United Communities’ procedures for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and vulnerable adults.
15. To work flexibly as will be required by the needs of the service including evening and weekend work, and to carry out any other reasonable duties as required.
16. To travel to client homes and meetings as and when required.
17. To be able to evidence North Communities’ values at all times:
    1. Being people focused
    2. Reflecting a ‘can do’ approach
    3. Striving for excellence in everything we do
    4. Having mutual respect for everyone we work with, work for and support through our services

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Family Support Worker requirements:

• An appropriate social care qualification equivalent to at least NVQ level 3.
• Must have knowledge and experience of direct work with families who have complex needs and knowledge and experience of Trauma Informed Practice.
• Must have knowledge and experience of the roles and responsibilities of statutory and voluntary services and experiences of liaising with them.
• Understanding of Safeguarding for children and vulnerable adults.
• Experience of working in culturally diverse communities.
• Experience of working with people in their homes.
• Ability to undertake the work within an anti-discriminatory and empowerment framework.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Active listening skills along with patience and ability to work under pressure.
• Commitment to make a positive difference to the lives of their clients
• To have high levels of compassion and empathy.
• Ability to work both independently and as a member of a team.
• Ability to give accurate information and practical support to family members of all ages.
• Ability to write clear and accurate reports and use regular IT packages.
• High level of organisational and interpersonal skills.
• The ability to reflect on own practice; undertake training advice and constructive feedback.
• Ability to work hours in a flexible way, including evenings and weekends to meet the needs of the service.
• A commitment to equal opportunities and an understanding of the impact of deprivation and discrimination on communities, families and individuals.
• Have an enhanced Disclosure (DBS) check.
• Ability to evidence North United Communities’ values at all times by:

1. Being people focused
   1. Reflecting a ‘can do’ approach
   2. Striving for excellence in everything we do
   3. Having mutual respect for everyone we work with, work for and support through our services

Project Worker post – (Young People’s Drug and Alcohol Service)

Special conditions:

• The contract will run until 31st March 2024 (fixed term contract). Extension of the contract will be dependent on continuation funding.

• The post can involve regular evening working.

• Post holders must be able to travel across East Lothian and Midlothian.

Role

Responsible for the development of young people’s substance use focused work within East Lothian and Midlothian and the delivery of direct work (with young people, parents/carers and other professionals) guided by targets set through line management.

The main aim of the post is to reduce problematic substance use among young people (aged 16 to 21 and who are less likely to engage with services) within Midlothian and East Lothian.

The service will offer:

1. Individual support for young people

2. Group work programmes

3. Staff training and support

4. Support for families

There is no specific qualification required; however, the post holder will be expected to be educated to degree level. This should be in a relevant field such as Health, Community Education, Social Work or Education, but significant equivalent experience will also be considered. The post holder will work within a multi-disciplinary service and work effectively with other agencies in partnership settings. This post will require regular evening and occasional weekend work.

Place of work:The administrative base is in Dalkeith. Travel throughout East Lothian and Midlothian, including operating from other venues, will be required.