Development Worker in Edinburgh

Contract: Fixed Term – 2 years (funding dependent)

Location: Edinburgh (delivery also across Falkirk and Fife as required)

Hours: 22.5 per week, over 4 days (days to be agreed)

Are you passionate about supporting young people to build positive futures? Do you want to work for a values-led charity that prioritises wellbeing, creativity and trauma-informed practice?

At LinkLiving, our people and values are at the heart of everything we do. Our core values are Empathy, Respect, Integrity and Caring, and we are committed to recruiting people who share them.

LinkLiving is a Scottish health and wellbeing charity supporting people to overcome the effects of negative life experiences such as trauma, mental ill health, poverty and inequality. We deliver support through a range of services including employability and personal development programmes, self-help coaching, supported accommodation, housing support, care at home, befriending and social cafés.

The Link Academy works with young people who have complex backgrounds and face challenges such as low confidence, poor mental health and difficulty managing key life transitions. Using a trauma-informed approach, the service supports early engagement through wellbeing programmes, independent living skills and accredited learning, helping young people develop resilience and work towards positive futures.

The Right Track (Navigating Positive Futures) programme is a preventative service supporting young people at risk of involvement in the criminal justice system. As a Development Worker, you will provide one-to-one and group-based support to young people experiencing issues including youth crime, antisocial behaviour, family breakdown and school-related difficulties.

You will also support parents and carers and lead a team of peer education volunteers (aged 16–24) who use their lived experience of the criminal justice system to positively influence others. Applications are welcomed from those with lived and/or professional experience.

You are passionate about supporting young people affected by the criminal justice system and helping them achieve positive outcomes. You will be educated to SCQF Level 7 (HNC or equivalent); however, applicants with relevant lived experience are strongly encouraged to apply, with training and qualifications supported within the role.

You will have a minimum of three years’ experience in youth work, including work within a criminal justice context. You are confident in building trusting relationships, delivering engaging programmes, and working in a trauma-informed, relationship-based way. You are organised, an effective communicator, comfortable using digital tools, and able to work flexibly across locations. Occasional evening or weekend work may be required.

Benefits include a competitive salary, 35 days’ holiday (pro rata), enhanced sick and family-friendly pay, pension scheme with generous employer contributions, funded qualifications and memberships, wellbeing and healthcare benefits, employee assistance programme, cycle-to-work scheme, and a wide range of discounts.

This role is subject to PVG membership under the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020. LinkLiving will meet the cost of any required PVG checks.

Closing Date: 23:59, Sunday 01 March 2026

Interview Date: Monday 09 March 2026 (Edinburgh)

For informal enquiries, email. To apply, please complete the online application via our jobs portal.

LinkLiving is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from all backgrounds. As a Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee interviews to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria.