Development Worker
| Posting date: | 09 February 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £28,536 to £31,310 per year |
| Additional salary information: | dependent on skills & experience |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 01 March 2026 |
| Location: | Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | Link Group Limited |
| Job type: | Contract |
| Job reference: | LLDWEFEB26 |
Summary
Job Title: Development Worker (Link Academy)
Contract: Fixed Term – 2 years (funding dependent)
Location: Edinburgh (delivery also across Falkirk and Fife as required)
Hours: 37.5 per week, Monday–Friday
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.
About LinkLiving
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 Service
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 Role
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.
About You
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.
What We Offer
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.
Additional Information
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 jobs@linkhaltd.co.uk
.
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.
Contract: Fixed Term – 2 years (funding dependent)
Location: Edinburgh (delivery also across Falkirk and Fife as required)
Hours: 37.5 per week, Monday–Friday
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.
About LinkLiving
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 Service
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 Role
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.
About You
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.
What We Offer
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.
Additional Information
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 jobs@linkhaltd.co.uk
.
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.
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.