Advertised from 22 July 2025

Role

About Simon Community Scotland

Simon Community Scotland is the largest provider of homelessness services in Scotland.

Our vision is for everyone to have a safe place to live with access to the support they need. Every day we help make positive things happen for people facing extremely difficult circumstances.

Everything we do is about and for people: the people we support, our staff, our partners and everyone affected by homelessness.

Our values are built into every area of activity and tell the story of how people remain at the heart of the Simon Community.

Job Summary

The Simon Community is Scotland's leading homeless charity. We are creative and innovative. We get things done with care and compassion that make a difference to our community, being true to our values. We are a community of staff, volunteers and the people that we support.

We are looking for someone who is passionate about changing expectations and experiences of people we support, many of whom have experienced significant trauma, exclusion and stigma. They often engage in risk taking behaviours that put their physical and mental health, and their lives at risk. Despite the challenges they face they have incredible resilience, survival skills and a wicked sense of humour. They know what a good, and not so good service looks like.

We are excited to expand the psychological work of the organisation by recruiting an Assistant Psychologist. The key focus of the Assistant Psychologist role is to support and enhance the psychological care of people working within services using psychological interventions. This work will be carried out under the clinical supervision of the Clinical Psychologist within Simon Community, and direct management of the Service Lead. 

The key focus of the job plan will be agreed with the Clinical Psychologist, working independently within the framework, policies and procedures of the organisation. This may include some direct work with people we support, however, it will also include indirect support such as; supporting psychological formulation, creating and facilitating group work, supporting staff training, assist in clinical administration, audits, literature reviews, service evaluation and research. 

The job will be based at one of our residential accommodations, however, will also involve outreach work and working within community spaces. This job description will be subject to review as the psychology team develops and the postholder will be a key stakeholder in that review.

Job Purpose

Developing effective relationships with those we support by listening, interacting and responding to their needs and requirements. Through this, creating and facilitating psychological work grounded in theoretical knowledge and research, whilst taking into account the needs and wants of those we support. Adapting and communicating any psychological concepts to the audience to ensure it is clear, understandable and supportive.

Use a co-production approach that recognises the importance of living experience being at the centre of service design and delivery. Prioritise the voices of people accessing the service to reflect and adapt the operational model based on their expertise. Provide a progressive model of support and care that goes beyond traditional approaches, reimagining what psychological work can offer to those we support.

To assist in the creation, coordination and running of psychoeducational therapeutic groups.

To assist in the formulation sessions of people we support to best understand and support their needs, under the supervision of a qualified professional psychologist.

Assisting in the design and implementation of development and improvement projects including literature reviews, data collection, analysis and production of reports and summaries.

Operate in partnership with a range of service providers, including third sector and statutory services to deliver life-changing support.

To assist Clinical Psychologist in the delivery training or support to staff.

Key Responsibilities

Delivering practical support and interventions related to mental health and overall wellbeing for people we support to ensure they can achieve the best outcomes.

Create a safe space through group work for people to share experiences of the impact of trauma and psychological distress, through evidence-based psychological interventions focused on safety and stabilisation trauma recovery. Developing honest and open relationships with our community that foster trust. Upkeep of note-taking of any work carried out.

Creating and facilitating workshops on building emotion regulation and understanding emotions after trauma for people we support. Based on psychological theory and models, such as Seeking Safety. Support with evaluating and reporting on psychological interventions.

Effective communication with a wide range of professionals across relevant and connected sectors for the benefit of the people we support. Working as part of a team with a range of experiences and knowledge to the benefit of our community.

Creating resources for teams regarding psychological concepts and interventions.

Upholding a welcoming and inclusive environment that will ensure psychological and physical safety. Supporting our community to influence their care and support to meet their goals. Fostering connection, hope, a positive identity and meaning in life and a sense of control for our community.

Engage in ongoing professional development activities to enhance skills and knowledge relevant to the role. Including regular clinical supervision.

Working with people in our community with a wide range of experiences and cultural backgrounds with dignity, respect and kindness.

Alongside Clinical Psychologist, develop and facilitate training to teams on Safety and Stabilisation. Including supporting teams with questions surrounding this in practice with advice from the Clinical Psychologist.

Facilitating Tree of Life workshops with people being supported (alongside staff members and supervised by CP).

Alongside other services (seeking key contributors) create training for staff on gender based violence, as well as, activities with people we support around building healthy relationships

Support alongside CP to create formulations for people we support, as well as having a stepped approach to transitions and endings (based on formulations).

Person Specification

Training & Qualifications

Essential:

• An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology
• Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society

Desirable:

• Further postgraduate training in relevant areas such as homelessness, mental health, professional psychology, substance use. and/or research design and analysis.
• Training in DBT, MBT, CBT, ACT, CFT or narrative therapy - basic skills or knowledge.
• Training on trauma informed care or safety and stabilisation.

Experience

Essential:

• Working with people experiencing a range of adult mental health challenges and / or substance use
• Working with people who have experienced significant interpersonal trauma

Desirable:

• Experience of homelessness services or/and lived experience. As well as working with young people
• Development and delivery of training with staff teams
• Experience of facilitating groups around themes of mental health/emotion regulation
• Experience of being part of psychological formulations
• Supporting with service evaluations, audits and research
• Literature reviews and report writing

Knowledge & Skills

Essential:

• Application of existing psychological knowledge in the context of the people we support
• Ability to work both independently and a part of a team
• Demonstrate a high standards in verbal and written communication, including IT and telephone skills
• Ability to develop good therapeutic relationships with people we support
• Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively
• Ability to prioritise workload and maintain healthy boundaries

Desirable:

• Working in multi-disciplinary teams with a range of internal and external stakeholders
• Knowledge of Psychological Informed Environments, Trauma Informed Care and Recovery Approaches
• An understanding of the specific support needs of people experiencing homelessness with multiple and complex needs
• An understanding of the experience of staff working with people who have faced severe and multiple disadvantage.

Personal

Essential:

• Excited by the opportunity and confident in delivering alongside an amazing team
• To be honest and have integrity, able to learn from challenges and move forward
• Flexible, responsive and prepared to act quickly under unusual or changing circumstances
• A capacity to establish priorities and organise workload effectively and efficiently

Application notes

For further information and to apply, please visit our website.