Advertised from 9 June 2026

Role

About Thrive

Thrive Edinburgh is about thinking big and thinking differently. We have made it our goal to promote mental health and protect our citizens’ resilience, self-esteem, family strength and joy, and reduce the toll of mental ill-health on individuals, our communities and our city.

The Thrive Welcome Teams are comprised of organisations that provide social, practical, learning and clinical support.

The South West partnership is between Space, SAMH and the Edinburgh Health & Social Care Partnership. Our organisations share a commitment to the Thrive vision and values of trust, respect, collaboration, person-centeredness, innovation, and compassion. Together we deliver a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency response so that citizens receive the right help for their mental health, at the right time. The team includes Mental Health Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Social Workers, Support Practitioners and Peer Workers.

More information about Thrive Edinburgh can be found heree

The Role

Peer work is a recognised practice in mental health recovery across the world.

The main role of a Thrive Peer Worker is to use their own lived experience of mental health recovery journey to promote good mental health practices with citizens within our communities.

This is achieved by providing short term, one-to-one, emotional and practical mental health support. Through confidential conversations a safe space is provided for people to discuss issues at their own pace, using person-centred tools to help others identify their strengths, and work towards achievable and meaningful recovery goals. These meetings can take place in a variety of locations including NHS venues and community based settings.

Peer Work supports people to establish meaningful and fulfilling links in the community so that people can more easily access the right help when needed including social, therapeutic and medical interventions.

Key tasks in the job:

·        Hold initial conversations to assess needs and risk, ensuring people access the services that will best support them.

·        Guide people to create individual support plans that draw on their own strengths

·        Provide short term support through 1:1 meetings, typically between 2-6 sessions, drawing on your own mental health journey

·        Be well connected in the community to understand the different services on offer and the criteria for referring.

·        Accompany individuals to appointments to connect them into services.

·        Attend cross team meetings to discuss cases and share learning.

·        Attend open access ‘drop-in’ sessions that are held within community venues, providing people with instant access to advice and sign posting.

What you’ll bring:

·        An understanding of Peer Work and how it can be utilised in therapeutic settings.

·        Experience of managing your own mental health challenges, with a positive outcome, and able to share your recovery story to support others in their journey to recovery.

·        Knowledge of a variety of key issues relating to mental health concerns.

·        Have excellent interpersonal skills to naturally form and manage appropriate relationships with a range of people of all ages and walks of life.

·        Be able to set appropriate boundaries with people you are supporting whist maintaining an open and trusting environment.

·        Competent in the use of Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams)

The full job description and person specification for the role is attached.

 About Space

Space is a community anchor organisation supporting people and their families in South West Edinburgh, with some of our services stretching city wide.

WE BELIEVE THAT CONNECTIONS BUILD COMMUNITIES

Space delivers 22 projects, with 60+ staff and over 50 volunteers. We deliver diverse services supporting young people, families, older people and carers amongst others.

For more information about Space and all our projects can be found on our website – www.spacescot.org

Application notes

 If you would like to have a conversation about the role or project before applying please contact Hazel Bell via careers@spacescot.org

To apply, please return your completed application form to careers@spacescot.org by 5pm Monday 22nd June 2026.

We embrace AI and know the positive efficiencies it can bring, however if we feel that an application has been solely generated by AI and we can’t get a real feel for who you are, your application may be bypassed.

Shortlisted candidates will be contacted no later than Wednesday 24th June to be invited to interview.

Initial interviews will be held in person at The Broomhouse Hub on Monday 29th June 2026.

If you require any assistance in order to complete an application or would like to know about alternative formats available please contact careers@spacescot.org or call 0131 455 7731.

Space @ Broomhouse Hub is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity

Downloads