Advertised from 3 September 2026

Role

Turn lived experience into hope, connection and change

Recovery Coaching Scotland is looking for a Female Recovery Coach to join us in an exciting role working alongside the Scottish Borders Council Justice Social Work Team.

This is initially a six-month fixed-term post, however an extension is likely, subject to continued funding and service requirements.

This is an opportunity to use recovery-focused approaches, peer support and the power of lived experience to make a genuine difference in the lives of women involved with community justice.

Working closely with Justice Social Workers and the wider Recovery Orientated System of Care (ROSC), you will support women who may be experiencing a range of challenges connected with substance use, recovery, wellbeing and involvement with the justice system.

About the role

As a Recovery Coach, you will provide practical, relational and recovery-focused support to women engaged with Justice Services across the Scottish Borders.

You will work alongside individuals to help them engage successfully with court-mandated treatment orders and other justice programmes, strengthen and sustain their recovery, improve their wellbeing and develop the confidence and skills needed to move forward.

The role includes one-to-one strengths-based Recovery Coaching, supporting women to engage with recovery groups and community activities, and helping them connect with the wider network of services, opportunities and peer support available across the Borders.

You will also support the delivery of Recovery Coaching Scotland's 10-Session Self-Coaching Training Programme, helping people develop practical tools to build and maintain motivation, cope with urges, manage thoughts, feelings and behaviours, and work towards a more balanced lifestyle.

More than a referral

A key part of this role is building relationships.

You will work alongside women who may still be experiencing active substance use as well as those in the early stages of recovery. The focus is not simply on referring people into services, but on helping them make meaningful connections and supporting them to take the next step.

That might mean accompanying someone to a recovery group for the first time, helping them reconnect with community activities, supporting them through a difficult period, or simply being a consistent person who believes that change is possible.

Working in partnership

You won't be doing this work in isolation.

The post works closely with the Scottish Borders Council Justice Social Work Team, Recovery Coaching Scotland colleagues and partners across the local Recovery Orientated System of Care.

You will develop relationships with social workers, recovery services, NHS colleagues, community organisations, peer networks and other partners, helping to bridge the gap between formal services and the recovery community.

A role shaped by lived experience

Recovery Coaching Scotland believes strongly in the value of lived experience.

People who have travelled their own recovery journey can bring something distinctive to this work – understanding, credibility and the ability to demonstrate that recovery and positive change are achievable.

We are particularly interested in hearing from women who can bring their own lived experience of recovery from problematic substance use into a professional, boundaried and strengths-based role.

This is also a relatively new role and will continue to develop with the successful postholder in close collaboration with the Scottish Borders Council team, providing a real opportunity to help shape how the service develops.

Interested?

If you are passionate about recovery, believe in people's capacity to change and want to use your experience to help women build a different future, we would love to hear from you.

Application notes

To apply, please send your CV and a covering letter explaining how you meet the person specification to: rod@recoverycoachingscot.org

This post is open to female applicants only. This is an occupational requirement under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1, as the role provides gender-responsive support to women engaged with Justice Services. Appointment will be subject to the appropriate Disclosure Scotland and Scottish Borders Council enhanced vetting requirements.

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