support worker jobs

As a Peer Worker, you’ll be at the heart of your Peabody community, using your lived experience of recovery to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our residents. No two days will be the same — from offering one‑to‑one support, to leading engaging group activities that help build confidence, resilience, and essential life skills.

You’ll play a vital role in helping residents explore their own recovery techniques, while nurturing hope, acceptance, and a strong sense of belonging. This is a role where your experiences, empathy, and authenticity truly matter.

How You’ll Make a Difference
You’ll support residents in ways that feel meaningful and empowering, meeting people where they are and walking alongside them at their own pace. This may include encouraging someone to connect with local self‑help groups, supporting them to manage day‑to‑day responsibilities, or helping them develop practical coping strategies.

By thoughtfully sharing your own lived experience of recovery in a safe, supportive, and non‑judgemental way, you’ll help build confidence and inspire residents to take positive steps forward. You’ll also work closely with colleagues to deliver group activities and contribute to a supportive, welcoming service environment.

 What You’ll Bring With You

• Knowledge of recovery-focused support and/or trauma-informed practice.
• The ability to draw on your own personal recovery experience to help others create and follow through on their own plans.
• Strong skills in motivating others, building rapport, and sharing personal experiences appropriately.
• A compassionate, non-judgemental approach with resilience when managing challenging behaviours.
• A commitment to delivering excellent customer service, including advice on independent living skills and moving on.
• The curiosity and initiative to research, identify, and promote activities that support wellbeing

This is a part-time role working 22.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday, with flexibility across the working days.

Why Join Us?
When you join Peabody, you’re joining a team guided by our values, Be Kind, Do the Right Thing, Love New Ideas, Celebrate Diversity, Keep Our Promises, and Pull Together. We believe in creating a workplace where everyone feels supported, included, and empowered.

What We Offer 

• 25 days’ annual holiday, plus bank holidays (specific number of days for the role)
• two additional paid volunteering days each year 
• flexible benefits scheme, including family friendly benefits and access to a discount portal 
• 4 x salary life assurance
• up to 10% pension contribution

Please read before applying:

• You must be eligible to work in the UK and able to work the full contracted hours of 22.5 hours per week.
• This role will require an enhanced DBS check.

If this sounds like we are right for you and you’d love to be part of Peabody, we’d like to hear from you. Please apply now by submitting an anonymised CV and a short statement explaining why you’re the perfect fit for this role.

Closing date: 10th June 2026 at midnight. Interviews will be taking place face to face on Wednesday 24-th Friday 26th June 2026. We reserve the right to close this advert early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

Please note: Peabody is not a licensed UK sponsor, so we’re unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.

Reference Number: V571

Job Title: Engagement Manager

Location: Scotland - Homebased

Contract type: FTC – March 2028

Hours: 17.5

Salary: £25,625 Pro Rata

DBS/PVG: n/a

Job Family: 3

Line Manager: Senior Project Manager, Corporate and Employability

Closing date: 16th June 2026 Midday

Anticipated start date: July/August 2026

Volunteering Matters  

Who we are
At Volunteering Matters, we believe people have the power to create change. Whether through volunteering by helping others and giving time, or through social action such as speaking up, campaigning, or leading change, everyone can make a difference. We bring people together to build stronger communities across England, Scotland and Wales, making sure everyone has the chance to get involved and create real change.

Creating stronger communities through the power of volunteering

Volunteering Matters is a nationwide charity that exists to create stronger communities through the power of volunteering. We work with local partners to develop impactful programmes that support individuals and communities across the UK.

Since 1962, we’ve used our influence to champion volunteering as a powerful tool to build a thriving, resilient society. Our projects are co-created with the people and communities we work alongside: an approach that encourages our participants to become future volunteers and leaders, not just beneficiaries.

We understand the pressures of day-to-day life and create flexible, inclusive opportunities for people at all stages of life. And beyond delivering projects on the ground, we use our voice to shape policy and practice – ensuring volunteering stays recognised, supported and sustainable for generations to come.

 What we do
We help people of all ages and backgrounds get involved in volunteering and social action. We focus on making sure that everyone, no matter their situation, has the chance to take part. We work with local people.

 How we do this

We support people to share their time and skills to help others and tackle big challenges in their communities.

· We remove barriers to volunteering and social action, making it easier for people who don’t always get the chance to take part.

· We listen to and amplify voices that aren’t always heard, helping volunteers and communities influence change.

· We help volunteers beyond their first experience, offering training, support, and pathways to new opportunities.

· We connect businesses with communities, creating meaningful employee volunteering projects.

· We show the impact of volunteering and social action, proving how it changes lives for the better.

 Our promise to volunteers

We are always looking for new ways for volunteers to make a difference. We bring people together across generations and backgrounds to learn from each other and create change. At the same time, we make sure that all our volunteers are trained, supported, and valued, so they feel confident in what they do.

It’s a brilliant time to join us. We’re evolving, growing our impact, and shaping a future where everyone can take part and feel they belong. 

Role Purpose

Action Earth offers grants to help urban communities to respond to our nature and climate crises. Funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, these nature grants support volunteers of all ages, backgrounds and abilities in practical outdoor activities in Scotland’s cities, towns and villages.

We are looking for a talented, dynamic, and organised Engagement Manager to join our Action Earh team in a mainly administrative role. The right candidate would be someone who can work flexibly and demonstrate an understanding and total commitment to our organisational values. You will be joining an existing team of one part time Engagement Manager and a long-term volunteer who supports the project.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

· Administration tasks including maintaining effective and accessible records using Microsoft Office, Google Docs, MailChimp and a CRM.

· Ensure monitoring, impact and evaluation information is collected

· To ensure that Action Earth meets it’s agreed targets, reporting format and schedule.

· Updating social media channels.

· Help create newsletters and other promotional materials

· Supporting successful applicants and monitoring project journeys.

· Supporting with quarterly and yearly reporting,

· Supporting with raising awareness of Action Earth, specifically targeting low SIMD areas across Scotland. 

· Attend any fairs or promotional events

This job description is intended to include the broad range of responsibilities and requirements of the post. It is neither exhaustive nor exclusive but while some variations will be expected, these will be at an appropriate level for the role.

Skills

• Excellent IT skills including the use of Office 365, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Forms, Excel, Google Docs and Forms, MailChimp and design software such as Canva.

• Experience using different CRM software.

• An understanding of Scottish geography, particularly around areas of multiple deprivation

• Excellent organisational skills including strong attention to detail, the ability to manage a busy workload, and prioritise effectively.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Excellent people skills with the ability to build professional, long-term relationships with various organisations to influence and motivate others.

• A creative approach to problem solving, an ability to work independently and use own initiative.

• Ability to think on your feet, act quickly and respond to situations as well as demonstrate common sense and initiative.

Experience Required

• Experience working directly with Excel and Microsoft Forms, including the ability to develop spreadsheet applications, in particular, the use of formulae and how to link related spreadsheets.

• Experience of administration, achieving goals, managing a busy workload and working to deadlines.

• Experience developing strong working relationships, with a range of organisations.

• Experience of measuring the impact of volunteering and understanding the results. 

• Understanding of and full commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion.

Qualifications

Relevant experience and values alignment is more important for this role than specific qualifications

Other

This is home based however some travel across Scotland to visit projects and attend events may be required. The postholder will require good internet access to enable remote working, and a suitable home office space. I.T. equipment and infrastructure will be supplied.

Our Values & Way of Working

In all that we are guided by our values: Empowering, Inclusive, Compassionate, Positive & Straightforward. 

Diversity & Inclusion

Volunteering Matters welcomes all applicants and are keen to ensure our team reflects the diversity of the UK and the communities we serve. We encourage applications from disabled, LGBT and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, along with candidates with any protected characteristics and from disadvantaged groups.

Disability Confident & Reasonable Adjustments

We guarantee to interview anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the role. Please provide evidence in your application, which demonstrates that you meet the level of competence required in the Job Description under skill and experience. To be considered for a guaranteed interview or to discuss any reasonable adjustments during the process, please state this in your cover letter. 

Benefits

Our employee benefits reflect our culture which is built on an approach of full flexibility with accountability, and designed to let you make your most positive contribution; we offer:

· Flexible Working by Default (re hours & place of work) 

· Unlimited Annual Leave 

· Employee Pension scheme 

· Life Assurance 

· Cycle to Work Scheme 

· Season Ticket Loan 

· Employee Assistance Programme 

· Enhanced sick and family leave.

· Lifestyle Discount Scheme

We are also open to discussing job share applications.

GDPR Statement

If you apply for a role with us, we will retain your contact details including your name, address, email address and phone number to help us manage your application for up to six months.  We will not use your personal data for any other purpose or share it with any third party. You can contact us at any point to update your personal information or ask us to delete it from our records.

Policy on AI-Generated Applications 

Applications are accepted on trust, and we expect all submissions to reflect the applicant’s own words, experiences, and motivations. While tools such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) may support the application process, applications should not be generated wholly by AI. 

To Apply

Please send an updated, complete CV and cover letter via the Charity Job Apply button above. In your application clearly state which role you are applying for. In the cover letter please demonstrate how you would fulfil the role requirements, what previous relevant achievements you have (both in life and at work), what skills & experience you can offer, and what you believe you can contribute to Volunteering Matters.

We welcome applications from everyone, but please note that if we receive an extremely large number of responses, we may close this advert early to fully consider applications. We encourage you to apply promptly so you don’t miss the opportunity to join our community.

Right to Work in the UK
Please note that while we hold a license to sponsor employees on a skilled worker visa, the number of applications we can make each year is very limited. Unfortunately, this role does not meet the criteria for sponsorship, therefore, you must already have the right to work in the UK to be considered for this position.

If you have any questions about current vacancies, the recruitment process, or need support, our team is here to help.