Homelessness support worker jobs in Edinburgh
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Crisis is the national charity for people experiencing homelessness. We have embarked on our 10-year strategy for ending homelessness. We know it is not inevitable. We know together we can end it.
Location: Crisis Skylight Edinburgh, Cranston House, 271 Canongate, EH8 8BQ. Please note this is an onsite role.
About the role
We have an exciting opportunity to join our Edinburgh Skylight as a Receptionist/Administrator in our Crisis Skylight Edinburgh Team. You will be there to welcome people who are homeless seeking advice and start the process of helping them to end their homelessness.
You will support the team to manage a busy working environment, welcoming and supporting a range of people including new Skylight members, current members, staff, Crisis volunteers and visitors. You will provide administrative support for this fast and responsive service to those newly presenting as homeless. You will also carry out administration and housekeeping functions relating to the customer service and facilities management of Cranston House. This role is based onsite with no option for homeworking.
About you
To be successful in this role you will be highly organised with experience of working within a reception or administrative support role, as well as experience providing a high standard of customer service. We are looking for someone who understands the issues faced by homeless people and is excited to learn about the ways we can support them. You will be able to deal with challenging situations and individuals with a range of needs, to reach a positive resolution through a calm and confident approach.
You will have excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work successfully with disadvantaged or socially excluded groups and individuals. Effective communication skills, both verbal and written will be key, as well as working collaboratively within a team. As you will be the first point of contact for many people, you need to be friendly, enjoy helping and be willing to learn about Crisis and all the other activities taking place within the building.
Please see the full Job Pack linked below, for a full list of requirements for this role. We realise that long lists of criteria can be daunting, and you may not want to apply for a role unless you feel 100% qualified. However, if you feel you have relevant examples to answer the screening questions, we encourage you to apply.
We believe diversity is a strength, and our aim is to make sure that Crisis truly reflects the communities we serve. We are actively working towards our organisation being a place where everyone can thrive and make their best contribution to our mission of ending homelessness for good. We know that the more perspectives, voices, and experiences we can bring to this work, the better. We particularly welcome applications from people who have lived experience of homelessness, and people from all marginalised groups, communities, and backgrounds.
Working at Crisis
Our values, Bold, Impactful, Collaborative and Equitable, are at the heart of everything we do as we continue in our mission to end homelessness.
Our staff, members and volunteers are vital to getting the right government policies in place, providing breakthrough services, and building a supportive community. We’ll lead by example to nurture a positive and ambitious workplace guided by ending homelessness.
As a member of the team, you will have access to a wide range of employee benefits including:
- A competitive salary. Please note, our salaries are fixed to counter inequity and we do not negotiate at offer stage.
- Interest free loans for travel season ticket, cycle to work, and deposit to secure a tenancy.
- Pension scheme with an employer contribution of 8.5%
- 28 days’ annual leave (pro rata) which increases with service to 31 days and the option to purchase up to 10 additional days leave.
- Enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental, and adoption pay.
- Wellbeing Leave to be used flexibly And more! (Full list of benefits available on website)
Alongside our excellent staff benefits, we will support your ongoing development to build your skills, experience, and career.
When you join us, you will have the opportunity to join our staff diversity networks, which aim to champion issues across the organisation, enable staff to be their authentic and best selves and contribute to making Crisis a truly diverse organisation.
How do I apply?
Please click on the 'Apply for Job' button below. Our shortlisting process is anonymised as part of our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion. We do not ask for CVs, instead we ask you complete the work history section and answer the screening questions for us to be able to assess you fairly and objectively. At least two members of staff score all applications.
Closing date: Sunday 19th July 2026 23:59
Interview date and location: Wednesday 29th July 2026, in-person at Crisis Skylight Edinburgh, Cranston House, 271 Canongate, EH8 8BQ
AI in Job Applications
We understand some candidates use AI tools when applying. Whilst we welcome the use of technology to support clear communication and structure, we want to learn more about you, so please ensure that your application reflects your own skills, knowledge and experiences
Accessibility
We want our recruitment process to be as accessible as possible. If you need us to make an adjustment or provide additional support as you apply for a role, please email our Talent Acquisition team to discuss how we can help.
Registered Charity Numbers: E&W1082947, SC040094
Registered Charity 
501 - 1000
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Job Title:
Victim Support Casework Team Lead
Salary:
Actual salary is £27,200 per year (FTE £34,000).
Contract/Hours:
Permanent. 4 days per week / 0.8 FTE. The normal working week is 30 hours.
Annual Leave:
FTE annual leave entitlement is 23 days pro rata plus public and bank holidays.
Location:
NUM delivers its services UK-wide through a combination of digital resources, remote services and in-person hubs. Staff work on a hybrid basis, with the balance of home and location-based working depending on business needs. This role is primarily remote, with occasional travel possible for meetings, events, and outreach. If you are based in one of our hubs, Glasgow, Manchester or London then this is desirable.
About NUM:
National Ugly Mugs (NUM) is a UK-wide charity which delivers a holistic safety, wellbeing and economic support model for sex workers, combining digital harm prevention, specialist casework, mental health support and pathways to economic stability. Activities are delivered UK-wide via a digital platform, remote services, and in-person hubs. We run a wellbeing drop-in service in Glasgow and other in-person services and events in Manchester and London. We have developed Vocational Support Services for those exploring careers both in and outside of sex industries and we run a Racial Justice project and Youth Justice project that makes visible the lived experiences of harm among racialised and young (18-25) sex workers towards systems change.
NUM values those with lived experience in sex industries and work with them to shape services and responses, conduct research, develop education packages, and participate in policy advocacy to change the conditions that lead to survival sex work, gain rights and recognition, and improve the safety of UK-based sex workers.
Background and Responsibilities:
The casework team is at the heart of NUM. We provide vital support from assistance through the criminal justice journey to essential emergency financial support. We are looking for a Casework Team Lead to lead our casework team. If you are driven, have a keen eye for detail, can effectively motivate others in a demanding and emotive area of work with the ability to support people in an empathetic and trauma informed way then this could be the role for you.
This role will specifically focus on the day-to-day running of the casework team alongside carrying your own caseload. The work involves utilising and monitoring our digital platform and CMS maintaining and monitoring the documentation of cases and coordinating responses to ensure sex workers received the high standard of support they deserve, to prevent and recover from violence as well as seek justice and recourse. The Victim Support Casework Team Lead is responsible for maintaining high standards for all digital, individualised and in-person support provided by the casework team. All responsibilities can be grouped under five umbrella categories. The successful candidate will evidence suitability for the role based on the strength areas below:
1) Management: Manage the operations and administration associated with victim and vocational support casework.
2) Leadership: Lead and motivate the team of national case workers towards service excellence. The best leaders can also be led. The successful candidate will value the lived and learned experiences on the casework team and ensure that everyone works to their strengths and strives for the best outcomes for sex workers.
3) High Standards: Support good performance and quality outcomes for sex workers.
4) Creative and Innovative: Ability to strategise and problem-solve. Sex workers experience forms of violence before and after accessing support. At NUM, our principle of 'Sex Workers First' means that we work with them to achieve the outcomes that they desire. Sex workers are in control of their healing and recovery, and it will be the successful candidate's job to ensure that lives are improved as a result of contact with NUM.
5) Well-being Focused: Provide care for the health, safety and welfare of the case work team and the sex workers we serve.
Day-to-day tasks include but are not limited to the following.
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Managing your own caseload, providing individualised support to sex workers alongside your leadership role ensuring that sex workers are put at the forefront of all services offered. Maintaining our high standard of support.
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Continued monitoring and development of the NUM platform backend functions to find efficiencies and boost productivity. Develop and update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) based on new policies and service priorities, new platforms/ procedures, and new innovations or services.
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Problem-solving to ensure the smooth and efficient operations of the casework team eg, managing resource and rota’s including leave and absences, delegation of task where appropriate to the casework team.
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Audit overview and quarterly reporting to Operations Manager with responsibility for data management and the production of case studies.
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External communications with practitioners to ensure best practice of utilising NUM service, promoting NUM membership where possible and attending external meetings as a NUM representative where required.
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Host or contribute to the ongoing meetings of the National ISVA/SWISVA forum and continue to foster useful and productive spaces for SWISVAs (specialist sex work ISVA’s) throughout the UK to share experiences, insights towards delivering quality support services to sex workers with maintaining high service standards and prioritising self-care.
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Deliver weekly operations meetings, keep them short and concise to discuss operational updates NUM wide/internal. Analyse statistics and case work trends and discuss any issues or take aways with the Operations Manager to inform Casework Team strategy.
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Communicate and collaborate with other work streams and projects at NUM. Contribute to organisational priorities and support initiatives that strengthen National Ugly Mugs’ overall impact.
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Lead 1-2-1 check-ins and appraisals with staff, acknowledging individual and team success in appropriate ways, motivating the team and resolving conflict and managing team dynamics (with support where needed).
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Onboard and train new members of the casework team.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential Skills and Experience
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Demonstrable casework skills, with experience in delivering advice, information, emotional and practical support and advocacy in partnership with health, wellbeing and criminal justice outcomes for individuals who may have experienced traumatic events.
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Experience managing a team, providing line management support, and managing rotas and team resources.
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An understanding of coordination responsibilities and the requirements of middle management in a fast-paced and ever-changing environment.
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Qualified ISVA or relevant casework support experience.
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Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to work with multiple partners on complex cases.
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Excellent administrative and organisation skills, able to manage both your own and other people’s workloads effectively.
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An understanding of Equal Opportunities, the diversity of sex workers and the impact of criminalisation, stigma, and marginalisation on sex workers and a team comprising those with lived experience.
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Effective communication skills and the ability to deliver training, guidance, advice and support to a diverse range of stakeholders to promote best practice in relation to supporting sex workers when they’re victims of crime.
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Experience of using online communication tools, CMS (Oasis), google workspace, MS suite, slack and other digital platforms to maximise efficiency and productivity of your own casework and that of the casework team.
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Experience of dealing with internal and external complaints and having difficult conversations.
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Strong empathic and active listening skills.
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Willingness to undertake continued professional development.
Desirable:
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Experience of the sex work community.
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Experience completing detailed reports on workstream productivity, both statistically and in written form.
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The ability to understand local, regional and national policy and evidence-based research in relation to community safety, health and social inclusion.
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Ability in languages other than English is beneficial but not required.
If you are passionate about NUM’s mission to ‘end all forms of violence against sex workers’ we would love for you to hear from you!
HOW TO APPLY:
Applications close on 13th August 2026 at 11:30pm BST. We encourage applicants to apply before the deadline as interviews may be held on a rolling basis. You can apply via Charity Jobs or by emailing admin[at]nationaluglymugs[dot]org with your name and ‘Victim Support Casework Team Lead’ in the subject line.
Please include a CV (max 3 pages) and a cover letter (max 2 pages) describing your suitability for the role. The cover letter should address the points in the ‘Personal Specification’ section of this posting.
NUM is a diverse team committed to inclusion and equal opportunities in the workplace, and we actively encourage applicants of all different ages, genders, social and economic backgrounds, ethnicities, religions and sexual orientations, and from people with disabilities. If you have any access requirements related to applying, please contact admin[at]nationaluglymugs[dot]org.
We understand that everyone’s experience is different and encourage applications from those who may not meet all of the person specifications. If you’re passionate about equality, economic empowerment, and ending violence against sex workers, we want to hear from you.
Interviews are planned to take place remotely on week starting August 17th. We will let you know by August 18th if you have been selected for an interview. Please note that due to the high number of applications expected for this role if you do not hear back from NUM by the August 18th unfortunately your application has not been successful. We are not able to provide feedback on your application at the application stage.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Salary – Grade 6 - £44,323 per annum plus £312 homeworker allowance
Hours – Full time – 35 per week
Contract: Fixed term until 30th June 2027
Location – Home Worker with regular travel to London for events and meetings
Closing date: Sunday 26th July 2026 at 11:30pm
Join Shelter as our Race and Housing Equity Lead in our mission to drive systemic change and fight for housing justice. If you have strong experience of programme management and working with professionals or as a professional supporting people facing homelessness and with complex needs, then we welcome you to apply for this role.
At a time when the housing emergency continues to deepen, your experience could help transform lives and challenge the systems that perpetuate injustice. Come and play a central role in our mission to defend the right to a safe, and secure home. Working with Shelter means being part of a passionate team that believes a safe home is a fundamental right. Here, your skills don’t just change lives - they shape a fairer housing system.
About the role
Your role will be to ensure that Shelter’s service delivery model is truly inclusive and accessible. We have a Strategic Goal to improve our clients’ journeys and streamline internal referrals, so you will make sure that changes are inclusive and also sustainable so that our service provision is equitable. We will build on previous Race and Housing Research carried out in 2023-4, to further understand systemic discrimination and work with communities and partner organisations to find solutions. You will be responsible for the implementing and embedding the recommendations, working closely with the Services and Equity, Inclusion and Culture teams as well as a wide range of stakeholders, including people with lived experience of homelessness.
About you
You have a values centred approach, with a strong track record of co-designing and delivering Equity, Diversity and Inclusion initiatives and planning and implementing strategic plans to drive these forward. With strong communication and influencing skills, you are able to demonstrate your ability to form and maintain good relationships with internal and external stakeholders and your EDI expertise will mean you have experience as a subject matter expert support people at all levels of an organization. You are able to produce progress reports and evaluations, as well as demonstrating excellent project management and team leadership skills.
Benefits
We offer a wide range of benefits, including 30 days of annual leave (pro rata), enhanced family friendly policies, pension and interest free travel loans. Our employees also have access to a tenancy deposit loan, payroll giving, cycle to work scheme and an employee assistance programme.
About the team
The Services Quality team supports the England Services Directorate by working to integrate compliance and quality into all services. The team also gathers evidence to shape service design and deliver systemic change.
How to apply
Please click ‘Apply for Job’ below. You are required to submit your work history and a supporting statement. The supporting statement should include your responses to the five points in the ‘About You’ section of the job description, of no more than 1500 words in total.
Please provide specific examples following the STAR format and ensure you demonstrate how you address the behaviours below in your responses:
- We prioritise diversity and have an inclusive and open mindset
About Shelter
Home is a human right. It’s our foundation and where we thrive. Yet every day millions of people are being devastated by the housing emergency.
We exist to defend the right to a safe home. Because home is everything.
We need ambitious, passionate people to join us. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve.
Our enemy is the social injustice at the core of the escalating housing emergency. To win this fight, we must be representative of the people we are here to help and those who support our movement. In all our people decisions, we take pride in being inclusive, equitable and transparent. We are committed to combating racism both within and outside Shelter. We welcome you on our journey to becoming truly anti-racist.
Safeguarding Statement
Safeguarding is everyone's business. Shelter is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of those we support, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. All our staff will be expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in line with our Safeguarding Policies.
Shelter does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.
