About Simon Community Scotland

People are at the heart of who we are and what we do. Day-by-day, person-to-person, we tailor what we offer to what people need. We’re here to provide consistent, friendly and informed support so that people can explore options and take ‘the next step’ towards their future. We welcome people with a wide range of skills and experiences to our team – including those who have lived through homelessness. To make a difference we need to work flexibly, with everyday-leadership, humour and a ‘can do’ spirit. We want to make it easy, make it right, and make it happen – not only for the people we support, but also for each other. We care for and support each other regardless of our role, service or location. We want people who share these values to join us and become a part of the Simon Community Scotland team.

Job Summary

Within Simon Community, we pride ourselves in taking a psychological and trauma informed approach to our work. We understand the people we work with have likely experienced and continue to experience adverse life events which lead to trauma responses, impacting both physical and mental health. The role of psychology within Simon Community is to ensure psychological theories and principles are embedded within the organisation in a creative and flexible way. Providing psychological safety and the best wellbeing possible for everyone accessing or working for Simon Community.

We are excited to expand the psychological work of the organisation by recruiting a Practitioner Psychologist to an innovative developing service for women who are experiencing severe and multiple disadvantage in Glasgow. The key focus of this 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 supervision of the Clinical Psychologist within Simon Community. 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 women who are accessing support through the service, however, it will also include indirect support such as; regular team psychological formulation, creating and facilitating staff training, facilitating reflective practice groups, communicating across different services with a psychological focus for the women supported, conducting clinical supervision with junior members of the psychology team/service leads, service evaluation and research. The job will include working within our Connect Hub (a gendered community space that supports women experiencing homelessness in Glasgow city centre), as well as some work within residential services and potential outreach work. 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

Under the clinical supervision of a Clinical Psychologist and working alongside our services, key activities will include;

Provide highly specialist and psychological assessment, formulation, and therapy to women facing severe and multiple disadvantage. Developing effective relationships with those we support by listening, interacting and responding to their needs and requirements. Maintaining accurate case notes and records.

Work as part of a team, bringing psychological insight into care planning and service delivery. This will include conducting regular psychological formulations with teams to inform a consistent psychologically informed approach to support and care. Adapting and communicating any psychological concepts to the audience to ensure it is clear, understandable and supportive.

Work in flexible, non-traditional settings (e.g. supported accommodation, outreach, community access hubs), with a commitment to trauma-informed, culturally competent, and human rights based practice.

Provide a progressive model of support and care that goes beyond traditional approaches, reimagining what psychological work can offer to those we support. Ability and willingness to meet people where they are at - physically, emotionally, socially.

Offer clinical leadership, supporting psychologically-informed approaches to care across the Soft Edges project, as well as be part of a wider multi-agency/disciplinary voice on the psychological needs of people, teams and organisations. This may include creating, coordinating and facilitating training for teams, psychoeducational therapy groups and reflective practice groups.

Alongside the team, support 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.

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

Supervise and support junior psychological staff and others in leadership roles in the organisation, including Assistant Psychologists, Psychology Students, and Service Leads. Operate within defined scope of practice under regular clinical supervision from a registered Clinical Psychologist

 

Key Responsibilities

Undertake highly specialist and timely psychological assessments, formulations, and evidence-based interventions - being highly skilled in adapting psychological models to be creative and fit with the people in this community. Developing honest and open relationships with our community that foster trust.

Develop psychological formulations in collaboration with teams and/or individuals, to guide support planning.

Deliver evidence-based psychological interventions (e.g. CBT, MBT or third wave based and trauma-informed approaches) adapted for individual needs (holding in mind SMD experiences of people in this setting). Delivery of a regular clinical caseload (e.g. 2-6 people per week) with appropriate psychological outcome measures.

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

Work autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the team’s policies and procedures. Maintenance of accurate clinical documentation within agreed timeframes.

Promote trauma-informed and psychologically-informed environments (PIE) through staff support, consultation, and systemic thinking. Including leading reflective practice groups and team formulation sessions for front facing or support staff.

Contribution to training packages or workshops for staff (e.g. safety and stabilisation approaches to trauma responses).

Attendance at multi-agency meetings with psychological input recorded and shared appropriately. Effective communication with a wide range of professionals across relevant and connected sectors for the benefit of the people we support.

Supervision of at least 1 Service Lead and several Service Coordinators, as well as Assistant Psychologist.

Engage in audit, research, and evaluation activities, contributing to service improvement and development. Including working alongside researchers, contribute to learning and growth in the area. Support evaluation of the service, including key outcome measures for the project, methodology for data collection that is creative and meaningful for the population.

Work alongside researchers and team to evaluate the service and create reports on impact of the project. With the hope of published research which further develops the learning of how to best support women who are experiencing homelessness.

Creation of training materials, psychoeducational resources to support staff teams and individuals, as well as appropriate feedback measures for training.

Completion of agreed CPD hours and supervision sessions, in line with professional requirements. As well as attend national meetings regarding psychology within homelessness settings to share and learn best practice.

Our Values and Approach

All SCS employees are expected to demonstrate the following values in their work:

Warmth & Regard

Recognising and valuing everyone

Treating people with kindness, dignity and respect

Acting with compassion

Showing warmth and welcome to everyone

Taking difficult decisions sensitively and with due regard to others

Taking a calm, professional and intelligent approach to stigma

Inclusion and Participation

Encouraging the participation and inclusion of people we support

Exploring choices and options with people we support or fellow colleagues

Making things easy for others

Embracing technology in delivering your role

Supporting clients, staff and volunteers to become digitally included

Personalised and Creative

Innovation and creativity

Helping to find solutions that are a good fit for someone, irrespective of who they are or the problem they have

When someone isn’t at their best, quickly recognising there’s probably something else. going on, and finding ways to respond with care

Supportive and Ambitious

Helping to bring hope through our words and actions

Helping to build trust

Being supportive and showing care

Partnership and Collaboration

Fostering positive relationships with our partners

Building team togetherness and collaboration

Fostering a positive problem-solving vibe

Leadership and Learning

Making things happen

Motivating and inspiring others

Taking time to reflect on what’s working and what isn’t

Taking care of our ‘places and spaces’ so they feel tidy and welcoming

Asking for help and learning to do things better

Playing an active role in our social media strategy

  

Person Specification

Training & Qualifications

Essential:

Either

M.Sc in Applied Psychology in Primary Care, as well as an Honours Degree in

Psychology

OR

Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical/counselling psychology

HCPC membership as Practitioner Psychologist

Specialist training, research and study across a range of areas, including advanced clinical skills.

Desirable:

Further postgraduate training in relevant areas such as homelessness, mental health, professional psychology and/or substance use

Further therapeutic training related to the job such as; MBT,CFT, systemic therapy, narrative therapy, CFT

Experience

Essential:

Working with people experiencing a range of adult mental health challenges and / or substance use

Significant psychology practice experience in NHS or equivalent, supervised by a suitably qualified Clinical or Counselling Psychologist

Experience of working within MDTs and being part of case discussions

Evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HCPC

Desirable:

Experience of homelessness services or/and lived experience

Experience of providing clinical supervision

Development and delivery of training to professionals with different levels of previous knowledge/experience

Facilitating Reflective Practice Groups and/or team supervision

Experience of working across multiple systems to coordinate care e.g. mental health and social care services, rehabilitation services, third sector organisations

Experience of involvement in service evaluation within a clinical context

Personal

Essential:

A capacity to establish priorities and organise workload effectively and efficiently.

Interest in the delivery of psychological interventions in creative ways. With an openness to new ways of working.

Ability to operate successfully within a team based setting.

Confidence in public speaking, chairing meetings.

Shows an awareness of personal limitations in this specialist field.

Expresses strong interest to develop specialist skills.

Shows interest in contributing to the broad organisation/ service functioning as well as to

own development, casework and professional interests.

Desirable:

Ability to be aware of and cope with the personal impact of working with people who face SMD, are at the sharp end of discrimination and barriers to accessing services and support.

Ability to work respectfully within teams and understand and appreciate the role of other professions.

Ability to be aware of, and contribute to, the well-being of staff within the multi-disciplinary team, where appropriate.

Able to work flexible working hours.