Learning & Development Coordinator (Gambling Harms)

Within this exciting new role, you will lead the mission to upskill the workforce across Scotland, empowering professionals who work with individuals at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness.

About Simon Community Scotland

Simon Community Scotland is the largest provider of homelessness services in Scotland. Our vision is for everyone to have a safe place to live, with access to the support they need. Every day we help make positive things happen for people facing extremely difficult circumstances. Everything we do is about and for people, the people we support, our staff, our partners and everyone affected by homelessness. Our values are built into every area of activity and tell the story of how people remain at the heart of Simon Community.

Day by day, person-to-person, we tailor what we offer to what people need. We are here to provide consistent, friendly and informed support so that people can explore options and take 'the next step' towards a positive future. We offer support across a range of service delivery points; Street Outreach teams, Housing First initiatives, Floating Support, Information Hubs, Managed Alcohol Program (MAP), Supported Accommodations, Emergency Accommodation, Rapid Access Accommodation, and our own rented properties. These services are delivered across many local authorities within Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, Edinburgh and Perth.

We welcome people with a wide range of skills and experiences to our team. To make a difference, we need to work flexibly, with everyday leadership and a 'can-do' approach. We want to make it right and make it happen – not only for the people we support, but also for each other.

Our #OneTeam ethos is core to who we are, and it means caring for and supporting each other regardless of our role, service or location. Find out more about our services here.

Job Purpose

The Gambling Harms Learning & Development Coordinator is dedicated to upskilling and empowering professionals to better identify, understand, and respond to gambling-related harms. This role focuses on equipping frontline staff across homelessness, substance use, and mental health sectors with the insight and practical tools necessary to support individuals facing these intersecting challenges.

By delivering high-impact, trauma-informed training, the role ensures that practitioners can create psychologically safe environments that foster connection and recovery. The role facilitates a culture of professional leadership, enabling staff to navigate complex situations with confidence and risk-informed awareness.

Central to this role is the ability to offer a gendered response to harm where practitioners will be provided with the option to utilise Ailas’ (aila-scotland.co.uk) specialised “by women, for women” frameworks, ensuring that responses can be tailored to the unique experiences and systemic barriers faced by women.

Operating nationally across Scotland, the Gambling Harms Team provides essential support and upskilling with a primary focus on existing Simon Community Scotland services in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and Perth.

In addition to visiting services to engage with the people we support and staff, the team connects with external stakeholders and maintains a presence in community spaces to reach the general public and professional partners.

We utilise a hybrid working model that combines remote flexibility with in-person collaboration. While typical hours are Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, this role requires a high degree of flexibility. This includes a willingness to work unsocial hours and travel across Scotland to meet the needs of the communities we serve.

We welcome people who have experienced gambling harm or have been impacted by someone else’s gambling to apply.

Job Summary

Within this exciting new role, you will lead the mission to upskill the workforce across Scotland, empowering professionals who work with individuals at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness. You will connect with and lead a national network of practitioners, enhancing their ability to respond to gambling-related harms.

Your work will involve developing and hosting safe, trauma-informed learning environments where professionals can access expert resources, engage in strategic conversations, and deepen their understanding of gambling harms and their intersecting challenges. By equipping frontline staff with specialised tools you will play a key part in creating a more informed, resilient sector and fostering lasting systemic change.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate and facilitate in-person and online sessions, ensuring a welcoming and psychologically safe environment for learning.

• Plan and deliver workshops, webinars, and training events, communicating effectively with all relevant collaborators and partners.

• Develop partnerships with internal teams and external organisations to raise awareness of gambling harms and encourage shared professional learning across different sectors.

• Provide consultation to practitioners on complex cases involving gambling harm, homelessness, mental health, and substance use.

• Build honest, trusting relationships with the community to ensure the lived experience voice is integrated into all training materials and curricula.

• Collaborate with the staff team to coordinate and promote training attendance, ensuring high engagement.

• Advocate for systemic change and ensure practitioners understand how to help individuals uphold their rights and navigate complex service pathways.

• Act as a central point for information and referrals, connecting professionals with appropriate resources, toolkits, and specialist support networks.

• Use training and reflective practice to build the skills needed to deliver effective training and upskilling.

• Champion best practice by ensuring all training content and delivery models are rooted in a trauma-informed, gender-responsive lens.

• Develop physical and digital learning materials, including toolkits and e-learning resources, to help professionals access clear information and frameworks.

• Promote inclusion by ensuring all training is accessible and address the needs of diverse backgrounds with dignity, respect, and kindness.

• Contribute to a multidisciplinary team, sharing knowledge and gambling-harm expertise for the benefit of the wider professional community.

• Maintain a proactive approach, staying responsive, flexible, and able to manage the training calendar and project milestones on your own initiative.

• Carry out any other duties as directed by the Programme Lead to ensure the success of the learning and development strategy.

Our Values

Inclusion & Participation

We include everyone in the services and resources they need, regardless of their circumstances and ensure each person's voice and influence are heard and felt in everything that we do.

Personalised & Creative

Each person we support is an individual with unique circumstances, needs and future potential which requires a uniquely tailored response.

Warmth & Regard

We see beyond a person's current or past circumstances, recognising their inherent value, worth and potential as human beings.

Partnership & Collaboration

We know we need to work positively with others to deliver a truly inclusive and personalised approach, improve our response and add value to the experience of the people we support.

Supportive & Ambitious

We encourage and support ambition, building on strengths to foster hope for the people we support as well as deliver growth and development for staff and volunteers.

Core Competencies

Planning and Organising

• Design and coordinate training in collaboration with key stakeholders to ensure impactful delivery.

• Proactively identify and coordinate training to highlight gambling harm and its intersecting challenges.

• Manage the end-to-end delivery of the training calendar, ensuring resources are allocated effectively across both in-person and digital platforms.

• Demonstrate the ability to balance multiple priorities, from content development to stakeholder engagement, while meeting project milestones.

Resilience

• Handle sensitive decisions with compassion, ensuring a proactive attitude even when faced with systemic barriers or complex risk-informed choices.

• Practice self-awareness and use reflective practice to manage the emotional impact of the role, ensuring long-term effectiveness and personal wellbeing.

• Adapt effectively to the evolving landscape of gambling legislation and sector needs, remaining focused on long-term systemic change despite external challenges.

Motivation

• Bring hope through your words and actions, helping to reduce the stigma surrounding gambling and changing public perception of its intersecting causes, such as homelessness and ill mental health.

• Champion lived experience voices, showing a genuine passion for co-design and ensuring the people we support are at the heart of everything we do.

• Driven by a passion for professional excellence, consistently seeking new ways to improve training outcomes.

• Proactively stay informed on the latest research in gambling harms and trauma-informed practice to ensure training remains up-to-date and impactful.

Problem Solving

• Identify gaps in professional knowledge and develop creative, educational solutions to address them.

• Navigate logistical or engagement barriers by finding innovative ways to reach busy frontline staff and encourage participation.

• Innovate and think creatively to find bespoke solutions to connecting with people.

Teamwork

• Work with colleagues in a supportive and collaborative way, fostering team togetherness and a positive, problem-solving vibe.

• Be a reliable member of the team, participating actively in group meetings and sharing insights to improve our service continuously.

• Foster positive relationships with our partners and external organisations to ensure our support is coordinated and effective.

• Contribute to a culture of shared learning, valuing the input of colleagues and lived experience consultants in the co-design process.

Communication & Digital Enablement

• Communicate effectively with a range of stakeholders, including the people we support, partners, and other colleagues, adapting your communication style to be clear, empathetic, and respectful.

• Facilitate discussions with clarity, empathy, and professionalism, tailoring the message to suit diverse audiences (e.g. clinicians, policy makers, or volunteers).

• Contribute to our digital presence by helping to create blogs, videos, or social media posts that challenge misconceptions about gambling harm and homelessness.

Person Specification

Training & Qualification

Essential

• Recognised training qualification or willing to work towards.

• Demonstrable experience of working in a similar role.

• Ability to work within the parameters of the SSSC Code of Practice

• Excellent digital skills and comfortable with the use of Canva or similar platforms to develop and create content.

Desirable

• Qualification in Community Education, Psychology or related fields

• Trauma informed practice

• ASIST / MHFA / SafeTalk trained

• Naloxone trained

• First aid trained

• Mental health or addictions qualifications

Experience

Essential

• Experience in coordinating events and delivering training

• Experience in development work or working with community learning

Desirable

• Experience of working across multi-agencies

• Networking and connecting skills

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

• Ability to use empathy and relational skills to build positive relationships with our community and colleagues

• Understanding of and ability to work within ethical and relational boundaries

• Knowledge and understanding of homelessness, addictions and mental health

• Evidence of good communication skills, written and verbal

• Worked with a range of digital systems

Desirable

• Understanding of services that support homelessness, addictions and mental health

• Use of GSuite systems

• An understanding of gambling related harms

Personal

Essential

• Creative thinker who enjoys thinking outside the box and thrives in a changing environment

• Flexible, responsive

• Honest, ethical and keen to overcome obstacles

• Enjoy working on your own initiative.

• A good team player with the ability to lead by example.

• Have the ability to reflect on your practice

Desirable

• A desire to learn and to develop innovative practice

  
  

• Department
• Staff
• Locations
• Edinburgh, Glasgow, National
• Yearly salary
• £33,416
• Hours per week
• 37.5
• Closing date
• 30 April, 2026
• Contract Duration
• Fixed term 2 years

About Simon Community Scotland

Visit the Simon Community Scotland Website for more information.

Check out our Job Opportunities and Volunteer Opportunities.