Community Link Worker, Based at The Community School of Auchterarder - Internal

Main Purpose of the Role

Working within Perth & Kinross Council is more than a job, it's about being part of something meaningful. It's about being part of an organisation that puts people at the heart of all we do and provides opportunities to make a real difference by enhancing every life we touch.

We currently have the following opportunity:

Community Link Worker (Fixed Term until 31 December 2025) - PKC12787
£23,808 - £26,161 (21.6 Hours per week)
Based at The Community School of Auchterarder

Please note: Only existing employees of Perth & Kinross Council may apply.

We are looking to recruit a dynamic and child centred practitioner to join us within the Community Link Work team.

Part of the Inclusion service within Education and Learning, we support children, young people and their families to overcome any barriers to their learning or participation in school or wider community.

Based within The Community School of Auchterarder the successful candidate will also support some of the primary schools linked to The Community School of Auchterarder and therefore must be able to drive and have daily access to a vehicle.

The post is fixed term until 31 December 2025.

Community Link Workers (CLW) are a unique Team within Education’s Inclusion Service and work collaboratively across local authority services, including Social Work, Education and Community Learning and Development (CLD).

A CLWs time is divided across three main areas of work:

• Engagement with children and their families to identify potential areas of participation and to explore all barriers to, and opportunities for learning through 1:1 support and groupwork.
• Assist in collecting data and analysis of learning needs of groups and individuals, working in partnership, or signposting to appropriate services to meet these needs.
• Development work including P7 Transition, Health and Wellbeing and issue-based leaning.

The team’s collective ambition is to realise the best possible outcomes for our children, young people and their families, placing the child or young person at the centre of all that they do. 

Skills & Experience Required

Experience of working with children and families is essential, as is the ability to build positive relationships, think out of the box, and switch between a range of daily tasks.

Experience of working within a school setting would be an advantage.

You must have a valid UK driving licence and have daily access to a vehicle as this post requires you to travel to a variety of locations across Perth and Kinross.

You must have a Professional qualification to degree level, or equivalent in a relevant discipline such as, Community Education, Health, Social Work, Education or Social Care.

You must have experience of engaging with children, young people and parents.

You will evidence relevant professional development.

Ideally you will clearly demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the aims of Community Link Workers.

Ideally you will have experience of the primary and secondary curriculum and working in a school environment.

Ideally you will have understanding of Community Learning and Development approaches.

Ideally you will have understanding of assessment of children and family needs.

You will clearly demonstrate the ability to engage with Key Partners and maintain good working relationships.

Main Accountabilities:

• Evaluate and assess the factors contributing to any additional support need
• Respond to referrals across a School Cluster
• Attend Integrated Team Meetings, as appropriate
• Maintain caseload, as agreed with Line Manager
• Contribute to integrated assessments
• Maintain records (mainly using IT)
• Support children and parents at transition times (P7 à S1)
• Liaise with other agencies and services to meet the needs of children.
• Provide opportunities for children and to participate in group activities related to raising achievement.
• Participate in appropriate staff development
• Use and develop appropriate materials for group work
• Use Dynamic Youth or other relevant Award systems
• Respond to children’s learning issues through relevant group work
• Provide opportunities for parents to participate in group activities related to Family Learning and parenting.
• Develop and deliver parenting programmes
• Participate in appropriate staff development
• Assess and follow up attendance referrals
• Develop opportunities to engage with hard to reach children, young people and parents in order to support links between home, school and community
• Develop and deliver programmes around transition
• Develop and deliver programmes around holiday activities
• Develop and deliver programmes around health and wellbeing
• Develop and deliver programmes related to children and young people with emotional, social and behavioural difficulties
• Develop and deliver programmes related to achievement
• Ensure the effective integration, planning and delivery of Community Link Worker aims
• Contribute to the development, implementation and monitoring of Community Link Worker Improvement Plan
• Ensure appropriate planning and evaluation tools are used for all projects
• Record evidence of impact of all projects
• Attend staff development and training as appropriate.

Working at Perth & Kinross Council

Our values and behaviours influence our work and support us in the delivery of our key priorities. In your application, and should you be invited to interview, you will be asked to describe situations that support the criteria required in the role and which also demonstrate our values and behaviours. Find out more about Perth & Kinross Council and you could soon be joining our team!

Here's what we can offer you:

• A generous annual leave package
• 6 days public holiday and an additional discretionary day
• Eligibility to join our pension scheme
• Family friendly and positive work/life balance policies such as Flexible Working, Maternity, Paternity & Adoption leave, time off for volunteering and our Wellbeing Framework
• Access to a range of benefits

We recognise there can be benefits to flexible working and where individual jobs allow, we seek to support this. You are encouraged to discuss potential options with the recruiting manager, if this is of interest to you. A healthy work life balance is important to us and we provide supportive management and, where possible, flexible working arrangements to help you achieve that balance. You will have access to training and support for continued professional development.

Next Steps

We would love to hear from you and would encourage you to get in touch with Pam Pass, Senior Community Link Worker on 07342 069657 to find out more.

Click “APPLY NOW”

External candidates are required to provide contact details for 2 referees, including email addresses.  One of these must be your current or most recent employer.

We welcome applications from everyone and as a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee to interview applicants who declare a disability and meet the essential requirements of the post. Please contact the the hiring manager above or the Recruitment Team on (01738) 475555 or recruitment@pkc.gov.uk to discuss any reasonable adjustments. Appointments are based on evidence supplied during the selection process.

Diversity is important to us and although some of our jobs may be perceived to be traditionally gender specific, we welcome applications from everyone and would encourage you to apply if you meet the job requirements. That includes welcoming applications from former armed forces personnel/reservists. Many of the skills picked up during your military career could be transferred directly into a role with local government.

Working with children and/or protected adults is regarded as a regulated role and under the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 you will be required to join the PVG Scheme or undergo a PVG Scheme update check.

If you have lived overseas for a period of 12 months or more (continuous or total) within the last 10 years, an Overseas Criminal Record Check will be required. You will be required to provide this check.

A confirmed offer of employment and commencement in the post will be subject to the outcome of the above mentioned mandatory pre-employment checks (including references) and will also include eligibility to work in the UK, qualifications and fitness to undertake the post.