Jobs in Kirkwall West and Orphir, Orkney Islands

Who Cares? Scotland is Scotland’s only national independent membership organisation for Care Experienced people. Our strategic vision is to secure a lifetime of equality, respect, and love for Care Experienced people in Scotland.

At the heart of Who Cares? Scotland’s work are the rights of Care Experienced people, and the power of their voices to bring about positive change. We provide individual lifelong relationship-based independent advocacy and a range of local and national participatory and engagement opportunities for Care Experienced people across Scotland. We work alongside Corporate Parents and communities to broaden understanding and create change. We work with policy makers, leaders, and elected representatives locally and nationally to shape law, policy, and practice, working together to build on the aspirations of The Promise and secure positive change.

The Advocacy and Participation Worker will provide independent advocacy supports to all of Orkney’s children and young people, including children who are identified as being vulnerable, children who are involved in complex decision-making processes (including both formal and informal processes), looked after children (including those who have been formerly looked after), children subject to child protection and child in need processes.

The Advocacy and Participation Worker will provide independent advocacy support to children and young people to help amplify their voices and share their views, especially within decision-making forums.

Advocacy and Participation Workers will also inform children and young people about their rights, ensuring that rights are upheld and respected by others.

At the heart of the advocacy relationship is trust – built through transparent, honest, accountable and reliable interactions between the child and their Advocacy and Participation Worker. Skilled at developing positive relationships with children and young people, you will place young people at the heart of everything you do.

As the Advocacy & Participation Worker, you will also help facilitate participatory opportunities via the Young Persons collective group. The group brings young people together, allowing them to develop confidence, a sense of belonging, and the opportunity to identify common issues. You will help ensure the collective voice of the group is heard by Corporate Parents via the Promise Board.

While we would welcome the knowledge gathered through relevant qualifications, we are just as interested in relevant work experience. We welcome and encourage applications from those with experience of care.

The successful candidate will be joining Who Cares? Scotland at an exciting time, when the voices of those who are in or have experienced care are growing in power, individually and collectively – bringing with them insight, challenge, hope and change.

If this sounds like the role for you, we would love to hear from you.