You will work as part of a core team, reporting to Victoria Nyanga-Ndiaye.

Project Esperanza offers practical, emotional and integration support predominantly to families of African heritage but also supports a huge base of people from multi ethnic backgrounds. We are the pioneers of race and faith sensitive, culturally authentic and appropriate, specialised support and services in North Edinburgh.

We are specialist providers of Cultural Competence and Antiracism Education; providing knowledge, support and resources to those working with Black and multi ethnic families; and those responsible for educating and caring for Black and multiethnic children and young people.

We also provide Employability support to New Scots (Refugee’s, Asylum Seekers, Displaced people) Economic migrants and parents from ethnically diverse backgrounds who are considering the job market but are held back by societal and systemic structures that hinder participation in the workforce or labour market. Our Volunteer Development Program entails offering work experience and workplace skills training through volunteering in the organisation. We also run English for Employability classes.

As an organisation, we are strongly grounded by an inclusive ethos which is evident in our services and our commitment to staff and volunteers; and their professional development.

The Role

We are looking for a professional teamplayer to join us in North Edinburgh. The right candidate would be someone who will build and strengthen the work that we do, and can work flexibly, while demonstrating a strong understanding and commitment to our organisational values.

You will provide intensive Employability Support adults over the next 12 months. This role will focus on:

• Work 1:1 with parents to identify and understand their strengths, skills, and aspirations to create the right job match support after the programme, including working to understand their background and experience and their aspirations for paid work.
• break down barriers barriers to employment, putting steps or strategies in place to overcome these barriers or challenges
• Provide work-ready support by placing parents who require volunteering experience to gain workplace skills onto our 12 week Volunteer Development Programme and identifying learning and other development opportunities etc.
• Support with vocational activities – developing CV’s and cover letters, job search, information on vacancies and job fares, job application support, mock interviews/interview skills, English classes etc.
• Work alongside colleagues in our in house Mentoring and Peer Support Programme, ensuring that parents can benefit from empowering and positive Mentoring relationships
• Recruit, coordinate and support volunteers
• Oversee the running of the volunteer led English Language Classes
• Work with external partners across Edinburgh to secure volunteers as well as referrals for our service, and to set up new opportunities for parents through signposting.

Project Esperanza supports women and families from multi-ethnic backgrounds affected by poverty, chronic health conditions, caregiving responsibilities, language barriers, inadequate housing, racism, and migration trauma.

We are seeking a dedicated individual to enhance the well-being of multi-ethnic and care-experienced young people by connecting them to vital services. You will collaborate closely with our people.

The ideal candidate will be expected to:

● Conduct assessments to identify the needs, strengths, and barriers faced by individual and multi-ethnic youth.

● Build trusting relationships with young people, particularly those at risk or facing challenges such as poverty, racism, migration trauma, and lack of access to essential services.

● Provide therapeutic support to youth who have experienced trauma, especially care-experienced and neurodivergent youth. Offer emotional support, counselling, and guidance on personal, social, and educational issues.

● Connect youth to resources such as education, job training, healthcare, and housing, while addressing mental health, employment, and social integration.

● Serve as a mentor and role model, helping youth develop life skills, set goals, and make positive choices.

● Advocate on behalf of youth to ensure their needs and human rights are upheld.

● Organise and participate in community events, workshops, and programs to promote youth engagement and development.

● Provide immediate support in crisis situations such as homelessness, substance abuse, or mental health emergencies.

● Maintain accurate records of youth interactions, assessments, and progress.

● Identify areas for personal training and development.

● Follow Project Esperanza's policies, including child protection, equal opportunities, and anti-discriminatory practices.

● Gather data to assess outreach impact and identify emerging needs of multi-ethnic youth.

● Develop and execute social media campaigns targeting Black and multi-ethnic communities, in collaboration with partners and schools.

● Ensure campaigns are inclusive, culturally sensitive, and visible to young audiences.

This job description is intended to indicate the broad range of responsibilities and requirements of the post. It is neither exhaustive nor exclusive but, whilst some variation can be expected in particular duties,the outline is considered to provide a reasonable general description of the post.