Project Esperanza is a Scottish charity that supports families of African heritage as well as families from multi ethnic backgrounds with practical emotional and integration support.

Job Outline

As a member of the team and in partnership with other services and agencies you will support the development of practice, culture, and systems to improve outcomes for children and young people from the Black and multi ethnic communities who are at risk of experiencing or who have lived experience of The Scottish Care System. You will also

play a key role in supporting the delivery of the wider aspirations of “Keeping the Promise” to children, young people and their families in Scotland, through a transformation of the way care and support is provided.

We are looking for someone will contribute to the development of approaches and systems that deliver a supportive workforce by equipping everyone who provides a supportive role to children, young people, and families with the specialist knowledge required to respond to the unique and individual needs of families with migrant and refugee/asylum status. Your supportive role will help to improve outcomes and prevent many families reaching crisis point.

You will work as part of a core team, reporting to the Promise Lead but you will be required to build relationships and engage with a range of key stakeholders including children, young people, their families and carers, practitioners, and decision-makers both within the service and the wider partnership.

A full Job Description is available for download below.

Project Esperanza supports women and their families from multi ethnic backgrounds who are impacted by national issues such as poverty, but also by chronic health, caring responsibilities, language barriers, no access to employment, education, adequate housing and transport- all of these issues which then impact on overall health and wellbeing.

We are looking for someone to build and strengthen our profile and relationships with multi ethnic youth and youth organisations in Scotland. This role is to help establish beneficial connections between individuals, groups, other organisations and Project Esperanza through bringing awareness of the organisation and its services for multi ethnic youth.

The person taking up the role will be expected to play a crucial role in enhancing the well-being of multi ethnic youth by bridging the gap between young people and the services they require as well as establish positive relationships with young people whilst providing support, guidance, and resources to help young people to make informed decisions to be happy and lead successful lives.

Responsibilities within the role

The person taking up the role will need to;

• build trusting relationships with young people in the community, including those who are at risk or facing challenges.
• conduct assessments to understand the needs, strengths, and barriers of each individual youth and multi ethnic youth in general.
• provide emotional support, counselling, and guidance to address personal, social, and educational issues.
• connect youth to relevant resources and services, such as educational programs, job training, healthcare, and housing assistance, as well as address various issues such as education, employment, mental health, and social integration on behalf of multi ethnic youth.
• serve as a mentor or role model to help youth develop life skills, set goals, and make positive choices.
• advocate on behalf of youth to ensure their needs are met and rights are protected.
• organise and participate in community events, workshops, and programs to promote youth development and engagement.
• provide immediate support and assistance in crisis situations, such as homelessness, substance abuse, or mental health crises.
• maintain accurate records of interactions, assessments, and progress of youth.
• identify areas in which you, as the person taking up the role wish to be trained and / or supported
• work within Project Esperanza’s policies and procedures, most notably in the areas of child protection, equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice.
• gathering information to assess the impact of outreach efforts and to identify emerging needs for multi ethnic youth.

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.

Knowledge/Educational requirements

• A bachelor's degree in a relevant field (such as social work, sociology, psychology, or counselling is preferred essentially or a higher education diploma or equivalent.
• Previous experience working with youth, especially in a community or outreach setting, is preferred.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills including active listening are essential for building rapport with youth and collaborating with other professionals, partners, stakeholders and agencies. The ability to communicate effectively with people from multi ethnic communities is most desirable.
• A huge amount of deep empathy and understanding of the situations and challenges multi ethnic youth face is desirable
• Cultural competency/fluency, an understanding of and respecting cultural differences and diversity within the community is essential.
• The capacity to identify and address issues and the unique needs of each youth and find creative and appropriate solutions.
• Knowledge around the issues that migrants encounter, and a very strong understanding of the challenges and issues faced by migrant communities living in areas of deprivation is essential.
• Adaptability to changing circumstances and the ability to work non-traditional hours sometimes.
• Adherence to ethical guidelines and maintaining confidentiality when working with sensitive information.
• Ability to manage community events is essential
• Basic computer skills for documentation and data entry may be required
• Ability to publicise services and programs and enhance participation of services and programs is essential.
• Being multilingual is a bonus

Project Esperanza supports women and their families from multi ethnic backgrounds who are impacted by national issues such as poverty, but also by chronic health, caring responsibilities, language barriers, no access to employment, education, adequate housing and transport- all of these issues which then impact on overall health and wellbeing.

We are looking for someone to build and strengthen their profile and relationships with individuals and organisations in Scotland. This role is to help establish beneficial connections between individuals, groups, other organisations and Project Esperanza through bringing awareness of the organisation and its services.

The person taking up the role will be expected to play a crucial role in enhancing the well-being of communities by bridging the gap between individuals and the services they require as well as draw out people of African and other multi ethnic backgrounds towards Project Esperanza and the services that are available.

The person taking up the role will need to;

• be creative in their approach of reaching people of African and other multi ethnic backgrounds to engage with Project Esperanza
• develop and maintain effective relationships with key individuals and organisations
• identify areas in which you wish to be trained and / or supported
• to work within Project Esperanza’s policies and procedures, most notably in the areas of child and adult protection, equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice.

Responsibilities within the role

• Identifying needs and assessing the needs of individuals in the community, such as health, education, or community events and activities
• Providing information on available resources and advocating for community members to access them.
• Connecting individuals to appropriate services, agencies, or organisations.
• Offering emotional support and guidance to those facing challenges.
• Assisting in the creation of community programs and initiatives to address specific issues.
• Attending and participating in training and development opportunities, team meetings and other team arrangements
• Keep detailed records of work undertaken with individuals and families and produce reports and statistics
• Building relationships with community leaders, organisations, and residents to strengthen community bonds.
• Conducting outreach activities like integration activities, workshops, events, or home visits to engage with people and the community.
• Gathering information to assess the impact of outreach efforts and to identify emerging community needs.

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.

Knowledge/Educational requirements

• A bachelor's degree in a relevant field (such as social work, sociology, psychology, or public health) is preferred essentially or a higher education diploma or equivalent.
• Certifications in community outreach, social services, or related areas would be beneficial.
• Interpersonal skills and communication skills including active listening and the ability to communicate effectively with people from diverse communities.
• Cultural competency, an understanding of and respecting cultural differences and diversity within the community is essential.
• An understanding of deprivation and the issues that people living in areas of deprivation face is essential.
• Knowledge around the issues that migrants encounter, and a very strong understanding of the challenges and issues faced by migrant communities living in areas of deprivation is essential.
• A genuine concern for the well-being of others and the ability to empathise with people facing challenges are crucial qualities.
• Should be adept at identifying issues and finding creative solutions.
• Client confidentiality is essential
• Ability to communicate and network and build relationships with a range of individuals, partners and stakeholders is essential
• Ability to manage community events is essential
• Basic computer skills for documentation and data entry may be required
• Ability to publicise services and programs and enhance participation of services and programs is essential.
• A valid driver’s licence is required
• Being multilingual is a bonus