Who Cares? Scotland is Scotland’s only national independent membership organisation for Care Experienced people. Our mission is to secure a lifetime of equality, respect, and love for Care Experienced people in Scotland and we currently have over 3500 Care Experienced members.

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 broad range of imaginative 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.

This unique role offers the opportunity to listen to and work directly with children and young people with experience of care, in an individual relationship-based advocacy role, and within participation and group activity across Shetland.

The post-holder will be a key member of the Advocacy and Participation team, supporting young people from across Shetland to ensure their rights are upheld and their voices are heard. These roles offer the opportunity to provide independent advocacy, children’s rights, and participation opportunities for children and young people who are looked after, Care Experienced, or subject to formal processes and structures. You will actively participate in child plan meetings, children’s hearings, and other formal processes, as well as assisting children and young people to prepare for them. In partnership with other professionals, carers, and organisations, you will help to achieve the best outcomes for children and young people by keeping detailed records of the work you undertake, writing liaison reports, and monitoring statistics.

As a vital part of the work of Who Cares? Scotland, these roles include facilitating group opportunities for and with children and young people across Shetland. This includes providing engagement and participation opportunities throughout the Who Cares? Scotland local and national network, as well as meeting with care experienced children and young people to introduce the service in agreement with the local authority. Raising awareness of Who Cares? Scotland and its services with children, young people, professionals, and carers you will also be responsible for facilitating training amongst corporate parents.

The right candidates for these posts will be able to form positive relationships with children and young people and have good interpersonal skills which demonstrate compassion, empathy and understanding for lived experience. You will be confident communicating with individuals and groups, both in written and verbal format, with the ability to adapt to a wide range of contexts. You will work autonomously, prioritizing and managing your own diary to meet organizational and young people’s needs. You will be able to evidence your work and keep accurate records of advocacy interventions taken. You will take enjoyment from working collaboratively with partners, believing in equal opportunities and inclusive working.

Committed to children’s rights, you know that all young people can make transformative change happen in their lives if given the opportunity. You will demonstrate knowledge of the current structure, developments, policy, and practice in relation to children and young people experiencing care in Scotland. Flexibility is a must, and some evening and weekend work, including occasional overnights, may be required, along with a full driving licence and access to transport.

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 candidates will be joining Who Cares? Scotland and working within the North team 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 role sounds like the opportunity for you, we would love to hear from you.

Who Cares? Scotland is Scotland’s only national independent membership organisation for Care Experienced people. Our mission is to secure a lifetime of equality, respect, and love for Care Experienced people in Scotland and we currently have over 3500 Care Experienced members.

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 broad range of imaginative 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.

This unique role offers the chance to create and facilitate opportunities and activities for Care Experienced people, leading on participation to ensure Care Experienced people can share their views and experiences, and helping to bring about positive change.

The post holder will utilise and create opportunities for participation and belonging activities with Care Experienced people, whilst supporting a range of events and other local or national activities. Core belonging and participation activities will involve fun connection activities; issue-based and focus groups; and forums, and events, both one-off and longer term in duration. The role will involve working closely with organizational partners and other services to create new opportunities or develop existing ones.

Responsible for maximizing the networks through which Care Experienced young people can connect, develop, and grow as individuals, you will use a range of communications channels to promote belonging and participation activities to Care Experienced children and young people. By developing accessible and applicable youth work tools and activities, you will build upon your experience working with children and young people to create attractive offers locally that encourage Care Experienced people to join our membership.

In your capacity as a Development Officer, you will work closely with Who Cares? Scotland Volunteer Manager to ensure we are providing the best support available to volunteers serving our young people. Through collaboration with our Participation & Membership Manager, as well as our fundraising team, you will identify and attract local funding and fundraising opportunities to enhance our local offering to Care Experienced people. In doing so, you will develop and maintain good working relationships with relevant regional organisations (e.g. Local Authority, Third Sector, Public Sector Corporate Parents) and gain experience in awareness-raising and promotion. Providing reports in relation to participation, belonging, and the impact of your work, you will bolster the evidence base to support fundraising and awareness- raising opportunities, as well as to influence local policy initiatives, such as The Promise. As an ambassador for Who Cares? Scotland, you will be joining Who Cares? Scotland at an exciting time, when the voice of those who are in or have experienced care is growing rapidly across Scotland - bringing with it insight, challenge, hope and change.

The right candidate for this post will be able to form positive, empathetic, understanding and compassionate relationships with children and young people and have good interpersonal skills, as well as experience in designing tailored group work programmes. You feel confident communicating, with a solution focussed attitude. As well as evidencing your work, you can prioritise and meet deadlines. You hold knowledge of the current structure, developments, policy, and practice in relation to children and young people experiencing care in Scotland. You are flexible, given the remit of the role, as some evening and weekend work will be necessary, along with a full driving licence and access to transport.

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.

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