We are recruiting – come and join Scottish Families!

We are seeking a Programme Development Officer – Young People (Routes) to join our team. This post supports the ongoing development and delivery of the national ‘Grow Your Own Routes’ (GYOR) programme, funded by the Scottish Government’s Whole Family Wellbeing Fund. The aim of ‘Grow Your Own Routes’ is to scale up the existing Routes Demonstration Project, which supports young people aged 12-26 years affected by someone else’s alcohol or drug use.

The post-holder will be responsible for supporting the development and delivery of Scottish Families’ national ‘Grow Your Own Routes’ programme across Scotland, reducing stigma and creating a more trauma-informed and responsive workforce. This development programme is funded by the Scottish Government’s Whole Family Wellbeing Fund. The aim of the programme is to support the continued delivery of the Routes practice model across six areas led by other third sector delivery partners, and to share learning about the Routes practice model with other areas of Scotland through delivering learning and development activities.

This is a national post which will involve significant travel across Scotland, as well as work at our national office at Robertson House in Glasgow, Routes bases in East and West Dunbartonshire and from home. It is expected that the post holder will be required to work some evenings and occasional weekends. This post will be part of Scottish Families’ staff team and be managed by the Programme Manager – Young People (Routes)

We are seeking compassionate, creative and collaborative applicants who want to make a difference to the lives of young people affected someone else’s substance use. This role also includes supporting and working alongside young people as well as developing and delivering training on the Routes practice model. We are looking for candidates who are educated to degree level or have a relevant professional qualification, have experience of working with young people and ideally, have some knowledge of editing software. Candidates should have strong organisational, interpersonal and communication skills.

Are you passionate about supporting families?

We are seeking new Board members, including those with Digital, Finance, Policy or Communications expertise.

Scottish Families supports anyone who is concerned about someone else’s alcohol or drug use. We were established in 2003 by families themselves, who came together to support each other and to campaign for recognition. Our five Outcomes are that Families are Supported, Included, Heard, Connected, and that Families Create Change.

We are a national charity based in Glasgow but working right across Scotland. We provide a range of national and local services, including a national helpline, one to one support, bereavement counselling and local family support services. We also deliver a national workforce development programme; Connecting Families; My Family, My Rights; communications; fundraising; and policy/ campaigning work, as well as our Routes young persons programme, and Grow Your Own Routes national development programme.

We are Scotland’s leading charity supporting families affected by substance use, and are recognised by the Scottish Government as one of their Key Third Sector Partners in the field of alcohol and drugs. We are funded through a combination of Government grants, commissioned services, charitable trusts and fundraising.

You can find out more about our work by reading ‘The Cost of Loving’, our Strategic Plan 2023-26, and ‘Celebrating Families’, our Impact Report 2023-24. Our website is at sfad.org.uk.

We are seeking a number of new Board members in response to recent and upcoming changes in our Board membership. (Board members serve an initial three-year term, which can be extended for a further three years).

You should be available to attend quarterly meetings, which are held in person at our national office in Glasgow city centre (with the option of joining online via MS Teams). Meetings are held on Saturday mornings and the schedule is set well in advance.