MECOPP is Scotland’s leading Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) carers organisation providing a variety of care and support services to carers from BME and other marginalised communities.

This postholder will have lead responsibility for the following:

• Providing direct advocacy and casework support to members of the Gypsy/Traveller community;
• Raising awareness of housing/accommodation rights and entitlements within the Gypsy/Traveller community;
• Building the capacity of housing practitioners/providers to better understand and respond to the housing/accommodation needs of Gypsy/Travellers; and
• Identifying housing/accommodation issues to assist local and Scottish national government in the development of policy and practice.
• Policy- (working with/Influence future policy/strategies-ie SG/Las/Housing associations)
• Being part of relevant networks to advocate on behalf of MECOPP and the GT Community
• Working closely with wider team

The postholder will be part of a larger team currently delivering the following areas of work: carer support (adult and older people); young carer support; community health improvement including mental health and wellbeing and food insecurity; men and women’s participation; and, digital inclusion.

The geographic focus of the post is Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Perth & Kinross, Highlands, Moray and Angus.

Delivery of all tasks and activities will be commensurate with the number of hours secured for the post.

MECOPP is Scotland’s leading Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) carers’ organisation providing a variety of care and support services to carers from BME and other marginalised communities.

The postholder will join a established Community Health Team – ‘Community Health Matters’ – to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequalities amongst Scotland’s Gypsy/Traveller community. The Community Health Team is part of a wider programme of work supporting the Gypsy/Traveller community which includes carer support, support for the cared for person, financial resilience, addressing food insecurity, men and women’s engagement and building digital capacity.

Our newly established community mental health and wellbeing team sits within the wider remit of the Gypsy/Traveller Community Health Team. At full complement the mental health and wellbeing team will comprise of: 1 x team leader (children & young people focus); 2.5 x family support workers (1 x adults/older people + 1.5 x children/young people). The development worker for adults and older people is already in post.

Our ambition is to pilot a confidential and trusted Scottish-wide service, employing people who understand/have empathy with the culture and traditions of the community. This service will be accessible to young Gypsy/Travellers and their families wherever they are living and available online, via telephone and face to face. It will link to local specialist services as appropriate. It will promote accessible and culturally appropriate information about mental health and well-being to Gypsy/Travellers and provide a single point of contact so that when young people move their service provider would remain a constant and involved presence to aid transitions.

lead on the development of a pilot training programme for mental health practitioners.

We anticipate that significant travel may be required so the location of the post is flexible although some attendance at the office will be required.

Delivery of all tasks and activities will be commensurate with the number of hours secured for the post.

MECOPP is Scotland’s leading Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) carers’ organisation providing a variety of care and support services to carers from BME and other marginalised communities.

The postholder will join an established Community Health Team – ‘Community Health Matters’ – designed to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequalities amongst Scotland’s Gypsy/Traveller community. The Community Health Team is part of a wider programme of work supporting the Gypsy/Traveller community which includes carer support, support for the cared for person, financial resilience, food insecurity, community-based arts and women’s and men’s development work.

We anticipate that travel may be required so the location of the post is flexible although some attendance at the office will be required. Our concentrated targeted for this post holder work will be implemented in the following identified areas; Perth & Kinross, Clackmannanshire & Stirling, GGC)and will incorporate communities living on private and local authority sites, houses and roadside. We will have the opportunity to deliver national work; families can call and be referred on to other services within MECOPP (ie, our children and yp telephone counselling service) or to any other national/local services that are relevant/welcomed

This work will be rolled out by two Family Mental Health & Development Workers each taking on particular areas and providing joined up working for particular pieces of work including rolling out training.

Delivery of all tasks and activities will be commensurate with the number of hours secured for the post.

The postholder will:

• Support Children, young people and families/carers currently experiencing challenging circumstances