Scottish Book Trust is a national charity that believes books, reading and writing have the power to change lives. A love of reading inspires creativity, improves employment opportunities, mental health and wellbeing and is one of the most effective ways to help break the poverty cycle. We work towards a Scotland where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive through literacy.

This is an excellent opportunity for you to join Scottish Book Trust as a Freelance Bookbug Trainer, to support Scottish Book Trust’s Bookbug programme by delivering training to various groups of professionals and volunteers across Scotland.

As part of the Bookbug programme, the Training and Development team delivers high quality, funded training to practitioners from across Scotland, both in person and online.

Location

We are looking to recruit freelance trainers located in or easily able to travel to:

• Edinburgh
• Fife
• Glasgow

N.B. Bookbug training is delivered all over Scotland and in venues not necessarily easily accessible by public transport.

Key responsibilities

• To deliver training to a variety of different audiences (including library, early years staff, third sector and health professionals)
• To act as an advocate for Scottish Book Trust and the Bookbug programme as a whole.

Key Skills

• Experience of delivering training to others, online and in person
• Confidence to deliver practical training courses which include singing and rhyming
• Knowledge and understanding of child development
• Experience of working with groups of early years children and parents
• Ability to work with people at many levels and from different professional backgrounds including libraries, health, early years settings and third sector organisations
• Ability to work with minimum supervision
• Interest in literature, music and the early years
• Excellent communication and organisational skills
• Experience in creating an inclusive and welcoming training environment

Fee

• £285 for full day in-person training session
• £175 for online Bookbug Session Leader training and all Bookbug for the Home sessions.
• £45p/h for meetings (2 x 2hr online, 1 x 4hr in person, 3 meetings per year / £360 per year)

The fee includes any travel time and/or preparation time. Travel and accommodation expenses will be paid.

Induction

• Freelance Bookbug Trainers will receive a comprehensive induction from Scottish Book Trust. This will include:
• Training in how to deliver each of our training programmes
• Training in other aspects of the Bookbug programme as required
• Overview of how the Bookbug programme fits into national Early Years policies and strategies
• Freelance Bookbug trainers will be accompanied by a member of Scottish Book Trust staff when delivering their first external training days.

Vulnerable children in the UK need your help

Wherever you work in the Action for Children family, you'll be helping to change the lives of the most vulnerable children in the UK.

Last year, we helped more than 687,000 children and families across the UK. From direct work in communities to national campaigning, we are focused on making sure every child has a safe and happy childhood, and the foundations they need to thrive.

Why Action for Children?

Working here is more than a job. Everyone in the Action for Children family is passionate about protecting and supporting children. It's the sense of purpose that drives us every single day. Because we know that, when we work together, we can make a huge difference to bring lasting improvements to vulnerable children's lives.

A bit about the role

Keeping families who are experiencing difficulties safely together is a vital part of our work. As a Functional Family Therapist, you'll be working in our Functional Family Therapy Team covering Moray. The Functional Family Therapy Team will provide weekly, home-based family therapy, utilising the Functional Family Therapy model with families with young people at risk of coming into care between the aged of 11-18.

Therapists will be required to carry a caseload of around 6 families, providing therapeutic support anywhere from 3 to 5 months in accordance with the Functional Family Therapy model. This position requires flexibility in hours to meet families the needs of the families we support, working Monday to Friday with some twilight hours required.

How you'll help to create brighter futures

Some key responsibilities for the role are;

• Learning and adhering to the FFT model to ensure a consistently high-quality service is offered.
• Meeting families where they are and working with them to achieve positive change.
• Being flexible and innovative in your approach, some twilight working required.
• Developing strong relationships with other agencies to ensure families get the best chance of success.
• Participating in weekly group supervision in a supportive environment.
• Providing a responsive and flexible service for families and having autonomy over your diary to schedule this.
• Being part of a team culture where staff are encouraged and supported to work within their hours and to use TOIL and leave to support personal wellbeing.
• Genuinely working with families from a strength and respect-based approach.
• Receive fully funded training in Functional Family Therapy.

Let's talk about you

• A degree or relevant professional qualification in Family Therapy, Social Work, Counselling, Psychology, Mental Health Nursing or equivalent qualification is required.
• Appropriate registration where relevant.
• A proven track record of working effectively and flexibly with families.
• An ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Willingness and enthusiasm to learn.
• Delivery in line with a proven evidence-based model.
• Full driving license and access to a car.

Benefits:

• 29 days annual leave PLUS bank holidays, with up to 5 additional days for continuous service and option to buy or sell leave
• Gain professional qualifications and excellent training/development opportunities
• Flexible maternity, adoption, and paternity packages
• Pension with up to 7% employer contribution with included life assurance cover
• Staff discount portal and Blue Light Card eligibility with 15,000 national retailers discounts.

Are you passionate about helping people to live a better life? Do you want to work for a charity where your health and wellbeing matter just as much as the people you support? Do you want to be part of a trauma-informed team where you will be supported to develop creative and flexible ways of working?

At LinkLiving, our values and people are at the heart of everything we do including how we recruit our staff. It is important for us to find people who share our values, which are:

• Empathy (listen to and understand an individual’s needs and circumstances)
• Respect (treat others the way they wish to be treated)
• Integrity (be honest and have strong moral principles)
• Caring (show kindness and concern for others)

LinkLiving is a Scottish health and wellbeing charity that supports people to manage or overcome the effects of negative life experiences (including trauma, mental health challenges, poverty and inequality) so that they can build on their strengths and aspirations in order to live their best possible lives. We support people through a range of models including:

• Personal development and employability programmes

• Self-help coaching

• Supported accommodation

• Care at home

• Housing support

• Befriending

• Social cafes

The Service

The Link Academy team works primarily with people with complex and chaotic backgrounds. The service works hard and creatively to maintain the early engagement of participants. We support people by offering mental health and wellbeing programmes, independent living skills and a wide range of qualifications to support their progression including employability, tenancy, youth work and leadership award qualifications.

The Job

The Business Administration Assistant will provide a customer-focused and comprehensive administrative and reception service to the Practice and Participation team and all stakeholders, including support to the Service Manager. The Business Administration Assistant is responsible for providing facilities management within Link Academy ensuring the building is fit for purpose and adhering to Health and Safety policy at all times.

This post will include providing confidential administrative support; dealing with enquiries from a range of agencies; processing referrals, arranging initial assessments, and leading recruitment for courses for youths; preparing papers for meetings and training; tasks, materials and financial record keeping; data entry; stock control and ordering; arranging repairs and servicing for building; raising purchase orders, processing invoices and managing petty cash.

About You

You are an organised and proactive individual with proven experience in an administrative role, confident in managing a varied workload and supporting efficient service delivery. You bring strong written and verbal communication skills, alongside excellent numeracy and literacy, enabling you to produce accurate work and communicate effectively with a wide range of people.

You are highly IT literate, with hands-on experience of Microsoft Office systems including Word, Excel and Outlook, as well as using the internet in a professional capacity. You are comfortable working with database systems and have experience using electronic document management systems to maintain accurate and up-to-date records.

With excellent organisational and time management skills, you can prioritise tasks, meet deadlines and work both independently and as part of a team. You use your initiative to solve problems and respond flexibly to changing demands, ensuring a high-quality and responsive service at all times.

You have strong customer service skills and are committed to delivering a positive experience for everyone you work with. You value feedback and use it constructively to improve your performance. Importantly, you have experience of working in a person-centred way, ensuring that the needs of individuals are at the heart of your approach.

For a comprehensive list of the essential and desirable criteria required for this post, please refer to the Job Specification in the Job information Pack above.

What’s in it for you?

The benefits of being a LinkLiving employee (subject to the policies and benefit terms and conditions) include:

• Competitive salary, reviewed annually, and opportunity for annual performance related salary increases and discretionary non-consolidated pay awards, subject to terms of the scheme

• 35 days’ holiday per year (inclusive of public holidays) pro rata plus additional 3 days pro rata after 3 years’ service

• opportunity to buy and sell holiday

• enhanced company sick and family friendly pay

• access to paid SVQ qualifications and a wide range of learning and development opportunities

• funded Disclosure Scotland and Scottish Social Services Council memberships

• defined contribution pension scheme with generous employer contributions plus salary exchange and additional voluntary contribution options

• access to a Salary Exchange car leasing scheme, subject to the terms of the scheme

• life assurance scheme providing death in service benefits

• healthcare cash plan for employees (and dependents) to support health and wellbeing plus discounts on shopping, restaurants, and other services

• employee assistance programme for employees and their immediate household dependants to support health, mental and financial well-being

• access to purchase annual corporate clothing vouchers

• annual flu vaccination

• access to a credit union savings and borrowing scheme

• cycle to work scheme

• access to discounts on mobile airtime plans and much more!

For a full list of benefits available to employees, please see the following link - linkliving.org.uk/work-with-us

This role is subject to PVG membership under the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020. Individuals who are barred from working with children or protected adults will not be considered for this position. Link will meet the cost of any new PVG scheme membership or membership update.

Further Information

Interested? If you have any questions about the role, please email jobs@linkhaltd.co.uk and we can arrange for someone from the service to call you for an informal chat.

To find out more about what LinkLiving do and to view the generous pay and benefits package, please visit our website at linkliving.org.uk

Make a Difference Every Day

For more than 100 years, the RAF Benevolent Fund has been supporting the RAF Family. We are a key partner in the Royal Air Force’s mission to look after its people during and after service, ensuring that this service is valued, recognised, and people are supported even when uniforms are eventually shed. We are a national charity with international reach, delivering emotional, financial and practical support wherever and whenever it is needed. Each year, our vital services and support continued to help those serving, families, veterans, and the bereaved, in 30 other countries and in 2024 more than 64,000 people benefitted from the charity’s work.

As an organisation, we encourage learning and development and there will be ample opportunity to learn more about the Royal Air Force, the broad impact of the Fund’s work as well as developing your own skillset.

Do you want to play a part in what we do?

People are at the heart of everything we do. Together, we:

• Provide personalised support to members of the RAF Family – listening carefully, offering guidance, and tailoring our services to individual circumstances so no one is left behind.
• Improve quality of life for serving and former RAF personnel and their families through life-changing financial assistance, housing support, and help with essential living costs.
• Increase independence by enabling members of the RAF Family to live life on their own terms, whether through mobility equipment or housing adaptations.
• Enhance wellbeing for those who serve and have served, and their families, through mental health and emotional support, youth programmes, and restorative respite and holiday breaks.

About the Role

We are seeking an individual to raise awareness of the Fund’s welfare offer amongst social welfare agencies across the North East of Scotland but also, crucially, to help address the issue of social isolation and feelings of loneliness experienced by some members of the RAF Family.

You will have experience of engaging and supporting people in a community, charity, social care, or other people focused position, supporting those who are socially isolated to be better connected into their communities. You will have good organisational skills, empathy and the ability to listen and build relationships with people who may have complex and challenging welfare needs, assisting them by identifying appropriate support from within the RAF Benevolent Fund and the wider statutory and military charity sector.

This is a community-based position working from home but covering the Inverness, Moray, Aberdeenshire and Grampian regions primarily, delivering both remote and face to face support. The candidate must have their own vehicle to use to travel around these regions. Occasional travel to Edinburgh and London will be required.

Additional Information

• Driver’s License
• Enhanced DBS check
• Must have the right to work in the UK.

Care Support Scotland

We are a charity with decades of experience supporting people across Scotland, providing those who need us with support that ranges from Mental Health, Learning Disability and Neurodiversity, Youth and Adult Homelessness and Older People services. Guided by our values of Respect and Compassion, we empower both the people we support and our colleagues to Thrive every day

Why work with us?

At Care Support Scotland caring isn’t just a job — it’s who we are. Join our dedicated team and help transform lives while growing your own career.

• Pension contributions matched up to 6%
• Financial Flexibility – Access your wages as you earn them with our Earned Wage Access benefit.
• Employee Assistance Programme through HSF
• Contribution to HSF Health Plan – supporting your everyday health needs
• Generous annual leave – 33 days including public holidays, increasing with service
• Supportive absence policies to help when you need time off
• Death in Benefit Cover – 2x annual salary
• Support with funded qualifications
• Career development and progression opportunities

Who we are looking for

We are looking for a hard working and enthusiastic support worker to join our expanding team. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone passionate about a career in social care who wants to gain valuable hands-on experience and enhance their skillset. Above all we want someone that shares in our values. Our mission is to provide positive, life changing support, delivered by inspiring, professional staff. This is a 21 hours per week post with up to 2 sleepovers a week

About the Service

We offer a range of support in Edinburgh working in partnership to build trust to people to live independently and be engaged in communities. We offer supported accommodation in Edinburgh with the goal to Identify personal outcomes and build on skills to support living well and living life together.

We welcome candidates who are eager to develop their skills, gain valuable experience in social care, and thrive in a supportive, learning-focused environment. Previous experience in a support role is desirable but not essential as full training and support will be given.

Most importantly, we are looking for people who share our values, are kind, compassionate, and are committed to creating positive, lasting impact for the people we support

Role and Responsibilities:

• Provide support that positively impacts the person we support’s health and wellbeing
• Contribute and implement support plans
• Be responsible for the delivery of all support and its administration, including personal care, tenancy support, health needs (including assistance with medication), personal development, emotional needs and inclusion.

Essential Skills and Attributes

• Qualified to the level required by the SSSC as a support worker in a housing support service/care at home service, or a willingness to work towards and to successfully complete qualification within the SSSC specified timeframe.
• An energetic, enthusiastic person who would be interested in supporting a young man who lives with autism and learning disability; for whom the service provides 24/7 cover.
• Support is inclusive of indoor and outdoor activities, so a willingness to be outdoors and be fit enough for longer walks would be essential, within the rural community.
• A clean UK driving licence is required in order to take our client to and from activities.
• Ability to work as part of a team and on your own initiative
• Passion for helping people live independently
• Experience or interest in housing, social care, or community support
• Commitment to the values and mission of Care Support Scotland, and to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion

Desired Skills and Attributes:

• A practice qualification (at least SCQF level 7 or above) recognised by the SSSC, in the category of support workers in a Housing Support Service / Care at Home service, or willingness to work towards this.
• Understanding of benefits and budgeting support
• Previous demonstrable experience working within an adult social care setting
• Understanding of the Care Inspectorate and its purpose
• Understanding of the SSSC and its purpose
• A Positive Behaviour Support, or Trauma Informed Practice qualification or accreditation.

Additional Notes

• Shift work, weekend work/sleepovers may be a requirement of this role.
• PVG scheme membership
• SSSC registration are requirements of this post
• Please note, you will be asked to provide evidence of your eligibility to work in the UK.
• We reserve the right to bring the closing date forward if a suitable candidate is identified.

Care Support Scotland is an equal opportunities employer and always welcomes applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of: sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy and maternity.

About Barnardo's Scotland

We're here to help children, young people and their families across Scotland feel safer, happier, healthier and more hopeful.

At Barnardo's we believe in children – no matter who they are, what they have done or what they have been through.

For over 150 years, we've been here for children and young people who need us most – bringing love, care and hope into their lives and giving them a place where they feel they belong. We are here because too many children and young people across the UK are missing out on a good childhood, and on the opportunity to thrive when they become adults.

We'll continue to be here for as long as we're needed – working with children and young people to be safe, happy, healthy and hopeful.

We will never, ever give up on the things that matter to them - and we'll do everything we can to give them a place where they feel like they belong.

In everything we do, we work with children and young people to be safer, happier, healthier and more hopeful.

Safer: So children at risk of harm are better protected.

Happier: So children struggling with their wellbeing can access support and feel they belong.

Healthier: So children growing up with disadvantage can experience good physical and mental health.

More hopeful: So children experiencing challenges can move into adulthood with hope and confidence.

We're determined to make this happen.

Central to how we work are our four values:

• Inclusive: Respecting the unique worth of every person
• Supportive: Encouraging people to fulfil their potential
• Accountable: Encouraging responsible Stewardship
• Positive: Working with hope

About the role

The National Advisory Board (NAB) maximises Barnardo's Scotland's ability to change children's lives in Scotland by providing strategic support and advice to the national executive and bringing their individual and collective skills, experience and networks to bear where opportunities present.

We are looking to add up to 3 people to our existing board with at least one new member who is aged between 18-25 and who may be in formal education, in work or training. We are committed to offering appropriate support in what may well be the first role of this type for the successful candidate(s).

Key activities

Providing targeted strategic support and advice to the national executive across the following areas in the national setting:

• implementation of Barnardo's corporate strategy
• engagement with key external stakeholders
• visiting our services and service users
• fundraising activities
• acting as ambassadors generally and on specific matters on request

Identifying opportunities to raise Barnardo's profile and increase its influence among its key stakeholders;

Engaging with the CEO and Trustees in key areas including:

• key opportunities, risks or challenges requiring top level support;
• major planned updates to the corporate strategy.

What we're looking for

Passion for the work of the charity, a willingness to commit time and ideally lived experience that is relevant to the charity's activities.

Candidates should be resident in Scotland, be able to demonstrate they work well as part of a team and be able to use skilful questions to build their understanding.

We are looking to add to our existing board with at least one member who is aged between 18-25 and who may be in formal education, in work or training. We are committed to offering appropriate support in what may well be the first role of this type for the successful person. This is part of our commitment to ensure that our board includes people with recent lived experience and/or awareness of some of the services and support the charity provides.

What we're asking of you

• The NAB meets formally four times a year, sometimes in person (usually in person in Edinburgh or Glasgow) and sometimes virtually.
• There will be likely one or two additional formal meetings involving other colleagues from across Barnardo's to which NAB members would be invited
• Uphold the Barnardo's Values and always act in accordance with Barnardo's Safeguarding Code of Conduct

What we're offering to you

We will offer support throughout the process, from recruitment to onboarding and then in ensuring a successful term of office in the role.

For our successful candidate(s) earlier in their education and professional journey, we will offer enhanced support for you to build knowledge of being part of an organisational board including an individual mentor for your development.

If you are interested in the role please send your CV to lynne.stevenson@barnardos.org.uk

About Barnardo's

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and cultivating a culture where everyone can belong and thrive through inclusion and connectivity. We want our workforce to be reflective of the communities we work with, and for equality, diversity and inclusion to be embedded in everything we do. We are a Disability Confident Leader, are progressing our ambition to be an anti-racist organisation with Anti-Racism Commitments and actions in place and have networks for colleagues who are disabled, LGBT+, Black and Minoritised Ethnic and Women. We particularly encourage applications from Black and Minoritised Ethnic and/or disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented in our workforce. For disabled applicants, we offer reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.

Our basis and values

Home-Start Clackmannanshire is a long standing, dynamic charity, striving to ensure every young child (under 12) has the best possible start in life locally. Raising a family has never been easy; our trained volunteers and staff are there to support families through challenging times. In Scotland, Home-Starts have over 1,500 volunteers supporting over 3,500 families and 6,500 children each year through compassionate, confidential help to parents/carers when they need us most. The parents/carers we support are often overwhelmed and isolated. They may be struggling with mental health, illness, disability, multiple births, poverty, domestic abuse, separation and/or trauma. We provide a bespoke support package of 1:1 in home and group services for families, helping them to cope with the stresses and strains of daily life and encourage them to build the skills, confidence, and strength they need to nurture their children for years to come.

In 2024, Action for Children, NHS (speech and language) and Educational Psychology launched an exciting new provision called Play Roots with the support and funding from our local Child Wellbeing Partnership. Play Roots is an enhanced 0-5 group provision for local families operating across four localities in Clackmannanshire weekly.

Purpose of the job

Play Roots has developed rapidly since the first group launched, with families directly informing our sessions, allowing us to ensure we are delivering a communities based, group support system, providing a nurturing and educational environment for children (0-5) and their parents/carers. Play Roots aims to enhance positive well-being, parent-child attachment, support early childhood development, and encourage wider community connections and changes for parental progression; providing the foundations for children and families to flourish long-term.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, driven practitioner, capable of coordinating the delivery of our four local groups to ensure their effective running, and maximising impact through groups supporting the development of children and parents/carers by creating fun and interesting learning environments/activities to enhance skills, promote emotional resilience, and encourage positive behaviours and routines. Central to this role is effectively liaising with partners and supporting our delivery team made up of staff from Home-Start Clackmannanshire, Action for Children, Educational Psychology, Speech and language, and a growing team of volunteers.

You will also:

• Contribute to the effective day to day operation of the scheme in accordance with the Home-Start Memorandum & Articles of Association, Home-Start, Standards & Methods of Practice, Home-Start Agreement and Quality Assurance Standards.
• Maintain high standards of practice in supporting families within the Home-Start model.
• Ensure equality of opportunity, fairness and diversity in all aspects of the scheme’s work.
• Implement best safeguarding practice in all areas of work.

Main Responsibilities

Supporting the work of Home-Start Clackmannanshire and our Play Roots Partnership

• Undertaking work as delegated by our CEO to support the strategic management, development, evaluation, and future funding of Play Roots.
• Supporting the implementation of and upholding all Home-Start policies and procedures.
• Complying with the scheme’s administration, monitoring and financial systems.
• Promoting the work of the scheme, as required by the CEO.
• Contributing to and supporting the development of the Home-Start network locally, regionally and nationally.

Support for families

• Take a lead role in receiving and assessing referrals to Play Roots in a timely manner.
• Making initial contact/arranging implementation of support or delegating to operational team members within Home-Start and Action for Children to do.
• Lead delivery partners in planning, preparing for, and delivering group sessions (4 sessions across 4 locations, weekly, during term time).
• Enhance group support offer by leading the planning, preparation and delivery of Holiday Programmes for families.
• Providing rich learning environments where children and their families can engage.
• Facilitating interventions one to one or in a group to support identified areas of need.
• Building effective relationships and channels of communication with our partners, such as children, young people, families, colleagues, and external agencies.
• Ensuring support to families is of a high standard, in accordance with Home-Start’s model, policies and procedures.
• To undertake designated responsibilities to safeguard and promote children’s welfare.

Supporting Volunteers

• We could not deliver our services without the support of our incredible team of volunteers. As such, you will be involved in ensuring any Home-Start volunteers contributing to Play Roots sessions are appropriately onboarded, supported, informed, and adhere to all organisational policies and procedures.

Working in Partnership

• Ensuring appropriate liaison with referrers and other professionals.
• Networking appropriately within the community.

The post holder may be required to undertake any other duties that fall within the nature of the role and responsibilities of the post as detailed above.