The Convener of School Closure Review Panels is now recruiting persons who will be eligible to be Panel Members.

The Convener and Panels were established by, and have prescribed powers and duties under, the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 (legislation.gov.uk)Legislation is supported by statutory guidance which supports local authorities when they consult on changes to schools (including nursery) such as closing, relocating or opening a new school. Supporting documents - Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010: guidance - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

School Closure Review Panels are independent statutory bodies which have been created to enhance and strengthen the process of local authority school closures in Scotland. On 30th March 2015 the Convener and Panels took over responsibility from the Scottish Ministers for reviewing and determining local authority school closure decisions which are called-in by Ministers.

Scottish Ministers can call in a proposal when the education authority may have failed in a significant regard to comply with the requirements imposed on it by the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 so far as they are relevant to the closure proposal, or to take proper account of a material consideration relevant to its decision to implement the proposal.

Duties and responsibilities

The Convener is responsible for appointing and maintaining a pool of persons who will be eligible to be Panel Members. Once a school closure decision is called in by Scottish Ministers, the Convener is required to select three individuals from the pool of persons eligible to be Panel Members to form a Panel to determine each case, and to identify a Chair for each Panel.

Once a Panel is established, responsibility for the review of a closure proposal and for its determination lies with the Panel. The Convener is not involved in Panel decisions.

Administrative support, organised by the Convener, is provided to the Panels. The Convener has engaged the Scottish Arbitration Centre to provide administrative support to the Convener and the Panels.

It is difficult to predict the number of school closure decisions that will be called in by Scottish Ministers. The original estimated was five or six proposals a year, but since 2015 only six Panels have been established to review decisions. The last Panel convened was in 2021.

For more on the work of SCRP: Schools Closure Review Panel (scrp.scot)

Skills, knowledge and experience required

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate:

· Evidence of managing tasks involving reading complex written documents and working to deadlines.

· Experience of making effective and reasoned decisions.

· The ability to produce high quality written work.

· Good verbal communication skills.

· The ability to work well with others as part of a team.

Desirable, but not essential would be:

· Awareness of the issues involved in school closure consultations in Scotland.

· Awareness of the issues involved in the provision of education in Scotland’s rural communities.

· Legal knowledge and experience.

We welcome applications from all qualified candidates and wish to particularly encourage applications from disabled applicants and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic applicants.

Remuneration

Remuneration of £226.92 per day (which is non-pensionable) is payable. Expenses for travel and subsistence relating to the Panels will be reimbursed.

Time commitment

Ideally, should you be asked to sit on a Panel, you should be able to make a firm commitment to spend up to ten days per year on Panel business. You will also be asked to attend a Panel member training day one day each year.

Location of meetings

Administrative support for the Panels is based in Edinburgh, and induction and other training is likely to take place in Edinburgh or online. Much of the work of any Panel can be performed remotely, with support from the administrative team.

Additional information

You are disqualified from being appointed as a Panel Member if you are a member of the Scottish Parliament; a Local Authority Councillor; a member of the House of Commons or House of Lords.

If you have any initial questions or requests for clarification, please email juliet@scrp.scot

Do you have an interest in the supply and provision of new homes, supporting communities, charity finance or charity governance? Do you want the opportunity to set strategy, improve your leadership skills, and make a difference to local communities? If you do, we would be very interested in hearing from you.

The Association owns and rents over 2,000 social rented homes in the Angus and Dundee area. We are a registered Charity regulated by both OSCR and the Scottish Housing Regulator and have a staff team of around 50. Our Board of Management members are all volunteers and we value their time and commitment to deliver our aims. You will be reimbursed for out of pocket expenses.

Who we're looking for:

We welcome applications from those with a diverse range of backgrounds and experience and we are particularly interested in people with the following skills. There is no requirement to have had any previous Board experience. What is important is that you have the drive and passion to make a difference and that you are prepared to contribute to discussions that enable positive and collective decision making. We would be interested applicants with experience or an interest in:

• construction, design and the built environment/asset management
• renewable technologies/net zero
• human resources and people management

Successful applicants will receive effective induction and will be supported to learn new skills. The Board meetings are usually held on Wednesday mornings. Our full Board of Management meets 6 times a year. We have 4 sub committees that meet quarterly for Finance, Audit & Risk, Service Delivery, Development and Remuneration. Typically, Board members are on one of the sub committees making the commitment 10 meetings a year. Meetings are normally held in person in Arbroath however we can offer participation using Teams for members who cannot attend in person.

Fostering Compassion is a groundbreaking humane education project for vulnerable children who may be showing worrying behaviour towards animals or are struggling with compassion and empathy in general. Unique in our approach, our activities share the stories of rescued animals in a way that the children draw parallels between their circumstances and the animals, helping them see animals as sentient beings sharing similar emotions to them. Through sharing the animals’ stories, the children gain a greater understanding of their circumstances, providing a platform for them to open up about their own abuse and neglect, encouraging healing. We work to address the links between animal abuse, child abuse, elder abuse and interpersonal violence.

We are looking for a Fundraising Development Co-ordinator to assist us during this exciting stage of growth for the charity. You will be responsible for increasing donations, submitting grant applications and diversifying our income streams. You will be tasked with increasing unrestricted and restricted income for the charity through a variety of sources and forming new and innovative partnerships for income generation and developing new opportunities.

We are looking for the eventual development of a Fundraising Team to allow us to expand and support many more children and animals, so the role has great potential for expansion.

The goal is to help ensure the sustainability of our organization through diversified income streams well into the future.

Responsibilities and Duties: Under guidance, the person in this role will

• Increase restricted and unrestricted funding
• Identify Grant making bodies and Trusts whose criteria we fit
• Complete and submit a minimum of two funding applications a month
• Increase direct debit giving
• Develop a major donor programme
• Identify and research a variety of new fundraising avenues and opportunities including digital fundraising platforms
• Develop a fundraising team and structure for the organisation

Report to: The CEO. They are expected to work as part of a team but also be able to act on their own initiative

Probationary period: 3 months

Requirements and skills

Essential:

• Proven experience in a similar position
• Grant Application experience
• General fundraising skills
• Donor recruitment skills
• Ability to work as a team member but also work on your own initiative
• Working knowledge of databases and MS Office (especially Excel)
• Able to communicate effectively with good writing skills
• Team coordination abilities
• Knowledge and understanding of data protection, disclosure and safeguarding procedures
• Familiar with Social Media platforms
• Knowledge of digital fundraising platforms
• A pleasant, outgoing personality
• Must love animals

Preferable:

• Knowledge of the Link
• Knowledge of the Human-Animal Bond

We are open minded about getting the right person for the position so even if you don’t feel you meet all the essential criteria, we would encourage you to apply.

Note: As part of the interview process we will be asking candidates to deliver a 5 minute presentation outlining their ideas for fundraising expansion and donor recruitment.

Atrium Homes, based in Kilmarnock, is a Registered Social Landlord and Scottish Charity providing social housing to over 1,200 households; factoring services are provided to Atrium Homes by its subsidiary as well as to over 1,400 owners.

Collectively, the Board is responsible for exercising scrutiny, establishing organisational strategy and objectives and for monitoring operational performance, and we are currently looking to strengthen our overall governance through the appointment of a small number of Board Members.

We are always looking out for new Board members to help us achieve the right mix of skills and experience to match our business needs. Skills and knowledge that we would love to see further represented on our Board just now include an experienced Finance Professional or a business leader interested in the work of social landlords.

Equally, we are always very keen to attract people who have had experience of our services as customers and who are committed to helping us improve those services.

What is most important to us is that Board members share our core values and objectives, possess an inquiring mind and demonstrate a willingness to challenge.

All positions are voluntary but reasonable expenses to facilitate attendance at meetings will be paid. Induction and further training will also be provided.

You can also find out more about our activities by vising our website atrium-homes.co.uk or the SHR website housingregulator.gov.scot

Could you be Key?

Being a support worker is a role where you can make every day matter. It's a job with challenges that make your heart beat faster, where you can give something of yourself and empower amazing people on their journey through life.

At key we support disabled people of all ages to make every day matter.

We are passionate about being the very best employer we can be, ensuring our staff feel well supported and valued in their roles. As well as being part of a supportive, local team you will be eligible for:

• Main Grade Hourly Rate £12.50 (Induction and Relief Register Hourly Rate £12)
• Sleepover hourly rate of £12.00.
• Competitive annual leave and company sick pay.
• Annual SSSC fees paid for all contracted support workers
• Enhanced pay for work on targeted Public Holidays.
• Paid Membership of Disclosure Scotland’s PVG Scheme.
• Full, in-depth training for your role.
• Fully funded SVQ qualification with support provided to achieve this.
• Employee Assistance Programme offering free confidential counselling, advice and support on a wide range of issues.
• A Workplace Pension.
• Free access to occupational health support.
• Credit Union Membership.
• Cycle to Work Scheme.
• Costco Membership.
• Blue Light Card/Blue Light Ticket registration which offer a range of discounts and savings.
• Concerts for Carers registration.

Join us and make every day matter! Support Workers and Relief Support Workers.

No experience necessary! Training and support will be given to help you achieve your full potential.

If you would like to get involved in support work but cannot commit to a contract due to other commitments, we also have opportunities for you to complement our existing workers by joining our relief register of bank support workers. This will mean you can work in a way that best suits you and fits with your life.

Could you be Key?

Being a support worker is a role where you can make every day matter. It's a job with challenges that make your heart beat faster, where you can give something of yourself and empower amazing people on their journey through life.

At key we support disabled people of all ages to make every day matter.

We are passionate about being the very best employer we can be, ensuring our staff feel well supported and valued in their roles. As well as being part of a supportive, local team you will be eligible for:

• Main Grade Hourly Rate £12.50 (Induction and Relief Register Hourly Rate £12)
• Sleepover hourly rate of £12.00.
• Competitive annual leave and company sick pay.
• Annual SSSC fees paid for all contracted support workers
• Enhanced pay for work on targeted Public Holidays.
• Paid Membership of Disclosure Scotland’s PVG Scheme.
• Full, in-depth training for your role.
• Fully funded SVQ qualification with support provided to achieve this.
• Employee Assistance Programme offering free confidential counselling, advice and support on a wide range of issues.
• A Workplace Pension.
• Free access to occupational health support.
• Credit Union Membership.
• Cycle to Work Scheme.
• Costco Membership.
• Blue Light Card/Blue Light Ticket registration which offer a range of discounts and savings.
• Concerts for Carers registration.

Join us and make every day matter! Support Workers and Relief Support Workers.

No experience necessary! Training and support will be given to help you achieve your full potential.

If you would like to get involved in support work but cannot commit to a contract due to other commitments, we also have opportunities for you to complement our existing workers by joining our relief register of bank support workers. This will mean you can work in a way that best suits you and fits with your life.

Working in Care and Support Services

Would you like to make a difference to a person’s quality of life? Would you like to learn BSL while being paid? We are looking for caring and motivated staff to support deaf BSL users to join our team. Could that be you?

Who are we?

Deaf Action is a deaf-led charity, supporting and celebrating deaf people. We were established in 1835 and work with deaf people across Scotland and the South of England. Our work is geared towards empowering all deaf people to achieve their potential and fully participate in society, with equality of rights, access, and opportunity.

You can find out more about us at deafaction.org.

About you

We are looking for people who are caring, fun, motivated, willing to learn and show initiative. The people we support want our team to be friendly, reliable and practical.

If you have experience in supporting people in their own homes, tenancies, or a care home setting, that is beneficial. If you do not, we can provide training. We always provide on the job and formal training, and our workers often go on to complete formal qualifications in social care. If you already have knowledge of BSL that is a bonus, however we can provide training if you do not.

The ideal candidates will be fully committed to our values, which can be found on our website.

The role

We have varied roles within our Care and Support Services such as Care at Home support worker, Outreach Support worker in our services in Edinburgh, the Lothians and Glasgow; as well as Care and ancillary positions at our Care Home at Isle of Wight.

You will be delivering a person-centred service supporting deaf people within our services. This will enable them to fully participate in the decisions affecting their lives, ensuring that wherever possible, service users benefit from informed choice, control, and independence. This will include both activities in the care home, in their own home and within the community which will promote independence and social inclusion.

What do we offer?

• Living Wage Employer - £12 per hour
• Occupational pension scheme with employer contributions
• Generous annual leave entitlement
• 24/7 access to an Employee Assistance Programme provided by Health Assured. Access to the Cycle to Work Scheme and IT Voucher Scheme
• Ongoing support for learning and development through our PDR process
• Training to learn British Sign Language at Level 1 and 2
• Death in service benefit.

The Supported Housing Worker role requires assisting in the management of the development thus ensuring the tenants are able to enjoy an acceptable standard of living in an environment which is clean, safe and friendly. You will be responsible for overseeing the wellbeing of the tenants and for assisting them in maintaining their independence.

As Housing Care Worker your role will involve working with our tenants to ensure they receive the support and personal care identified in their care plans. You will directly support tenants in their homes by providing individual advice, practical housing support assistance and personal care.

Both roles are to ensure that we are able to offer the best service to our tenants and make it possible for our tenants to continue enjoying as much independent living as they’re able.

As well as a competitive annual salary, our valued team also benefits from:

• competitive hourly rates of £12.25 - £12.50 per hour
• guaranteed rota hours working between 7.30am & 10pm
• generous annual leave entitlement
• a choice of pension scheme with employer contributions
• flexible working policies
• access to extensive paid training and development opportunities
• a supportive and inclusive culture.

We also have opportunities with our Trust Staff Agency - for employees who want to work across different locations, in various roles, with highly flexible hours to suit family commitments - it's a great opportunity with the same training and development that our other roles benefit from.

Previous experience working in social care or the housing sector would be an advantage but this is not always necessary. Our ideal candidate is someone with enthusiasm, a caring nature and willingness to learn as full training, support and ongoing development will be provided.