About East Lothian Foodbank (ELFB) & our Money Advice Service

ELFB provides food and emergency daily essentials to local people who are experiencing hardship in East Lothian.

As an independent Scottish charity, we are fortunate to also be part of a nationwide network of foodbanks, supported by Trussell, working together to ensure no one in the UK needs a food bank to survive.

In addition to emergency food, we also offer a money advice service for our service users to help them maximise income and benefit entitlement. Since October 2022, our money advice service has supported people out of hardship and achieved significant financial gains, of over half a million pounds.

About the Role

We are looking for the right person to join our team to support us with the continued success of our project. This is a fantastic opportunity for a motivated and positive individual to help people using our foodbank to access our money advice service. To achieve this, you will collaborate closely with our advice partners to ensure that our service continues to helpthose most in need of our support.

As a team player, you will provide essential support to the operations team by identifyingindividuals requiring financial assistance, co-ordinating referrals to our advice partners andmonitoring of advice service capacity. Additionally, to ensure we meet a standard 24hr response time of our referral processing, you will occasionally support our service coordinator to give people in crisis timely access to our support.

Key Responsibilities

The Project Support Assistant will:

• Support to identify individuals who are most likely to benefit from the service and promote the service to them
• Utilise existing tools and help people we support to implement personalised strategies to overcome challenges, by using SIGNAL
• Develop and maintain good working relationships with relevant organisations, to ensure they are aware of our money advice service and the wider role of East Lothian Foodbank
• Attend ad hoc forums and events
• Monitor ongoing engagement with our advice service
• Monitor effectiveness of the service on a quarterly basis, using data from our advice partner and provide timely data to funders
• Work with our advice partner to identify capacity that can facilitate wider access to the service
• Be the first line of support in our daily referrals service – especially during busy periods or in times of staff absence
• Undertake ad hoc administration duties to support with team projects
• Undertake other tasks to support the foodbank as directed by the Operations Manager and Foodbank Director

About you

To succeed in this role, you must have the following skills and experience:

• Experience of engaging with and supporting partnership work with other organisations
• Ability to work as part of a team and on own initiative
• Excellent communication skills
• Experience in handling difficult conversations
• Be empathetic and non-judgemental
• Full driving licence preferred
• A willingness to work flexible hours

Key Competencies

• Highly organised and self-motivated
• Adaptable and proactive
• Good IT skills – including google suite and office packages/excel
• Committed to the values and mission of East Lothian Foodbank

Benefits

• Accredited real Living Wage Employer offering competitive salary.
• Annual leave: 32 days including 9 bank holidays (pro rata).
• Pension: ELFB is a member of the NEST Pension Scheme. The successful candidate would be enrolled within the pension scheme 3 months from the joining date. Further information about Employer Pension obligations can be found at here.
• Employee assistance programme - the successful candidate will be enrolled into our assistance programme provided by Hospital Saturday Fund on completion of probation. This gives access to a range of employee welfare, mental health and financial support. Including money towards specific private health treatments and access to a range of discounts through Perk Box.
• Business travel: 45p per mile paid for business travel.
• Financial contribution to activities that support your health and wellbeing

The Programme Lead for Scotland will be an entrepreneurial, driven and creative leader responsible for the development and delivery of key national programmes, ensuring that lived experience is at the heart. Working with the Director for Scotland and colleagues across Carers Trust, they will lead and line manage a small staff team to deliver ambitiously against programme objectives, creating a supportive team culture that promotes creativity, innovation and autonomy.

Experience

Leading the development of an ambitious and impact focused programme pipeline

Working within UK-wide or multi stakeholder structures maximising the benefit of a cross functional approach to programme development and delivery

Programme monitoring and evaluation with a strong focus on demonstrating impact and creating opportunities for learning and growth

Stewarding high-level relationships and the creation of new partnerships

Leading and managing high performing teams

If this sounds like you, download the recruitment pack below to find out more.

Equal Opportunities

As an equal opportunities' employer, Carers Trust is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.

We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join Carers Trust.

Find out more about Working for Carers Trust

Work somewhere where a job is not just a ‘job’, where you can be part of a team with a passion for protecting and sharing Scotland’s heritage. Abbotsford, the home of Sir Walter Scott, is one of Scotland’s most important heritage sites and easily accessible from Edinburgh by road and rail. Now cared for by an independent charity, we are seeking an exceptional individual to lead our historic collections and built heritage care, our visitor storytelling, and our community programmes.

In this interesting and varied role you will be responsible for the Trust’s heritage responsibilities, overseeing achievement of Museum Accreditation and all the work which goes into maintaining this designation of professional heritage care; the delivery and further development of an exceptional visitor experience; volunteering and educational visits. Overseeing a team of five, and working closely with the fundraising team to achieve your objectives, you will be a key member of our management team and will advise trustees on all heritage and community matters. As a small charity run by staff and volunteers, you should be personable and flexible in your approach to others, and be prepared to be bitten by our passion for Scott and Abbotsford.

Street fit Scotland (SFS) is seeking a dedicated and dynamic individual to join our team as a Community Connection Volunteer Co-ordinator. This role will involve working independently and as part of a team to lead and manage and train a growing volunteer network, providing coaching, development opportunities, and nurturing connections with the local community. The successful candidate will be proactive, empathetic, and passionate about supporting people to reach their full potential.

Main Purpose of the Role

This role is central to the continued growth and development of Street Fit Scotland’s (SFS) volunteer offering. As Community Connection Volunteer Co-ordinator, you will lead with empathy, creativity, and a person-centred approach, encouraging and supporting our members to step into volunteer roles. You’ll provide inclusive, tailored support to help individuals flourish, ensuring every volunteer journey aligns with SFS’s core values of kindness and inclusion.

You’ll oversee all aspects of the volunteer function, developing meaningful roles, delivering training, nurturing development, and building a connected, supported, and empowered community.

Our main aim is to offer sessional work to volunteers when they pass the 6-month probation as we SFS values lived experience.

Key Responsibilities

As the main point of contact for all volunteers, you will be fully integrated into the heart of SFS activities, forming trusted relationships with both volunteers and wider community members. Your work will focus on meeting people where they are, understanding complex needs, offering emotional and practical support, and providing a bridge to meaningful experiences and future opportunities.

Volunteer Support & Development

• Deliver person-centred emotional and practical support to all volunteers and community members.
• Provide one-to-one and group support for community members exploring volunteering, helping them progress at their own pace.
• Design and facilitate internal training, including groupwork, inductions, policies and procedures, and skill-building sessions.
• Develop and share innovative tools and resources to support volunteer engagement and learning.
• Supervise and support the personal development of volunteers, helping them grow in confidence, responsibility, and pre-employability.
• Carry out continuous evaluation to monitor volunteer progress and impact.
• Coach and mentor members through tailored development journeys, helping individuals identify their strengths and contribute meaningfully.

Volunteer Management & Coordination

• Manage and coordinate all SFS volunteers (internal and external), ensuring people are matched to roles that reflect their skills, interests, and availability.
• Identify new opportunities for members to volunteer within SFS, co-creating role descriptions where appropriate.
• Assess individuals’ readiness and suitability for specific roles, offering additional support as needed.
• Oversee PVG processes and ensure a smooth onboarding experience.
• Build relationships with external volunteer services, such as Volunteer Scotland to recruit external volunteers, and stay up to date with relevant training and guidance.
• Attend and contribute to team meetings and service development discussions.

Community Engagement & Integration

• Participate in weekly core, stretch, and strength sessions, as well as community lunchtime drop-ins, to build relationships and encourage engagement.
• Accompany members to SFS sessions to foster community connection and shared experience.
• Support external training pathways (e.g. food hygiene, SDF training, or other personal development courses).

Operational Responsibilities

• Share responsibility for maintaining a clean, safe, and welcoming community base.
• Ensure SFS equipment (computers, desks, shared spaces) is cared for and cleaned when necessary.
• Wear PPE when required and complete relevant health and safety training, including food hygiene certification.
• Be an active team player; supporting colleagues, contributing to team culture, and helping shape a positive working environment.

Person Specification

Essential Skills & Experience

• Knowledge and understanding of the issues affecting members at SFS Working with individuals affected by homelessness, addiction, and trauma.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively, taking initiative while contributing to a supportive team environment.
• Knowledge of safe practices including adult and child protection.
• Strong demonstration of people skills, with a passion for helping others reach their potential.
• In-depth understanding of volunteers from recruitment and training to supervision and support.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to connect meaningfully across diverse backgrounds.
• A genuine commitment to creating inclusive, empowering spaces where everyone feels valued and heard.
• Highly organised, with strong computer skills and record management.
• Group work skills, experience of delivering workshops or sessions that involve team building exercises.

Desirable Experience

• Background in training or community education, with a focus on personal development / Experience in coaching, mentoring, or life coaching.

Additional Information

• Reports to: Michelle Reilly, CEO
• Responsible for: SFS equipment, the volunteer team, and maintaining a safe, clean, and welcoming shared space
• Base: SFS Community Hub, 19 south clerk street, EH8 9JD

Values

• Empathy - listen to and understand an individual’s needs and circumstances
• Treat everyone at SFS with dignity respect and kindness
• Take a non-judgemental approach
• A commitment to anti-discriminatory practice
• Recognise and uphold boundaries