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.

To lead the provision of relationship-based support delivered to young people and families in the community and to promote positive outcomes in line with the values and principles of includem.

Purpose & Context of Role

The postholder will manage their own caseload ensuring support plans are developed with the young person to respond to their individual needs and supporting them to improve outcomes in line with GIRFEC principles and includem’s model of support.

A project worker will demonstrate leadership and ownership over effective service delivery to young people by managing outcomes for young people through use of line managers, colleagues and organisational tools, processes, policies, and procedures.

The key responsibilities of the Project Worker include, but are not limited to:

Service Delivery

• To build relationships and deliver outcome-based support to young people and families, involving all key stakeholders.
• To be available for young people and families at critical times
• To explore values and attitudes with young people in a supportive manner, to affirm and validate their feelings and ideas, and nurture and confirm their learning.
• To ensure a focus on regular and appropriate case progression to help young people and families recognise progress.
• To assess and respond appropriately to situations where young people and/or families may be at risk of harm.
• To support with crisis management and generate solutions for young people and families using the Helpline, with risk enablement being at the heart of professional judgement and decision making.

People

• To understand the different coping mechanisms that young people and their families use to deal with stress and high emotions, and to respond appropriately.
• To demonstrate professional resilience when providing support with sensitive or challenging issues
• To use a strengths-based approach to empower individuals facing adversity to find solutions and make positive changes, ensuring resources are in place to sustain these changes.
• To establish mutually trusting, open and non-judgemental relationship with young people and their families
• To encourage and lead collaborative team work to provide a ‘scaffolding of support’ around each young person and their family.
• To respect and value the contribution of wider stakeholders and the delivery of includem services.
• Where opportunity allows experience of directing, supporting, and mentoring Assistant Project Workers/Sessional staff.
• Any other duties as designated by your line manager.

Resources

• To deploy time effectively to meet the needs of young people and families to ensure the service is available 24/7, 365 days per year.
• To maintain and produce accurate and timely records and reports.
• To ensure support is delivered in line with includem’s Policies Procedures, SSSC Codes of Practice & National Guidelines

Influence

• To gain commitment from other stakeholders with varying demands and priorities
• To ensure young people and families are empowered to make informed choices.
• To support young people and families to effectively communicate with others.
• To work with young people to identify goals aligned to wellbeing indicators and to positively influence progression towards these goals.
• To reflect on practice, share learning and promote continuous practice improvement within a team setting.
• To articulate and endorse the includem framework of intervention and the key aspects of the service delivery model to a wide audience.
• To role model appropriate practice standards and professional boundaries to others
• To ensure a high-quality service is delivered to young people and families.
• Demonstrate understanding of your impact on people and how they might see you.

Quality Assurance

• To be accountable for the quality of your work and be able to evidence this work effectively.
• To actively participate in formal supervision and continuous professional development.
• To generate creative and new solutions to issues faced by young people and families.

If you want to apply you must have full UK driving licence.

Full job description can be found here.

Hemat Gryffe Women’s Aid helps women, children and young people experiencing domestic abuse, forced marriage and honour-based abuse primarily from the Asian, Black and Minority Ethnic Community.

We are recruiting a Women’s Refuge & Follow on Worker to support women in refuge and when they are leaving to live in the community.

It is essential that you have experience of working with women who have experienced gender-based abuse. A suitable qualification that meets with Scottish Social Services Council housing support registration is required. The nature of our work requires a commitment to the feminist analysis of domestic abuse and to the values of Hemat Gryffe Women’s Aid. It is essential that you are bilingual and speak English and Hindi, Punjabi, or Urdu.