About the organisation

Pregnancy Counselling and Care (Scotland) is a small Edinburgh-based charity that supports families and individuals during pregnancy and early parenthood, or at times of loss, by providing practical and emotional support.

Our Vision:Nobody is left alone to struggle with pregnancy, loss or early parenthood

Our Mission:To support families and individuals during pregnancy and early parenthood, or at times of loss, by providing practical and emotional support

Our Objectives:

This is done through the delivery of two services:

• Our Counselling Service - providing professional counselling to anyone who is struggling as a result of pregnancy, childbirth, baby loss, miscarriage, termination, stillbirth or infertility
• Our Baby Bank – that supplies baby equipment, clothes and toys to families experiencing poverty

Our Values:

• Respect/ Compassion
• Inclusiveness/Diversity
• Collaboration/Connected
• Dependability/Flexibility

About The Role

The Counselling Lead is a part time role (21 hours/week), based in a hybrid fashion from home and the Baby Bank in the Gyle Shopping Centre, as well as the current counselling rooms in the Gyle and Dialogue and Space in the east of the city.

The Counselling Lead will manage the counselling service, and line manage the counselling team of 10 counsellors including both qualified practitioners and trainees. The Counselling Lead will manage the waiting list, allocating them to counsellors appropriate to each client’s needs. They will also contribute to the furtherance of our strategic priorities in respect of the counselling service:

1. To increase capacity of our Baby Bank and our Counselling Service
2. To improve awareness of all our services and their impact on individuals and families
3. To improve the quality of the services we provide

There is a possibility of extension beyond May 2025, on a job share basis with the current post holder returning from maternity leave.

Job Description

• Provide leadership and line management to our counselling team made up of sessional senior counsellors, volunteer and trainee counsellors
• Manage the waitlist, contact referrals coming in and liaise with counselling team to allocate initial assessments and first appointments
• Hold day to day responsibility for child and adult protection concerns within the service with support from Operations Manager
• Support counsellors in their work with client via line management supervision and regular check ins
• Provide in-person support for placement counsellors at both counselling venues when required
• Recruit senior counsellors when required, and placement counsellors on an ongoing annual cycle
• Provide comprehensive training and induction for all new counsellors
• Review counselling policies and procedures, ensuring child and adult protection procedures are followed and service remain in line with COSCA standards
• Oversee the use of Bacpac (client management software) by all counsellors
• Collate statistics from Bacpac and other client feedback routes to report against KPIs
• Liaise with other referral organisations and other agencies to build up partnerships
• Promote the counselling service through awareness campaigns and creation of resources for referrers and key audiences
• Ensure counselling premises are suitable for the needs of the service and maintain relationships with in-person space providers
• Contribute to the operational and strategic development of the counselling service
• Work as a team with all the staff, contributing to team meetings and discussions
• Provide regular reports to Board, liaise with fundraiser and Board members as required
• Liaise with Operations Manager and Baby Bank Development Workers to respond to the needs of the charity
• Oversee PVG applications for the service

Person Specification

Required:

• Fully qualified counsellor with a minimum of 200 hours of client work
• Full membership to COSCA or BACP or other recognised governing body
• Willingness to work to COSCA Statement of Ethics and Code of Practice
• Current PVG membership or willingness to join the PVG scheme
• Experience in
  • Handling child and adult protection concerns and disclosures
  • Providing online and in person counselling
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills
• A proactive and positive approach to problem-solving
• Ability to work effectively, both independently and as part of a team
• Flexibility regarding specific hours worked, and attitude to activities undertaken
• A passion to support others experiencing difficulties in their lives

Preferred:

• Experience of line management supervision, preferably in a counselling context
• Clinical supervisor qualification
• Counselling experience and / or knowledge of pregnancy and early parenting-related issues

Join us in making a lasting impact on children’s lives through the power of play!

We are seeking a Chairperson and Trustees to join our Board of Directors

We are seeking committed individuals interested in taking on the exciting role and opportunity as Chairperson of Play Midlothian.

We are also looking for new trustees to join us! (No previous board experience is necessary as full support and training will be provided).

Play Midlothian is a leading charity dedicated to improving and enriching the lives of children and young people through the power of play. We believe that play is a fundamental right and an essential part of a child’s development. Our services are designed to offer inclusive, safe, and stimulating environments where children can grow, learn, and have fun.

We work to support children to thrive through play. It is important for their lives in the here and now as well as for their future life chances.

We:

• Provide enriching opportunities for children to play in support of their health, wellbeing and development
• Build family, community and professional capacity to support play
• Advocate for play and inform and influence decision-making

Time commitment

As a minimum, you need to be able to commit to:

• Frequently attend (on Teams) board meetings, of which there are approximately six per year on a weekday evening, for two hours;
• Attending infrequent development or strategic planning sessions (usually no more than once per year);
• Steer short-life working groups ;
• Occasionally work closely with member(s) of the staff team on a specific issue.

This is an exciting opportunity to join our team in Midlothian which is expanding as a result of successful new funding in the areas of mental health and kinship care. You will join an existing team working with families with experience of parental substance use, trauma, poverty and poor mental health, amongst other factors.

We work alongside children and their families, offering individual and whole family supports, peer led groups and connection through community partners. This is an exciting yet demanding role which will require you to get alongside children and their families where, when and how best suits them, offering the right support at the right time.

What kind of Children 1st team member will you be?

Knowing our ambition for children, you will be someone who is:

• Resilient, skilled and knowledgeable, who wants to transform children’s lives
• Determined to support children to stay safely with their own family
• Big hearted and courageous
• Able to build strong relationships and to manage difficult conversations
• Calm and clear minded during times of challenge or distress
• Kind and compassionate
• Passionate about Childrens Rights

If you have a professional qualification in a relevant area such as Social Work, Health, Teaching or equivalent in Child Care/Social Care or related area, accredited counselling qualification, or other relevant qualification at SCQF level 9 or higher then we want to hear from you. In particular, we are seeking to further enhance our diversity from the perspective of ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender and disability.

Base

You will be based in our Dalkeith office and will work with families across Midlothian. There will be some flexibility to work at home when this suits the needs of families and/or the service .

Salary, Conditions, Pension

We will offer you a competitive salary, generous annual leave entitlement (40 days inclusive of 9 public holidays), flexible working opportunities and a contributory pension scheme.

Further Information

We have two posts available:

One fixed term 35 hour post funded initially for 12 months initially (with possibility of extension) and one fixed term 17.5 hour post funded initially until 31 March 2025 (with possibility of extension).

(if you are applying for the part time post, can you please note this on your supporting statement/CV)

hours to be worked flexibly across the week to meet the needs of families and the service. However, Thursdays are our ‘core day’ when essential service activities take place such as team meetings.

Are you an experienced finance professional looking to make a significant impact in the third sector? Avenue, a leading charity in the North East of Scotland, is seeking an exceptional Finance Manager to join our senior leadership team. This pivotal role will ensure our financial health and sustainability, driving our mission to support families, children, and individuals through life’s challenges.

About Us:

For over 70 years, Avenue has provided a range of services across Grampian, designed to help families and individuals overcome obstacles and improve their relationships and wellbeing. With values rooted in effectiveness, integrity, respect, credibility, innovation, and independence, we are committed to making a real difference in our community.

The Role:

As Finance Manager, you will lead all aspects of our financial operations, from strategic planning and budgeting to cash management and financial reporting. You'll work closely with the CEO and the Board of Trustees, providing insightful analysis and advice to support strategic decision-making. Your responsibilities will also include:

• Developing and implementing financial policies and controls
• Leading the annual audit process and preparing statutory accounts
• Supporting funding bids with excellent financial analysis and planning
• Supporting managers in budget management and financial literacy
• Ensuring compliance with financial, charity, and company legislation

What We’re Looking For:

• Fully qualified (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) or part qualified with commensurate experience
• Proven success in a senior financial management role
• Strong knowledge of relevant legislation and financial regulations
• Excellent communication, organisational, and problem-solving skills
• Proficiency in finance software (preferably Xero) and advanced Excel skills
• Experience in strategic financial planning and risk management

Why Join Avenue?

This is an exciting opportunity to bring your expertise to a vibrant and impactful organisation. You'll work in a supportive and collaborative environment, with opportunities for professional development and to influence the financial direction of our charity.

The person specification gives a broad indication of expectations. Please get in touch if you

feel you would have a lot to offer even if it isn’t an exact match with our requirements.