Who Cares? Scotland is Scotland’s only national independent membership organisation for Care Experienced people. Our mission is to secure a lifetime of equality, respect, and love for Care Experienced people in Scotland and we currently have over 3000 Care Experienced members.

At the heart of Who Cares? Scotland’s work are the rights of Care Experienced children and young people, and the power of their voices to bring about positive change. We provide individual relationship-based independent advocacy and a broad range of imaginative participatory opportunity for Care Experienced young people across Scotland; we work alongside corporate parents and communities of all sorts to broaden understanding; we work with policy makers, leaders and elected representatives locally and nationally to shape law, policy and practice on the basis of all that can be learnt from the voices of those with experience of care – working together to build on the aspirations of The Promise and secure positive change.

This unique role offers the opportunity to listen to and work directly with children and young people with experience of care, in an individual relationship-based advocacy role, and within participation and group activity across our South East region.

The post-holder will be a key member of the Advocacy and Participation team, supporting young people from across to ensure their rights are upheld and their voices are heard. In this role you will have the opportunity to provide independent advocacy, children’s rights, and participation opportunities for children and young people who are looked after, Care Experienced, or subject to formal processes and structures. The role will see you actively participating in child’s plan meetings, children’s hearings, and other formal processes, as well as assisting children and young people to prepare for them. In partnership with professionals, carers, and organisations, you will help to achieve the best outcomes for children and young people by keeping detailed records of the work you undertake, writing liaison reports, and monitoring statistics.

As a vital part of the work of Who Cares? Scotland, your role will include facilitating group opportunities for and with children and young people. This includes providing engagement and participation opportunities throughout the Who Cares? Scotland local and national network, as well as meeting with care experienced children and young people to introduce the service in agreement with the local authority. Raising awareness of Who Cares? Scotland and its services with children, young people, professionals, and carers you will also be responsible for facilitating training amongst care corporate parents.

The right candidate for this post will be able to form positive relationships with children and young people and have good interpersonal skills. You will feel confident communicating with individuals and groups, both in writing and verbally, and be able to adapt to a wide range of contexts. Secure in making effective plans, as well as evidencing your work, you can prioritise and meet deadlines. You take enjoyment from working collaboratively with partners, believing in equal opportunities and inclusive working. Committed to children’s rights, you are someone who knows that all young people can make transformative change happen in their lives if given the opportunity. You can demonstrate knowledge of the current structure, developments, policy, and practice in relation to children and young people experiencing care in Scotland. You are also flexible, given the remit of the role, as some evening and weekend work will be necessary, along with a full driving licence and access to transport.

While we would welcome the knowledge gathered through relevant qualifications, we are just as interested in relevant work experience. We welcome and encourage applications from those with experience of care.

The successful candidate will be joining Who Cares? Scotland and working within the South East team at an exciting time, when the voices of those who are in or have experienced care are growing in power, individually and collectively – bringing with them insight, challenge, hope and change.

If this sounds like the role for you, we would love to hear from you. To arrange an informal conversation about this opportunity, please contact Ray MacLean, Manager of Advocacy and Participation, at rmaclean@whocaresscotland.org.

About Options Fife Continuing Care

At Aberlour we listen to understand what our young people want and need within our local area. Our Options Fife Continuing Care service in Glenrothes supports young people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live and thrive within the local community.

This service will be home to 4 young people aged 16 plus who will all have their own individual flat. Our rota has been drafted to suit the needs of the young people.

What we are looking for....

We are looking for a full time (37.5 hours, working 3 x 12.5 hour shifts per week) Young People’s Worker to join our team. You will play a fundamental role in our young people’s lives to ensure that they get the best possible experience whilst working towards goals in their care plan. Using a person-centred approach, you will provide enabling support ensuring the highest level of physical and emotional care, supporting our young people in their daily living and within the local community.

If you have an interest in working with young people, we would like to hear from you. Ideally, candidates will have social care experience, understanding of autism, complex needs and disability. You will hold, or be willing to work towards, a relevant professional qualification at SCQF level 7 or above (for example: SVQ3 Care plus an HNC) together with relevant experience of working with children or young people. You must also be able to demonstrate awareness of the key elements of working with people affected by disability as well as an understanding of, and commitment to, young people’s rights.

At Aberlour we want to make sure every child and young person has the love, support and opportunity they need to reach their potential. If you share the same vision, we want you to

join our team. To have a look at our values to understand more about what we are looking for from our employees please see our website for further information.

What we offer...

As well as a supportive team and excellent training opportunities, we want all our employees to feel valued and rewarded for the vital work they do. When you work with us, we'll recognise your efforts with generous annual leave, an excellent employer pension scheme and a range of deals and discounts across various retailers.

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.

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

You will be joining the team in our Employability Service. It provides support to young people aged 16-24, who have a range of barriers or needs.

Youthbuild (a construction training programme) works to tackle the underlying issues that might be preventing young people from entering and sustaining employment and capitalises on opportunities available. (is a construction training programme)

As an Employment Facilitator you'll be motivating, inspiring and directly supporting and delivering a range of both practical and vocational employability programmes aimed at young people to access, maintain and sustain future employment and further educational opportunities through the provision of a comprehensive in-house training programmes and work placements.

Key responsibilities will be:

• Managing and co-ordinating a caseload of young people, providing tailored interventions through group, coordinated or individual support.
• Delivering a range of group preparation for work modules that contribute to our overall employability programmes, promoting inclusion and allowing for individual learning styles.
• Adopting a key worker approach to support young people for up to 6 months from securing employment.

How you'll help to create brighter futures

Join us as an Employment Facilitator to help change the lives of young people in Edinburgh. You can grow your career by helping others to start out in theirs.

We are open to a variety of backgrounds. This could be your own first role after gaining a recent qualification. Or you could be looking to build on the experience you already have in youth work or employability. Either way, this is a great opportunity enhance life chances in local Edinburgh communities.

Key responsibilities include:

• Organising, coordinating, and leading the delivery of construction training sessions
• Delivering and/or coordinating practical 1–2-day sessions, examples, intro trades, taster sessions on practical skills and using tools and equipment.
• Working closely with colleagues to monitor the progress of trainees and plan training accordingly.
• Organising and implementing workload, including up to date records of activity, risk assessments and learner packs/certifications.

Let's talk about you

• It would be great if you have an SVQ 3 in Social Care, Guidance or equivalent – but we are very open to relevant or lived experience, rather than a qualification.
• You will be used to working in group settings with young people facing multiple barriers.
• You will have knowledge and understanding of young people facing unemployment.
• You need a full driving licence and access to a car to use for business.

We understand that there are a lot of jobs out there just now but if this role connects with you, and you really want to make a difference to the lives of young people, then we'd love to see your application.

Our team is growing, we're looking for passionate, proactive people who want to make a real impact helping young people and parents under 30 across the Highlands, with a special focus on the Inner Moray Firth area.

What you'll do:

• Work one-to-one with service users to help them set goals and achieve them.
• Run fun, practical workshops and group sessions that build skills and confidence.
• Support service users into training, qualifications, and real job opportunities.
• Keep things organised – from paperwork to progress tracking – so we deliver for our funders.

What We're Looking For

• You know how to connect with young people and inspire them.
• You can make learning engaging and practical.
• You help people overcome challenges and believe in themselves.
• You keep records straight and deadlines met.
• You know your way around local employability services, SQA awards, or have experience in informal youth work settings.

Why join us?

Barnardo's Works Highland is all about giving young people the tools, confidence, and opportunities to succeed. From construction academies to industry access and wellbeing support, you'll be part of a team that changes lives every day.

Sound like you?

Find out more at barnardos-ets.org.uk or contact Barbara Brown on 07738 262843 or barbara.brown@barnardos.org.uk

Pay & Reward Framework

We know that our colleagues go above and beyond in delivering our vital work, driven by their passion and commitment to Barnardo's values. We also know that we can only realise our ambitions and achieve better outcomes for more children, thanks to the talent, hard work and creativity of our people.

For all these reasons, we are committed to a new approach to pay and reward, to ensure it is fair, attractive and progressive, which was rolled out in April 2023. This is a positive change for the charity, and a part of our People & Culture Strategy. It will assist us in supporting colleagues to belong, thrive and grow in their colleague journey at Barnardo's and in time will offer clear routes of progression for colleagues in both their career and their pay.

Whilst the full pay band and salary range is advertised, our approach to starting salaries is to appoint between the minimum to mid-point of the pay band – this ensures that pay steps are available to reward our colleagues annually based on their contribution to excellence and alignment to our values and behaviours. More details on Barnardo's pay framework can be found upon application.

Benefits

Workplace Offer: What it means for you

Our hybrid working initiative is based on trust, flexibility and empowerment. We understand our workplace offer means different things to different people, and we encourage those conversations. This may mean working at one of our stores, services, working at home, in the community, at one of our Collaboration Hubs or depending on the role any combination of these. Please read through the advert carefully to understand the remits of hybrid working that will be specific to the role.

• Barnardo's believe in creating equality of opportunity in the workplace and supporting people to manage their work-life balance; we are therefore open to offering flexible working arrangements.
• Annual Leave entitlement for full-time colleagues is 26 days per annum, increasing to 27 days per annum, after 3 years Barnardo's service, 29 days per annum, after 5 years Barnardo's service and 30 days per annum, after 7 years Barnardo's service. Those working less than full time are entitled to the same level of holiday pro rata
• The ability to buy up to another 5 days annual leave via our HolidayPlus scheme
• A host of family friendly leave options including company Maternity Paternity and Adoption pay; together with all family additional leave options
• Service related sick pay from day 1
• Access to a Group Personal Pension with a matched 4% or 6% contribution from Barnardo's. Ability to pay via salary sacrifice to garner both tax and NI savings on your own contribution
• Death in service cover of 4x annual earnings for all staff contributing to our Group Personal Pension
• Cycle2work scheme
• Interest free season ticket loans
• Discounts and cashback from at high street shops including major supermarkets, cinemas, gyms, leisure/theme parks, holidays and much more via our Benefit Portal
• 20% discount at Barnardo's stores
• Opportunity to purchase a health cash plan to claim towards dental, glasses, therapy etc
• Free access to round the clock employee assistance program for advice and support
• Access to Barnardo's Learning and Development offer

*T&C's apply based on contract

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