Do you have a passion for building strong relationships and community connections? If so, we have an exciting opportunity to join Dates-n-Mates as a Community Engagement & Event Lead. You will be based in our North East Team covering Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.

Introduction to Dates-n-Mates

Dates-n-Mates Scotland is an organisation run by and for adults who have a learning disability. We are Scotland’s first friendship and dating agency connecting people in Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Falkirk, Aberdeen, Stirling, and Clackmannanshire.

Formerly a project of C-Change Scotland for 15 years, Dates-n-Mates became an independent charity in 2023. Our work is underpinned by a human rights-based approach, and we believe it is people’s right to live life free of discrimination and to develop relationships of their choosing, to love and be loved. We are award-winning and received a Scottish Charity Award for Pioneering Project in 2017 and were finalists in the category of Scottish Charity of the Year in 2024.

Role Requirements

This role requires the postholder to deliver high-quality, safe, fun, and empowering events and workshops in the local community for people with learning disabilities. You will be part of a small team working remotely and must have the ability to be proactive in managing your workload and meeting funders targets. The postholder should have the confidence and ability to engage in a variety of activities including delivering skills development workshops to members and delivering quality presentation to stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities include

• Coordinating and delivering events and workshops across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
• Recording, monitoring, and evaluating your work effectively.
• Building and maintaining positive relationships with Dates-n-Mates members, colleagues, volunteers, stakeholders, and partner organisations.
• Upholding and promoting the values of Dates-n-Mates.

Please refer to the detailed job description below.

You can learn more about Dates-n-Mates by visiting our website: datesnmates.org.uk

Values in Action Scotland (VIAS) is recruiting for the post of Senior Lead Consultant (Job Coaching), based in Aberdeen. Reporting to the Development Lead, this exciting opportunity will give the role holder the responsibility to lead on Project SEARCH University of Aberdeen for VIAS, in becoming one of the top performing sites across the UK.

Background

Values in Action Scotland is a Quality Improvement Service. Our vision is for a Scotland where people with learning disabilities and/or neurodivergent people have the same opportunities as everyone else and are supported to achieve their goals. Through our comprehensive portfolio of job coaching, training, consultancy and evaluation services we build capacity of individuals and organisations to ensure that people with learning disabilities and/ or neurodivergent people live great lives with all the support they need to achieve this.

The Candidate

The ideal candidate will have a lot of experience with supported employment and/or employability programmes, which will give them confidence that they can help Project SEARCH interns succeed. To fulfil the high goals set by VIAS and Project SEARCH, you will need to have expertise researching potential employers to find internships and job openings for interns. The successful candidate will also be able to work with a variety of stakeholders, showing that they have great people skills and the ability to develop and maintain successful partnerships. Candidates should have expertise with funding sources connected to employment and draughting and submitting grant applications. It would also be helpful if they already knew about and understood challenges and activities that affect people with learning disabilities and/or neurodivergent people.

What We Offer

We offer excellent training and development opportunities, competitive salary, contributory pension scheme and 32 days annual holiday (including bank holidays)

Further Details

The post is permanent following on from a 6-month probationary period.

VIAS will carry out a PVG check on the successful applicant.

For further information or an informal discussion, please call Kelly Forrest on 07350 421305.

The Advice Place is a free, professional, impartial and confidential advice service for students at the University of Edinburgh, operated by Edinburgh University Students’ Association. The service deals with a wide variety of topics (finance, accommodation, academic and personal issues) and provides basic information as well as more complex casework advice, advocacy and support.

The role of Deputy Manager is to ensure effective service delivery on a day-to-day basis and to act as a clear point of responsibility and decision making for the team and to represent the service in external and cross departmental working in clear areas of responsibility and as delegated by the Advice Place Manager.

You will line manage our Frontline Advice team and our Academic Caseworker. You will support the team to deliver a consistent and high standard of service to students. You will support the frontline team to deliver initial service responses in line with our service delivery plan.

Alongside this you will have a caseload of specialist cases, providing support and advice to individual students on a range of issues. This will involve advocacy and representation for students at University meetings and in navigating university policies and processes. You will offer practical support to students in very challenging emotional circumstances, always operating in the best interests of the student.

You will manage the delivery of our volunteer programme, recruiting, training and supporting a team of advice volunteers to provide customer service, information and frontline advice to students.

You will coordinate our outreach activities, arranging for staff or volunteers to attend events, run information stalls and promote the work of the service

The role is predominantly in-person/on site at our main Potterrow office on central campus and occasionally at our King’s Buildings campus office. Some home working can be accommodated when service demand allows.

Muirhouse Youth Development Group (MYDG) are seeking an Executive Director of Youth & Enterprise. As Director you will collaborate with the MYDG Board of trustees to develop organisational strategies, ensure the highest safety standards are in place and followed. Ensure compliance with HR policies and procedures, oversee the financial aspects, including fundraising and budget management of both the youth development work and social enterprise. You will raise the profile of MYDG in the community build strong relationships with stakeholders, and act as an inspiring role model for both young people and staff

About the role:

Muirhouse Youth Development Group is a young person focused community Charity. We deliver high quality youth work, providing experiential education programmes, personal and social development, skills acquisition programmes and vocational qualifications. MYDG exists to support young people at key points in their life - Organisation for all, no matter who you are, where you are at, where you have come from and where you are going. We strive to be a fully diverse organisation working with our community to ensure this is woven throughout our way of work.

Key responsibilities:

Financial Leadership

• Fully accountable for the entire funding cycle, ensuring organisational sustainability. Must be able to generate large funds across multi-year, short-term and social enterprise income streams.

Strategic Management

• Develop, implement and lead the organisation into the future.

Manage Team & Stakeholders

• Build, Develop, Lead and manage a strong team to achieve MYDG’s Goals. Ensuring HR compliance and strong governance are in place. Acting as an inspiring role model, being the face of the charity.

Essential Experience

To be successful in this role , you will have skills and experience in the following areas;

• Executive Financial Leadership: A verifiable track record of personally securing and managing in annual funding from diverse sources, including complex multi-year grants, philanthropic trusts, and earned income streams.
• Social Enterprise Development: Demonstrated success in developing, launching, and scaling a commercial venture or social enterprise (e.g., outdoor centre, hospitality, or training arm), including full accountability for business planning, market analysis, and sales/marketing strategy.
• Strategic Youth Sector Leadership: Minimum of 5 years in a senior leadership role within a youth, community, or third-sector organisation, demonstrating the ability to set and achieve strategic goals and drive impact in a community-focused environment.
• People & Governance Management: Extensive experience leading and motivating multi-disciplinary teams (staff, sessional workers, and volunteers), with a deep, practical understanding of HR compliance, safeguarding, and Board governance within a Scottish charity context.
• Stakeholder & Partnership Management: A proven ability to act as the public face of an organisation, representing its values, and building high-level relationships with funders, community leaders, partners, and political stakeholders.

Job specification

Development of Organisation and Team:

• Collaborate with the MYDG Board to develop strategies and operational plans aligned with the organisation’s vision and strategic priorities.
• Shape, implement, and lead the successful execution of MYDG, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives.
• Strengthen MYDG’s capacity to meet aims and objectives while maintaining a sustainable structure.
• Maximise the potential of the MYDG Team, sessional staff, volunteers, and young people.
• Oversee the management of MYDG staff, ensuring accurate staff records and financial documentation are maintained through effective delegation.
• Represent and promote MYDG’s history, present context, and future aspirations to ensure the organisation’s brand is widely known and clearly understood.
• Ensure resources within MYDG are effectively connected to outcomes for young people.

Management of MYDG Team:

• Lead, manage, and supervise the MYDG Team.
• Provide guidance and support to MYDG’s Youth Development Team to ensure strategic outcomes are met.
• Oversee staff scheduling and manage hours for the Team.
• Provide the MYDG Board with monthly leadership reports and relevant updates to ensure strong governance and effective management of the organisation, meeting all legal, financial, and ethical responsibilities.
• Facilitate clear communication across the organisation and take responsibility for maintaining the health of key partnerships and relationships with external stakeholders.
• Identify training needs and opportunities for the team and oversee the implementation of annual staff appraisals and development plans.
• Act as an inspiring role model for both young people and staff.
• Delegate tasks appropriately and ensure accountability.

HR Procedures and Policies:

• Ensure policies and procedures are current, relevant, and adhered to, leading by example while ensuring legal compliance across the organisation.
• Manage and oversee recruitment processes for MYDG staff.
• Handle / Oversee HR responsibilities, including contracts, staff appraisals, development plans, timesheets, holidays, PVG checks, and expenses.
• Ensure adherence to health and safety, & well-being standards for all staff, volunteers & users.
• Keep the staff handbook updated and ensure its proper implementation.

Partnership Work:

• Lead and manage partnership initiatives for MYDG.
• Maintain regular communication with key partners.
• Identify and foster new partnership opportunities.
• Ensure partnership agreements are prioritised, maintained, and adhered to.
• Build and maintain relationships with funders and partners, ensuring alignment with agreements.

Funding and Budgeting Responsibilities:

• Fully accountable for the entire funding cycle of MYDG’s work, including identifying funding sources, applications, and commissioning.
• Ensure the Team meets its key outcomes in line with MYDG’s goals and funder expectations.
• Provide an overview of all finances in collaboration with the finance administrator.
• Oversee and review funding proposals submitted by the Youth Development Team.

Social Enterprise & Commercial Leadership

• Lead the development, implementation, and review of comprehensive business plans for the Pilton Retreat social enterprise to ensure profitability and sustained mission delivery.
• Direct all market research activities to identify potential customers and market niches for the centre, ensuring competitive and sustainable pricing.
• Develop and oversee a robust marketing and sales strategy to drive revenue and promote the social and ethical value of choosing MYDG's enterprise services.
• Ensure the commercial strategy adheres to best practices in social enterprise traits (i.e., profits are reinvested into the youth development mission) and builds long-term financial sustainability for the entire organisation.
• Actively manage the balance between commercial success and the maintenance of high-quality community outcomes and youth engagement.