Appointment of Trustees to the Board of Children 1st
- Management Board
- Unpaid
- Edinburgh
- Closing 29th August 2022
- Advertised from 12th August 2022
Role
Join us and be the change that Children in Scotland need.
Children 1st is Scotland’s National Children’s Charity.
Our purpose is to ensure that all children in Scotland grow up loved, safe and well in strong, resilient families and we work tirelessly to make sure that happens. We get alongside children and their families in communities across Scotland to offer practical, emotional and financial help and we campaign to ensure children’s rights are protected, respected and fulfilled across society and the systems there to protect and care for them. Now more than ever, the children and families we support are having to overcome many frightening and harmful challenges; trauma, poverty, isolation, violence, exploitation and abuse but we know that with the right support they can recover and live safe and happy lives.
To help govern and lead us as we deliver on our strategic goals we are looking to appoint new trustees to deepen and extend the skills, knowledge and experience of our Board. We need volunteer trustees who share our values, believe in our purpose and who are passionate about putting children first. You may also have specific skills in; public health and policy, finance, communications, organisational development and/or have personal experience of adversity in childhood.
We are proud of the way we do things at Children 1st, we put relationships, rights, respect and compassion at the heart of everything we do and we believe that with the best people delivering the best quality support, amazing transformation can take place. With this in mind we are actively recruiting those who have been historically excluded from governance roles and want to broaden our representation, inclusion and diversity so that we truly represent all of Scotland’s children. If you think you don’t fit the traditional profile of a board member but believe in our purpose and want to make a contribution to our work, please do get in touch. We will offer support and flexibility to ensure any barriers to your involvement are removed.
The Position
You will join the Board of around 10 other trustees and will be expected to attend and participate in up to 5 Board meetings a year as well as an annual Strategy Day. You will have the opportunity to sit on one subcommittee of the Board and attend meetings of that subcommittee 3 to 4 times a year. Trustees are appointed for an initial term of 3 years, and are eligible to seek nomination to serve a further 3 year term.
Board Trustees are asked to contribute actively to the Board by providing strategic guidance, setting objectives and goals, evaluating performance and providing challenge and support. You will also be an ambassador for the Charity and are expected to respect, promote and protect the culture and values of the Charity.
All Trustees are expected to have or develop a good understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of the position of a Trustee on a Board.
The formal appointment to the Board will become effective from the date of the Charity’s AGM in September 2022. New Trustees will be offered support through a full induction process to find out more about the role and the work of the charity.
The Candidate
You must be able to demonstrate sound, independent judgement and have an ability to be strategic, open minded and to work collaboratively and collectively. You should have great interpersonal skills, have an ability to challenge constructively where required and be able to critically assess and analyse complex issues. Good listening and communication skills are essential.
Children 1st is committed to being an inclusive and diverse organisation that is representative of the families and communities it supports. The Board supports this commitment and seeks to enhance its diversity from the perspective of ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender and disability. We believe that the more diverse and inclusive we are, the better our work will be. We welcome and encourage applications from anyone who believes they can help make a difference.
The position is voluntary, however reasonable travel expenses are reimbursed.
Application notes
To apply for this position please visit our website
Closing date for applications is 29th August 2022
Interviews will be held in Edinburgh on 5th and 6th September 2022
If you wish to arrange an informal discussion with the Chair of our Board, Ken Cunningham or with our Chief Executive, Mary Glasgow, please email Julie Higgins at julie.higgins@children1st.org.uk
To find out more, we will be hosting a virtual event (Wednesday 24th August.) to meet the team and find out more about becoming a Trustee at Children 1st – please email julie.higgins@children1st.org.uk – to note interest and obtain joining links.
Thank you for your interest.
Chair/Treasurer
- Management Board
- Unpaid
- Hybrid: Scotland (Quarterly Board meetings online annual get together central belt)
- Closing 26th January 2026
Volunteer Chair and Treasurer (Trustees) – Help Dads Rock Support Dads and Families across Scotland
Dads Rock is a fast-growing, dynamic Scottish charity with a clear vision: Children thrive when Dads thrive. We are looking for passionate and experienced individuals to join our Board of Trustees.
We are currently recruiting for two key volunteer leadership roles:
- Chair: To provide strategic direction and ensure strong governance as we expand our services across Scotland.
- Treasurer: To utilise your financial expertise in overseeing our financial viability, budgets, and compliance. Experience in a finance role is highly valued.
This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute your skills to a critical mission with a low time commitment (approx. 2-3 hours per month) and a high societal impact.
Would you like to contribute to the vital supports in place for local families to thrive in Clackmannanshire? Home-Start Clackmannanshire are looking for vibrant, enthusiastic individuals, particularly those with knowledge/ skills relating to the Scottish Health system or Communications and Marketing, to join our board of trustees.
About us:
Home-Start offers guidance, friendship and practical support to families across Clackmannanshire who have at least one child under the age of twelve. We work with families to help them overcome issues impacting their lives, through a range of family support services. Our families are each unique, however common issues we support include: isolation and loneliness, mental health difficulties, bereavement, family breakdown, addiction, and physical ill-health. We’ve been supporting local families across Clackmannanshire since 1988. The Home-Start team (staff, volunteers and trustees) are committed to ensuring that children are given the best possible start in life as #childhoodcantwait.
The role of our trustees:
Charity trustees are responsible – and accountable - for the governance and strategy of their charity. They are responsible for making sure that their charity is administered effectively and can account for its activities and outcomes.
As a trustee on our board, you will contribute to:
1. Providing leadership and direction within the ethos of Home-Start.
2. Ensuring the scheme has a clear vision, mission and strategic direction.
3. Being responsible for the effective performance and management of the scheme.
4. Ensuring the scheme complies with legal and regulatory requirements, the objects of the scheme, the governing documents including the Home-Start Standards and Methods of Practice, the Home-Start Agreement and quality standards.
5. Securing and guarding the scheme’s assets and taking care of their security, deployment, and proper application.
6. Ensuring that the scheme’s governance is of the highest possible standard.
7. Undertaking an ambassadorial role for the scheme.
8. Appointing sub-committees and agreeing their terms of reference and membership.
Time Commitment:
Our board meets every 7-8 weeks, a hybrid approach where trustees can attend in-person meetings at our offices in Alloa or via Teams. Our offices are fully accessible.
As a trustee, you would also attend our Annual General Meeting (AGM) once a year.
Support:
Volunteers are the heart of Home-Start, and so in return for your time and commitment, you will be fully supported in role by our Chair. A full induction will be provided, and opportunities for both training and networking are also available.
All reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed.
Permanent and Freelance Therapists
- Part time
- £45,047 pro-rata
- On site: Within 60 mile radius of our office 111 Oxgangs Road N, Edinburgh, EH14 1ED
- Closing 5th January 2026
We are looking for a permanent therapist and a freelancer to join our Therapy Centre Team. We are open to considering a range of accredited therapists - art, music, drama, filial, play. If you are an experienced therapist with skills in working with children individually and in groups, we’d like to hear from you.
Scottish Adoption and Fostering is an established voluntary sector provider of specialist adoption services. We have built our reputation on the delivery of high quality and innovative services based on best practice. This is an exciting time to join the Agency as we expand our work to include a mainstream fostering service.
The permanent role is for 18 hours a week and will involve some travel to work with children and families within a 60-mile radius of our Edinburgh Office. We want to take a flexible approach so if there are therapists who can commit to a set number of hours a week that are fewer than 18 hours we would love to hear from you.
The freelance role is primarily to work with families in Glasgow and the West of Scotland, again we are flexible and could vary the number of hours for the right candidate.
Are you passionate about supporting families and children?
At Home-Start Edinburgh, we believe in the power of early intervention and the life-changing potential of strong, nurturing relationships. We're here for families with young children in Edinburgh facing challenging circumstances — whether it’s isolation, mental health struggles, or financial insecurity.
Our skilled staff and volunteers work alongside these families, empowering them to thrive.
Now, we’re looking for a Treasurer to join our Board of Trustees. As well as fulfilling the duties of a general Trustee, this is a great opportunity to provide your financial expertise and guidance to help us continue delivering this vital mission.
You will play a key role in overseeing the charity’s finances, ensuring sound financial management and governance, and help shape our strategic direction.
You’ll work closely with fellow trustees and staff to maintain financial health and stability, advise on budgeting and funding, and present financial reports to the Board.
This is a voluntary role requiring attendance at trustee meetings (around 5 per year) and occasional input between meetings.
We’re looking for someone who:
- Has sound experience in finance, accounting, and business management
- Can interpret financial information and communicate it clearly
- Will share our vision and commitment to supporting families across the community.
Join us in making a lasting difference to local families.
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