As the Youth and Community Development Officer, you will play an important part in delivering our youth work programmes in Forth Valley.

This is an exciting opportunity to provide high quality youth work to LGBTQ+ young people through youth groups and one to one support, empowering them to achieve their potential. We are looking for a skilled youth worker who can help us ensure that we are sustaining a safe and welcoming space for young people. An important part of this role is to be responsible for the development of our work with LGBTQ+ young people, groups and networks in the Forth Valley area, by working in partnership with key local stakeholders and to develop and maintain these partnerships. You will also support the Central & North youth work team with events, projects, and community development activities and take the lead on these across Forth Valley.

As this post involves direct work with young people, you will be required to obtain PVG scheme membership through Disclosure Scotland if successful at interview. The Charity will complete these checks with you. Your employment will be confirmed after successful completion of this and any other necessary checks including references and your right to work in the UK.

Your employment will be confirmed after successful short-listing, interview and any necessary checks including a basic disclosure, references, and your right to work in the UK. If you feel you have the relevant experience and can meet the essential criterial in the job role, we would love to hear from you. We always welcome applications that clearly demonstrate the skills and criteria we need, whether that be in a professional or volunteer capacity. We also appreciate that the best person for the job might not have all the essential and desirable criteria, so if you are unsure whether your skills and experience fit the specification, please contact barry.jordan@lgbtyouth.org.uk for an informal conversation prior to applying.

After being with us for over five years, our current Dundee and Perth & Kinross Regional Manager is relocating to England in November 2023 to be closer to family. As a passionate, experienced professional in the identification, creation and management of a wide range of great partner relationships, you will ensure the Career Ready programme in Dundee City and Perth & Kinross continues to thrive across 8 schools in Dundee and 9 in Perth & Kinross.

This is a wonderful role that requires a broad range of skills, so you will be well organised, confident and able to positively influence a wide range of people, approaching opportunities that are well researched and outcomes with an entrepreneurial mindset. It’s also a great chance to develop personally.

Leading our work involves growing, developing and maintaining the brilliant employer and education partnerships that deliver the Career Ready programme, which includes the Local Advisory Board, the Local Authorities (key sponsors), schools (we have a Career Ready coordinator in each school), the Developing the Young Workforce Regional Group, and the many employer organisations and their people who volunteer as mentors, provide quality paid internships and deliver engaging masterclasses.

By assimilating what, why, when and the how of our work, you will be able to:

Lead and develop our Career Ready partnerships in Dundee and Perth & Kinross, optimising the programme experience for all stakeholders and securing ongoing or new employer support for the growing number of students each year (c.64 in Dundee and 50 in Perth & Kinross) who participate in the 18-month long Career Ready programme annually.

Lead programme delivery, stakeholder engagement and business development by working closely with the Career Ready Dundee and Perth & Kinross Local Advisory Board; Leanna Sinclair, Partnerships Development; Janine McFarland, Head of Programme & Operations; and the Career Ready Regional Manager and Scotland Operations team on a continuous improvement agenda that is focused on quality, impact and sustainability underpinned by attention to detail with efficient and effective processes.

• £34,000 – £37,500 DOE (pro rata)
• A working from home allowance of £300 (pro rata) pa is provided
• 33 days holiday (pro rata) plus 2 additional days in the summer. In addition, Career Ready is closed between Christmas and New Year and the time off is not taken from annual leave entitlement
• 6% of salary contribution to a private pension subject to an employee contribution of 3%
• Access to our Reward Gateway Portal and an Employee Assistance Programme
• Access to discounted BUPA private healthcare membership, personal accident insurance and a Cafeteria Benefits system that allows staff to buy holidays
• Interest-free season ticket or bicycle purchase loans
• Business expenses including mileage allowance for car usage

If you are passionate about using your communications skills and experience to make a real difference to the lives of hungry children all over the world, we would love to hear from you!

At Mary’s Meals, we offer more than just a career; we offer the exciting opportunity to join a movement which reaches an incredible 2.4 million children in 18 countries every school day.

Your communications talents can help us feed the next hungry children waiting for Mary’s Meals, giving them the energy to learn and hope of a better future.

Our nutritious school meals are already transforming so many young lives, but we recognise with 67 million children of primary age out of school around the world, there is so much more we can do.

We are looking for someone who can raise awareness of our work by delivering high quality media coverage and creating content aligned to Mary’s Meals’ values.

Key duties:

• Working with the head of media and content to implement the media and content strategy and contribute to wider strategy.
• Developing and implementing campaigns in the UK in close collaboration with the global communications team.
• Managing and developing a proactive media relations programme to create well targeted opportunities to raise awareness of Mary’s Meals across all UK media.
• Overseeing the production of news releases and media statements in conjunction with other members of the communications team.
• Arranging media interviews (including briefings and training) for key UK staff to promote the work of Mary’s Meals.
• Identifying and supporting media partnerships or appeal opportunities and managing relationships with partners, celebrities and other external stakeholders.
• Working flexibly and responding effectively to media enquiries or unplanned situations.
• Monitoring media coverage and the news agenda and using this insight to recommend ways to improve the overall effectiveness of our media engagement.
• Managing the production of compelling storytelling content for use across all channels, including website, email marketing, direct mail and publications.
• Supporting the production of multi-channel communications and fundraising materials which reinforce Mary’s Meals values, brand and key messages for use by supporters in the UK.
• Leading our internal communications with staff, trustees and volunteers – ensuring content is timely and engaging

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 3500 Care Experienced members.

At the heart of Who Cares? Scotland’s work are the rights of Care Experienced people, and the power of their voices to bring about positive change. We provide individual lifelong relationship-based independent advocacy and a broad range of imaginative participatory and engagement opportunities for Care Experienced people across Scotland. We work alongside Corporate Parents and communities to broaden understanding and create change. We work with policy makers, leaders, and elected representatives locally and nationally to shape law, policy, and practice, working together to build on the aspirations of The Promise and secure positive change.

The purpose of the post is to deliver lifelong advocacy to Care Experienced people via our helpline. You will also work alongside volunteers who are an integral part of our helpline team.

Lifelong advocates provide independent advocacy support for Care Experienced people. This means listening to what they say and supporting them to amplify their voices on a variety of topics. At the heart of the advocacy relationship is trust - built through transparent, honest, accountable, and reliable interactions with a skilled and knowledgeable Lifelong Advocate.

You will help ensure that the voices of Care Experienced people are heard by Corporate Parents and communities, creating positive change. Working closely with partners, council services and with other public services, your role will help to ensure that Care Experienced people have access to decision-makers and are able to create new opportunities, whilst developing existing ones. You will also be adept at developing positive relationships with people over the telephone and/ or email.

You will be joining Who Cares? Scotland and working within South West team, but our helpline covers the whole of Scotland. You will be starting with the 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.

The right candidate for this post will be able to provide high quality independent lifelong advocacy for Care Experienced people who contact the helpline or help inbox. 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 teams, believing in equal opportunities and inclusive working. You can demonstrate knowledge of the issues affecting young people in care, as well as awareness of the care system in Scotland. You also possess an understanding of housing and homelessness structures, policy, and practice in relation to children and young people experiencing care in Scotland. You are also flexible, given the remit of the role, with some evening and weekend work, as well as overnight stays will be necessary.

While we would be interested to learn about the knowledge gathered through relevant qualifications, we are just as keen to hear about relevant work experience. We welcome and encourage applications from those with experience of care.

If this sounds like the role for you, we would love to hear from you. For an informal conversation about this opportunity please contact Sharon Berrie, our South West Advocacy and Participation Manager sberrie@whocaresscotland.org