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

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.

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 North East region.

The post-holder will be a key member of the Advocacy and Participation team, supporting young people from across the region 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 within the North East region (Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Dundee, Angus, Rossie). 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 North 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.

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