• Are you an enthusiastic and ambitious self-starter?

• Do you have an appetite for and previous research experience?

• Are you passionate about supporting members of your local community to live well and improve access to support services ?

• Do you have an understanding of managing long-term conditions?

• Do you have Knowledge of Self-Directed Support (Scotland) Act 2013?

If yes...then our exciting new Research and Engagement Officer role could be the right opportunity for you!

Funded by Alliance Scotland, the Research and Engagement Officer will play a key role in supporting the Business Development Officer in the planning and delivery of a sustained, effective programme of policy work and engagement with Carers, Young Carers and other external stakeholders. This post will place an emphasis on consultation, lived experience of those with a long-term condition and the rights of Carers and Young Carers in Highland.

If you have any informal questions about the role, please contact Mary our Head of Operations & Development on 0742 369 2556 or mcook@connectingcarers.org.uk

What are we looking for?

If you are a positive, caring, responsive, hardworking and professional practitioner who shares our values and our commitment to providing excellent unpaid carer services and support across Lanarkshire. The work within the Short Breaks team is demanding and diverse, requiring an organised and skilled approach. We operate public offices and outreach activities; carers contact us in many different ways. Lanarkshire Carers is a digitally enabled organisation, and you will be able to demonstrate the required skills in all aspects of your work. We are looking for people who understand the culture and value of this sector and nature of job roles within a carer led organisation.

Who are we looking for?

You will have a relevant experience in health or social care or preferable a relevant qualification to this post. We will consider someone who is qualified by experience with demonstrable relevant skills. You must have a good understanding of the impact of caring and the issues unpaid carers face.

Lanarkshire Carers

Lanarkshire Carers is a well-established, award winning carer led organisation built on a vision to work with and for carers to develop and deliver services that make a positive difference to their lives. A value-based organisation, our mission is to ensure that carers in Lanarkshire are identified, well informed, involved, supported, and empowered. We deliver information, advice and direct support services that enable unpaid carers to continue to care, whilst maintaining their own health and wellbeing.

Staff values and benefits

Our Board of Directors are committed to making Lanarkshire Carers a great place to work. Lanarkshire Carers works flexibly and is a carer positive employer. A generous annual leave and public holiday allocation provides 37 days leave rising to 42 days with increased length of service. A workplace pension scheme is available along with group life and critical illness cover and other benefits. We offer an Employee Assistance Programme and also Credit Union Membership. Our staff learning and development programme ensures you have access to continuous professional development, with progression routes across the organisation.

Lanarkshire Carers is an Equal Opportunities employer and all applicants for posts receive equal treatment irrespective of ethnic origin, gender, disability, religion, sexuality, and age.

Additional Information

Please view our website for more information about Lanarkshire Carers where you will also find our Annual Report - Carers at the Centre for 2022/2023. This provides a good overview of our work and job roles. Our staff team, many of whom are carers themselves, are committed to making caring a positive experience.

PVG

Post holders require a countersigned membership of the PGV scheme.

Our workstyles

Post holders will be based between our centres in Hamilton and Airdrie, and localities throughout Lanarkshire. Working from home/hybrid working may also be required. All staff work on an outreach basis in community, health and social care venues across Lanarkshire.

Fife Carers Centre is a well-regarded and well-established organisation that has supported thousands of families and unpaid carers throughout Fife since 1995. The vision of Fife Carers Centre is to ensure that unpaid carers throughout Fife are valued, recognised, and supported to have equal access to a good quality of life that is not prejudiced by their caring role.

You will be based at the Fife Carers Centre in Kirkcaldy, but you will also be working from home and in the community, as part of normal work, you will be expected to travel throughout Fife.

Your work will include offering sensitive, person-centred support to unpaid and family carers. You will assist those personally impacted by mental health issues, whether they themselves are affected or are caring for someone with a mental health illness. You will aim to promote their physical and mental well-being by providing a comprehensive information service that empowers carers to make informed decisions about their emotional, physical, and economic welfare. This includes offering one-on-one support to help carers access services, develop self-advocacy skills, and, when needed, advocate on their behalf.

You’ll be supporting carers to identify and achieve their own outcomes using the Carer Support Planning process and providing carers with a benefit check, assisting with benefit applications, and very importantly providing a listening ear for carers.

Fife Carers Centre is a well-regarded and well-established organisation that has supported thousands of families and unpaid carers throughout Fife since 1995. The vision of Fife Carers Centre is to ensure that unpaid carers throughout Fife are valued, recognised, and supported to have equal access to a good quality of life that is not prejudiced by their caring role.

You will work flexibly between Fife Carers Centre, Fife’s Hospitals and from home.

Your work will include providing a sensitive, person-centred support service for carers where the cared-for person is in the hospital approaching discharge. This Role involves working with the Front Door Discharge Team at Victoria Hospital Kirkcaldy and providing Carer Support Work across the other Community Hospitals as required.

You’ll be assisting carers in presenting their views to the appropriate planning authorities and decision-makers, as well as giving one-to-one support to carers so that they know how to access services helping them to develop self-advocacy and, where necessary, advocating on the carer’s behalf, and very importantly providing a listening ear for carers.