The Citizens Advice network in Scotland is the largest independent advice service in the country. Citizens Advice Scotland is a charity within this network – we act as a national organisation supporting and representing the service as a whole and the interests of citizens. At the heart of the network there are 59 individual citizens advice bureaux across Scotland, all operating as independent charities, which focus on providing support and advice directly to clients. Each of these organisations is a member of Citizens Advice Scotland.

We believe that every citizen should have access to free, impartial and confidential advice that helps them make informed decisions, whenever they need it and however, they choose to access it. Our vision is for a Fairer Scotland where everyone has the advice and information they need to realise their rights, and that the barriers to accessing those rights are effectively challenged.

Citizens Advice Scotland runs a series of national specialist services as projects which require centralised project support. You will work as an integral part of the national projects team, with your primary role being the management of relationships between our project teams and the senior management of advice bureaux across the country through proactive engagement, communication, planning and reporting with participating member organisations of Citizens Advice Scotland.

As the Project Engagement Officer, you will ensure regular collaborative communication with both external and internal stakeholders on matters relating to service delivery and reporting, service development and changes, new projects and related implementation. You will foster a member-focused culture, and support colleagues to communicate and engage members effectively on related matters.

This role offers you the opportunity to work at the heart of supporting Scotland's largest independent advice network and to make an invaluable contribution to citizen’s lives.

Employee benefits

Citizens Advice Scotland offers excellent terms and conditions. We want our people to have a great work life balance and we have designed our working practices and benefits to support this. Here are some of things our employees benefit from: a 35-hour full time working week, 40 days annual leave, genuine flexibility in working hours with a flexi-time system, and hybrid working opportunities for every role.

Citizens Advice Scotland is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion. We offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies and flexible working arrangements to support all our staff. We are also committed to equality of opportunity for all and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.

CAS provides options for hybrid working to allow employees to balance their time attending the office with time working from home. The number of days you will be able to work from home each week will be dependent on your job role and can be discussed as part of the recruitment process.

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Access to Industry’s Young Peoples Service. You will work in a trauma informed way supporting young people aged 16-21, with complex health and social care issues, to progress towards education, training or employment. You will be part of a small team working one-to-one with young people as well as developing and delivering structured group work.

Key Responsibility areas will include:

Service Delivery:This role will focus on the intensive case management of young people from the City of Edinburgh who have mental health issues which may be a result of adverse childhood experiences. Their challenges to progress may be compounded by emerging issues with substances; offending behaviour; family support; and/or accommodation. You will work in outreach, to engage with Edinburgh’s young people including i.e., schools, Through-Care After-Care, young person’s substance misuse practitioners and HMP YOI Polmont (linking with AI’s Passport CashBack project).

Caseworker support:You will work one to one with young people, assessing their needs, devise action plans and work holistically. Support will be flexible, from employability to welfare advice.

You will work to progress clients into training programmes, employment, and education.

Over time you will develop small-group work programmes that meet the needs of young people you support.

Targets: The project has annual targets and outcomes that you will work towards achieving and achieving evidence of for funders. This is monitored monthly through team meetings and within support and supervision.

Partnership: Pivotal to your role, you will be working with other services and agencies to build positive networks for young people and referral sources into the service.

Administration: You will administer all aspects of the project from referrals, training, progression routes and employer engagement.

AI Team: You will play a part in the wider team of AI through attendance at internal meetings and participation in shared services across the teams.

Quality Assurance & Management Systems: You will maintain excellent records and will maintain case management through use of the Management Information Systems, Helix.

Health & Safety and Property Management: You will ensure a healthy and safe environment, and the protection and best use of property and equipment, by implementing and observing AI policies and procedures. You will ensure that all work opportunities are carried out in accordance with Health and Safety legislation and good practice.

Communications: You will be an effective communicator as you will be working with external agencies, specialist providers and employers and attending meetings on AI’s behalf. You will contribute to internal reporting procedures both written and verbally. You will market the project externally. You will ensure client and organisation confidentiality at all times.

Other Requirements:The post holder will be expected to manage their own caseload and work with minimum supervision partly in an outreach capacity.

Around since 1923, SAMH is Scotland’s national mental health charity. SAMH has represented the voice of people most affected by mental health problems in Scotland for 100 years. Today, in over 60 communities we work with adults and young people providing mental health social care support, services in primary care, schools and further education, among others.

These services together with our national programme work in See Me, Respectme, suicide prevention and active living; inform our policy and campaign work to influence positive social change. SAMH is dedicated to mental health and wellbeing for all: with a vision of a society where people are able to live their lives fully, regardless of present or past circumstances.

For Scotland’s Mental Health

About the Role

SAMH aims to improve the mental health and wellbeing of children, young people and the adults around them, through a range of mental health targeted supports, as well as capacity building work, information and other resources.

We are entering a new and exciting phase in our Children and Young People offering and seek an experienced Service Manager to support our projects and staff.

Working alongside the Children and Young People Development Manager the Service Manager will ensure the smooth delivery of our projects, consolidating and developing systems, structures and practice, to ensure the best outcomes for those we support and engage with.

They will manage a staff team of practitioners supporting a range of projects across Scottish localities.

The successful candidate will have excellent knowledge and experience of children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing, and have worked with schools, youth groups, health including CAMHS.

The service manager will have excellent people, leadership and communication skills, with experience in staff management, service development and young person-centred support work. They will have an understanding of the challenges that children, young people and their families’ experience, which impacts on mental health and wellbeing, along with the barriers they face getting the support that they require.

With experience in project funding, contracts and partnership working they will work alongside SAMH colleagues, funders, local authorities, health boards and other partners to support and review existing projects and delivery models, along with the development of new and innovative approaches, in line with our strategy in supporting children and young people’s mental health.

A full drivers licence and access to a vehicle is essential.

What we will provide for you

You will work in a supportive environment and will be provided with a full induction and training opportunities. You will be given the chance to develop your knowledge and skills, as well as develop professionally. Some of our benefits include;

• Reimbursement of PVG, Disclosure.
• Funded continuous learning and development opportunities, access to over 100 courses online in addition to classroom and virtual training sessions
• 30 days annual leave rising to 33 after 5 years’ service
• 4 public holidays
• 2 paid wellbeing days off per year to use on what matters to you
• Team wellbeing budgets
• Workplace pension scheme
• Life Assurance policy
• Employee Assistance Programme

Working with the Strategy, Governance, Performance, and Risk (SGPR) Team, the Data Governance Officer will help us ensure all data is findable, accessible, safe, and secure. You will support the Data Governance Lead on wide range of activities including records management, data protection compliance, information risk, and data quality. You will be a first line point of contact for data and information requests and other records management and data protection-related matters. As Data Governance Officer, you will understand the importance of data quality, records management, data protection by design, and best practice to ensure compliance with statutory and regulatory obligations, including UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act, and help foster a positive data governance culture within Citizens Advice Scotland and the 59 Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB) across Scotland.

This is a fast-paced, wide-ranging role offering you the opportunity to work at the heart of supporting Scotland's largest independent advice network and to make an invaluable contribution to citizen’s lives.

About Citizens Advice Scotland

The Citizens Advice network in Scotland is the largest independent advice service in the country. Citizens Advice Scotland is a charity within this network – we act as a national organisation supporting and representing the service as a whole and the interests of citizens. At the heart of the network there are 59 individual citizens advice bureau across Scotland, all operating as independent charities in their own right, which focus on providing support and advice directly to clients. Each of these organisations is a member of Citizens Advice Scotland. We believe that every citizen should have access to free, impartial and confidential advice that helps them make informed decisions, whenever they need it and however, they choose to access it. We use people’s real-life experiences to influence policy and drive positive change.

Last year the network helped nearly 180,000 people and unlocked £147million for people through things like social security payments and employment entitlements. Our online advice received over 5.4 million page views and our awareness raising campaigns reached millions of people.

Our vision is for a Fairer Scotland where everyone has the advice and information they need to realise their rights, and that the barriers to accessing those rights are effectively challenged.

Employee benefits

Citizens Advice Scotland offers excellent terms and conditions. We want our people to have a great work life balance and we have designed our working practices and benefits to support this. Here are some of things our employees benefit from: a 35-hour full time working week, 40 days annual leave, genuine flexibility in working hours with a flexi-time system, and hybrid working opportunities for every role. For more details of some of the other benefits on offer to our employees, please see the section on employee benefits in the job pack.

Citizens Advice Scotland is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion. We offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies and flexible working arrangements to support all our staff. We are also committed to equality of opportunity for all and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.

CAS provides options for hybrid working to allow employees to balance their time attending the office with time working from home. The number of days you will be able to work from home each week will be dependent on your job role and can be discussed as part of the recruitment process.