Join the Turn2us Edinburgh Trust Committee and Make a Difference!

About us: Turn2us is a national charity tackling poverty and the structural causes of financial insecurity. We work with co-producers and partners to provide people in financial crisis with the means and agency to get back on their feet, build resilience, move forward with their lives and thrive. The Turn2us Edinburgh Trust focuses on improving financial insecurity in Edinburgh.

End Poverty 2030: In 2020, the Edinburgh Poverty Commission published "A Just Capital - Actions to End Poverty," the largest inquiry into poverty in any Scottish local authority. The City of Edinburgh Council has committed to ending poverty by 2030. We are dedicated to playing a key role in this mission, having committed to invest £5 million to increase our impact in Edinburgh. In the last financial year, we provided over £740,000 in grants to more than 600 people.

While grants offer crucial support, we believe systemic change is essential for long-term solutions. Our work focuses on developing effective local actions and investments designed with community input. We also provide tools for accessing benefits and grants through our online and helpline services. We challenge the systems that necessitate our programmes, aiming for long-term change.

Membership of the Committee: The Edinburgh Trust Committee ensures Edinburgh voices are represented and provides scrutiny and assurance to the Turn2us Board. Currently, the Trust is chaired by a Turn2us Trustee and includes two other Trustees, two members appointed by the City of Edinburgh Council (including the Lord Provost), and one independent member.

Opportunity: We are now looking to appoint two more independent members to join us during this exciting time of change. We would like these members to be Experts by Experience - individuals who have lived experience of financial insecurity.

Role of the Committee: The Committee oversees the Trust’s performance and strategic plan implementation; monitors and evaluates programme outcomes and recommends new initiatives; reviews the Trust’s strategy and policies regularly; increases the profile and reach of the Trust; provides local knowledge and experience.

Term: This is an 18-month pilot, with the possibility of reappointment for an additional term, for up to three years. The committee position is unpaid, but expenses are covered. Participation in Lived Experience in Governance Advisory Panel meetings is paid at Turn2us co-production rate of £84/day.

Time commitment: 3 x 3 hours committee meetings per year. 3 x Lived Experience in Governance Advisory Panel meetings. With preparation time, including for example pre-reading of materials and post-meeting follow up actions, this commitment should not exceed 6 days per year.

Skills and Attributes:

We encourage you to apply if you have two or more of the following:

• Live in Edinburgh
• Have experienced poverty or inequality and can use that experience to help find solutions
• Stay informed about poverty-related issues
• Have worked with Edinburgh residents facing poverty or inequality
• Committed to fairness and equality
• Know about the voluntary sector and have connections with other anti-poverty groups in Edinburgh
• Familiar with local resources and community support in Edinburgh
• Have experience in community work, engagement, or activism in Edinburgh
• Committed to being accountable to the people of Edinburgh

We encourage you to apply even if you don't have previous governance experience. Support and training will be provided to help you succeed in this role.

About

Funeral Link is a charity (SC048691) based in Dundee, which provides confidential and independent advice to promote informed choice and with intent to reduce funeral poverty. Pioneered in 2018, Funeral Link helps bereaved individuals and families save money on the cost of a funeral as well as seeking to prevent related debt. Good relationships with funeral directors and celebrants enable Funeral Link to act like a broker on behalf of low-income families and individuals seeking to say a dignified final farewell to a loved one. Ongoing bereavement support is also provided, when required, after a funeral. Separately, Funeral Link is keen to encourage more open conversations about death, dying and bereavement. From March 2019 to the end of August 2023, Funeral Link has supported individuals and families with support on funeral costs which has produced a total saving of £226,742.

Development

After six years of operation, two of the longest-serving trustees – chairperson and secretary – intend to stand down in October 2024 following the forthcoming Funeral Link AGM. They do so having been instrumental in helping Funeral Link navigate through an early phase of strategic development, from a charity targeted exclusively toward citizens in Dundee to upscaling operations to other parts of Scotland, as prompted by demand. Consequently, Funeral Link has introduced three new members of staff in 2024 to facilitate this transition, supported by a strategic plan outlining development aspirations. This transition is overseen by trustees, who meet in person in Dundee city centre around every six weeks. The chairperson primarily convenes meetings and acts as line manager to the Service Manager and the secretary records minutes for each meeting as well as reporting on actions.

Governance

Much of Funeral Link’s progress is owed to this small, committed board of trustees. Currently, there are four serving members, including a chairperson, secretary and a treasurer, all of whom contribute from collective experience in academia, accounting and voluntary sector leadership. After six years of operation and following the standing down of both the founding chairperson and secretary later this year, Funeral Link is keen to recruit a new chairperson, a new secretary and potentially one or more additional trustees in September 2024. Applications will be welcome from those keen to make a difference in the lives of bereaved people on low or limited incomes and who will bring experience of strategic expansion and funding, third sector governance, employment law, human resources as well as anyone with lived experience of bereavement, including people who used Funeral Link.

The Office of Lorna Slater MSP (based in The Scottish Parliament) is looking for a caseworker who is organised, patient, sensitive, and has a natural interest in helping people.

MSPs are employers in their own right. Under their employment, you will become part of a team supporting them in carrying out their duties. You'll work in a dynamic and fast paced environment to provide an outstanding service for constituents.

Responsibilities

• Complete oversight of casework management

• Supporting with keeping casework up to date and responding to public enquiries.

• Keeping cases up to date by tracking, logging and recognising when to escalate issues within team.

• Meeting constituents on a wide range of issues, including those of a sensitive nature and escalating accordingly.

• Advocating on constituent’s behalf with relevant bodies to resolve matters.

• Producing reports and monitoring media trends on my behalf.

• Conducting basic research and surveys.

• Investigating patterns of enquiries and producing reports.

• Monitoring local and regional media and generating media coverage.

• Briefing me and drafting responses.

• Reviewing constituent records and documentation in line with casework GDPR requirements.

• Ensuring casework filing systems, both electronic and manual, are kept up-to-date in line with GDPR requirements.

About You

• Have excellent organisational skills while being flexible in prioritising workloads during busy times.

• Have excellent communications skills, with accurate attention to detail and the ability to work effectively with colleagues.

• Be patient and sensitive while remaining objective and open minded.

• Be comfortable being in a front facing role explaining regulations such as GDPR to the general public.

• Be acutely aware of the responsibility of representing those unable to do so themselves in certain situations.

• Have a natural interest in helping people with a curiosity to probe for further information where required.

For any questions about the role please contact: Kayleigh.O'Neill@Parliament.scot

Working for a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP)

Mark Ruskell MSP is looking for a Casework Coordinator to join his team based in Mid Scotland and Fife.

MSPs are employers in their own right. Under their employment, you will become part of a team supporting them in carrying out their duties. You'll work in a dynamic and fast paced environment to provide an outstanding service for constituents.

Responsibilities

• Supporting with keeping casework up to date and responding to public enquiries.
  • Keeping cases up to date by tracking, logging, and recognising when to escalate issues within team.
  • Meeting constituents on a wide range of issues, including those of a sensitive nature and escalating accordingly.
  • Supporting the Head of Office to investigate patterns of enquiries and produce casework reports.

• Assisting the broader regional team by attending visits, monitoring local issues and media coverage on my behalf.
  • Corresponding with constituents and local campaign groups.
  • Preparing and delivering regular briefings and updates on regional issues to Mark and the broader team.
  • Supporting Mark on visits across the Mid Scotland & Fife Region.
  • Monitoring local and regional media trends.

• Supporting with general regional office administration and acting as front of office for enquiries.
  • Responding to all regional correspondence while professionally managing each enquiry within agreed timescale
  • Building and maintaining relationships with regional organisations, stakeholders, and groups as required.
  • Drafting written correspondence such as letters, requests for information and parliamentary questions and motions.

• Reviewing constituent records and documentation in line with casework GDPR requirements.
  • Ensuring casework filing systems, both electronic and manual, are kept up-to-date in line with GDPR requirements.
  • Ensuring broader administrative and secretarial support is provided.

About You

Requirements

• Have experience of providing professional advice and/or advocacy support in a work or voluntary setting.
• Have the ability to foster good working relationships with a wider variety of stakeholders.
• Be a proactive problem solver with the motivation and resilience to adapt and deal with challenges and find solutions.
• Have excellent written, verbal and IT skills with accurate attention to detail.
• Have a flexible and adaptable approach, being able to use good judgement and work on own initiative.
• Be well organised with the ability to prioritise competing workloads.
• Be patient and sensitive while remaining objective and open minded.
• Be comfortable being in a front facing role explaining regulations such as GDPR to the general public.
• Be acutely aware of the responsibility of representing those unable to do so themselves in certain situations.
• Have a natural interest in helping people with a curiosity to probe for further information where required.
• Have an interest in politics and the Mid Scotland and Fife region.