We are looking for a Community Activity Organiser in Inverness.

Alzheimer Scotland is the leading dementia organisation in Scotland. We campaign for the rights of people with dementia and their families, whilst providing an extensive range of innovative, personalised, and therapeutic support services.

We are committed to improving the lives and opportunities of people living with dementia, their carers, partners, and families as their journey transitions from the first point of contact through to end of life. We believe nobody should face dementia alone.

Are you a self-starter? Are you confident, innovative and collaborative?

If yes, then this may be the role for you.

We are looking for a Community Activities Organiser who will be responsible for developing and facilitating a wide range of community activities for people living with dementia and their carers/families with a view to helping them to maintain social activities, relationships and community connections.

The successful applicant will have a positive approach to dementia. You will be flexible, inclusive, creative, and organised in your approach. You will be sensitive and compassionate with the ability to support people in times of difficulty or distress. You will be an excellent communicator who can work effectively both with individuals and with groups. You will have a positive approach to your own continued professional development and a willingness to participate in relevant training. A relevant qualification and/or previous experience of working with people with dementia would be an advantage.

In return you will be in a role which offers the opportunity to meet great people, have great job satisfaction and be employed by an organisation that offers a range of employee benefits and career progression opportunities.

The successful candidate for this post will be subject to a criminal check through Disclosure Scotland.

“Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another and feeling the heart of another”

Alfred Adler

| Compassion | Integrity | Respect | Realising Potential | Inclusion |

Health in Mind is one of Scotland’s best-known and trusted Mental Health Charities. Established in 1982 we have evolved in response to need which means we actively promote positive mental health in local communities across Scotland. Our vision is straight forward, we build hope and live life through our values because people are at the heart of what we do.

We have a great opportunity for a number of experienced practitioners to join our team. You will bring compassion, integrity, positivity and reflection, delivering effective and high-quality support to those individuals who access support from Future Pathways.

Future Pathways offers support to people who were abused or neglected a child when they were in the Scottish care system. The service was established alongside the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry and has expanded considerably since its start in 2016. Future Pathways’ aim is to help people live well. To change paths, enjoy life, succeed and grow.

Reaching our shortlist is straightforward providing you can say ‘yes’ to our list of ‘must haves’. You can start your journey now by simply directly asking for an information pack and application but before you start your travels, please kindly make sure the following ‘fits’ into your career and personal attributions rucksack because life is a journey.

• We’d like a degree in Health and Social Care, Social Work or similar field but, if you hold a recognised, relevant professional qualification at a minimum SVQ Level 4 with relevant workplace experience this works too.
• Up to date child and vulnerable adult protection knowledge together and ideally completion of suicide prevention training such as ASIST.
• You are an exceptional compassionate individual with experience of working with those in society who’ve faced personal challenges, childhood disturbance, abuse, separation, institutional care and trauma
• Curiosity, empathy and a focus on learning, empowerment, collaboration and self-awareness.
• Experience of personal outcomes focused approaches, working in partnership with people to set goals, agree plan and support people to achieve their potential.
• Able to hold hope and walk alongside someone on their journey, you are good at nurturing self-confidence and supporting people to make positive changes in their lives.
• Worked in accordance with the statutory framework and requirement including GDPR, BACP, the SSSC and the Care Inspectorate.

With a great range of benefits including 30 days annual leave plus 10 public holidays and 2 wellbeing days we work fulltime 36.25 hours per week. The salary scale for this post is Point 39 to 43 (£37,716 to £41,729).

Committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, we embrace and encourage people from all walks of life, including welcoming applications from Neurodiverse individuals. It is important to us that you feel comfortable and confident and, as such, we are willing to adjust or adapt our application, interview and selection process to suit your needs, including working patterns and hybrid working wherever and whenever we can. Simply contact us and we’ll come back to you.

This role does, however, require periodic but not continuous office presence.

Who we are

Alzheimer Scotland is Scotland’s national dementia charity. Our aim is to make sure nobody faces dementia alone. We provide support and information to people with dementia, their carers and families, we campaign for the rights of people with dementia and fund vital dementia research.

What you’ll do

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Organisation and provide a key contribution to the work of Brain Health Scotland which is the prevention arm of Alzheimer Scotland. This role will support and evaluate evidence-based initiatives which aim to improve brain health across the life course. This role provides the opportunity to contribute to the developing evidence base around dementia prevention. Additionally, the role will provide a strong research contribution to the overall work of Alzheimer Scotland with the post holder being a key resource for people with lived experience, colleagues and external stakeholders. The role will offer varied experiences including evidence reviews, data collection and analysis, dissemination of findings and partnership working with people with lived experience and networks.

What you’ll have

The successful candidate will be educated to at least degree level in a relevant subject area, and will be able to work in a collaborative, innovative, committed and flexible approach.

Are you a creative and motivated individual with the passion and drive to support people with a recent diagnosis of dementia to live well in their community?

If so, you can be part of a National Team of Post Diagnostic Support Link Workers (PDS Link Workers) providing high-quality, person-centred support to people living with dementia and their families for a minimum of a year following diagnosis in line with the Scottish Government’s minimum guarantee.

The aim of the PDS National Service is to enable people to live well with dementia and is centred around Alzheimer Scotland's 5 pillar model so that people move on to a period of supported self- management.

The model includes understanding the illness and coming to terms with the diagnosis, peer support, connecting and maintaining links with their community along with planning for future care and decision making to develop an outcome focused plan to support their future hopes, desires and aspirations.

Supporting our East Renfrewshire locality, the post will be based within the Community Mental Health Team. Alzheimer Scotland’s PDS Link Workers are required to be effective team workers and have the skills to build and maintain relationships with colleagues both within Alzheimer Scotland, the NHS and other stakeholders.

Skills in using digital platforms are essential as we use a blended approach to support people that involve some virtual meetings and on-line groups.

Applicants must hold a recognised relevant professional qualification, have a good understanding of dementia and how it affects people and their families along with excellent communication skills, a warm flexible approach, combined with skills in empathy and relationship building.

In addition, you should have skills and knowledge at the Enhanced Level of the Promoting Excellence Framework or be able to evidence you are working towards its completion.

This post requires a full driving licence and access to a car.