Volunteering Matters is a national volunteering and social change charity. We harness the unique power of volunteering to bring people together and build stronger, more resilient communities across the UK.

By bringing people together, we aim to resolve some of society’s most complex issues and have a real impact in communities. From tackling social isolation and loneliness; improving health and wellbeing; building skills, confidence and opportunities; and ensuring people can become change makers within their community.

And we won’t stop until everyone in the UK has the opportunity to thrive.

Volunteering Matters work to support people to get on in life, through the power of volunteering. We support people 16+, including those facing multiple barriers or disadvantages, to achieve positive outcomes for their future. We provide people with personalised emotional and practical support, meaningful and supported volunteering opportunities through charity partners, and access to a reliable and positive Volunteer Mentor.

Role Purpose

We are looking for a talented, dynamic, and professional Engagement Manager to join our team in Aberdeenshire. The right candidate would be someone who can work flexibly and demonstrate an understanding and total commitment to our organisational values.

As our Engagement Manager, you will directly support people aged 16+ who may have complex and challenging barriers preventing them from securing a positive pathway. The role will include identifying barriers and to help build the tools needed to remove them. Supporting with pre volunteering activity as well as volunteering placements in their local area.

Your role will also support them with identifying a dedicated volunteer Mentor should this be required, along with pre and post placement support. Your role will be a positive bridge to supporting into further employability programmes or opportunities.

You will play a key role in identifying, developing, and managing partnerships with stakeholders along with charitable and not-for-profit organisations across Aberdeenshire and the surrounding areas. You will develop and build an effective presence within the third sector locally. You will create diverse, high-quality, structured volunteering opportunities with partner organisations, ensuring that volunteering roles reflect the needs and interests of those you are supporting. You will work closely with partner organisations and create a strong referral pathway into our service, and beyond it, building on a knowledge of existing provision.

Fostering Compassion is a groundbreaking humane education project for vulnerable children who may be showing worrying behaviour towards animals or are struggling with compassion and empathy in general. Unique in our approach, our activities share the stories of rescued animals in a way that the children draw parallels between their circumstances and the animals, helping them see animals as sentient beings sharing similar emotions to them. Through sharing the animals’ stories, the children gain a greater understanding of their circumstances, providing a platform for them to open up about their own abuse and neglect, encouraging healing. We work to address the links between animal abuse, child abuse, elder abuse and interpersonal violence.

We are looking for a Fundraising Development Co-ordinator to assist us during this exciting stage of growth for the charity. You will be responsible for increasing donations, submitting grant applications and diversifying our income streams. You will be tasked with increasing unrestricted and restricted income for the charity through a variety of sources and forming new and innovative partnerships for income generation and developing new opportunities.

We are looking for the eventual development of a Fundraising Team to allow us to expand and support many more children and animals, so the role has great potential for expansion.

The goal is to help ensure the sustainability of our organization through diversified income streams well into the future.

Responsibilities and Duties: Under guidance, the person in this role will

• Increase restricted and unrestricted funding
• Identify Grant making bodies and Trusts whose criteria we fit
• Complete and submit a minimum of two funding applications a month
• Increase direct debit giving
• Develop a major donor programme
• Identify and research a variety of new fundraising avenues and opportunities including digital fundraising platforms
• Develop a fundraising team and structure for the organisation

Report to: The CEO. They are expected to work as part of a team but also be able to act on their own initiative

Probationary period: 3 months

Requirements and skills

Essential:

• Proven experience in a similar position
• Grant Application experience
• General fundraising skills
• Donor recruitment skills
• Ability to work as a team member but also work on your own initiative
• Working knowledge of databases and MS Office (especially Excel)
• Able to communicate effectively with good writing skills
• Team coordination abilities
• Knowledge and understanding of data protection, disclosure and safeguarding procedures
• Familiar with Social Media platforms
• Knowledge of digital fundraising platforms
• A pleasant, outgoing personality
• Must love animals

Preferable:

• Knowledge of the Link
• Knowledge of the Human-Animal Bond

We are open minded about getting the right person for the position so even if you don’t feel you meet all the essential criteria, we would encourage you to apply.

Note: As part of the interview process we will be asking candidates to deliver a 5 minute presentation outlining their ideas for fundraising expansion and donor recruitment.

Are you passionate about helping people to live a better life? Do you want to work for a charity where your health and wellbeing matter just as much as the people you support? Do you want to be part of a trauma-informed team where you will be supported to develop creative and flexible ways of working?

At LinkLiving, our values and people are at the heart of everything we do including how we recruit our staff. It is important for us to find people who share our values, which are:

• Empathy (listen to and understand an individual’s needs and circumstances)
• Respect (treat others the way they wish to be treated)
• Integrity (be honest and have strong moral principles)
• Caring (show kindness and concern for others)

LinkLiving is a Scottish health and wellbeing charity that supports people to manage or overcome the effects of negative life experiences (including trauma, mental health challenges, poverty and inequality) so that they can build on their strengths and aspirations in order to live their best possible lives. We support people through a range of models including:

• Personal development and employability programmes
• Self-help coaching
• Supported accommodation
• Care at home
• Housing support
• Befriending
• Social cafes

The Service

The Link Academy team works primarily with people with complex backgrounds. The service works hard and creatively to maintain the early engagement of participants. We support people by offering mental health and wellbeing programmes, independent living skills and a wide range of qualifications to support their progression including employability, tenancy, personal development and leadership award qualifications.

The Job

The purpose of the job is to support people to achieve their goals and aspirations through group work by providing opportunities to enhance their knowledge and skills. You will be responsible for recruiting, training and supporting the programme participants. You will support the achievement of high standards and provide monitoring information in relation to the project’s outcomes.

You will ensure that opportunities are provided to people equipping them with the skills to make a valuable contribution to the service and their wider community. You will support people into a positive destination whether that be re-engagement with education, training or employment. The Project Worker will provide support and offer guidance to programme participants, develop relationships with other agencies and services and actively promote LinkLiving’s programmes and services.

About You

You will have a good standard of education with standard grade passes (or equivalent) in core subjects such as English and Maths. Your background includes a proven track record of co-ordinating training courses, showcasing your organisational and logistical skills. You are knowledgeable about the Trauma Skilled Practice Framework (NES Framework) and understand its application. Additionally, you have experience working with individuals who have complex needs or backgrounds, demonstrating your ability to handle diverse and challenging situations.

Proficiency in using the Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, is essential. You possess a solid understanding of the employability sector and volunteering initiatives, enabling you to contribute effectively to our mission. Your excellent written and oral communication skills allow you to convey information clearly and effectively.

You have experience in developing and delivering training programmes, showing your ability to educate and inspire others. Understanding and applying evaluation methods to ensure the effectiveness of training is another of your strengths, ensuring continuous improvement. You possess a non-judgemental attitude and a willingness to embrace diversity, fostering an inclusive and supportive environment.

Adaptability is one of your key traits, allowing you to thrive in new environments and challenges with ease. You work openly and honestly within a team setting, contributing to a collaborative and supportive work culture. Your ability to prioritise and plan your workload, as well as that of team members, ensures efficient and effective task management.

You are skilled in creating and maintaining relationships and partnerships with other voluntary, employability networks, and statutory agencies. Possessing a valid driver's license, you are willing and able to travel between services as required.

For a comprehensive list of the essential and desirable criteria required for this post, please refer to the Job Specification in the Job information Pack.

What’s in it for you?

The benefits of being a LinkLiving employee (subject to the policies and benefit terms and conditions) include:

• Competitive salary, reviewed annually, and opportunity for annual performance related salary increases and discretionary non-consolidated pay awards, subject to terms of the scheme
• 35 days’ holiday per year (inclusive of public holidays) pro rata plus additional 3 days pro rata after 3 years’ service
• opportunity to buy and sell holiday
• enhanced company sick and family friendly pay
• access to paid SVQ qualifications and a wide range of learning and development opportunities
• funded Disclosure Scotland and Scottish Social Services Council memberships
• defined contribution pension scheme with generous employer contributions plus salary exchange and additional voluntary contribution options
• access to an Electric vehicle leasing scheme, subject to the terms of the scheme
• life assurance scheme providing death in service benefits to named beneficiaries
• healthcare cash plan for employees (and dependents) to support health and wellbeing plus discounts on shopping, restaurants, and other services
• employee assistance programme for employees and their immediate household dependants to support health, mental and financial well-being
• annual flu vaccination
• access to a savings and borrowing scheme
• cycle to work scheme
• monthly bus pass scheme
• season/travel ticket loan and much more!

This post is subject to Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme registration. Link will meet the cost of any new PVG scheme membership or scheme record update.

Organisational Profile:

The Village Centre is a vibrant community centre with over 100 groups using the buildings, and a busy café boasting delicious and affordable food daily. We exist in order to fulfil the needs of our local community by offering a safe and comfortable place for groups to meet, at affordable prices. The Village Centre is a place where all are welcome and all are valued. We strive to be a Centre for the Community, rather than a Community Centre, helping, serving, and equipping those in our local community to be live their best lives. Working in Partnership with East Mains Baptist Church, we offer a range of free courses and services, alongside our commercial groups meeting within our premises.

Job Purpose:

As the Centre Manager, the post holder is required to lead the team of café and support staff. To plan, coordinate, and direct a broad range of services that allow the organisation to operate efficiently and effectively.

The post holder will develop and underpin the services required to enable The Village Centre to provide a professional, relational, person-centred approach to serving the local community.

Support our information systems where appropriate, ensuring data integrity across the organisation, maintaining records with regards to volunteering, finance, bookings, payroll, and any other operational requirement.

The post holder will facilitate the room booking system, setting up rooms and co-ordinating catering requirements.

The post holder will drive a process of continuous improvement across all aspects of the business.

In addition, the post holder will attend meetings and networking events to promote the work of the organisation, and make good connections with other organisations.

Full job description can be downloaded below.