Are you looking to make a positive change in society through communications work? At Samaritans Scotland we are seeking a Communications Officer to join our friendly team in Edinburgh.

As Communications Officer, you’ll ensure the smooth delivery of internal and external communications in Scotland, including media and PR. Working across new and existing Samaritans’ campaigns, representing Samaritans to external stakeholders, reacting to the day-to-day news and supporting the development and delivery of a variety of projects.

You’ll be a key driver of our marketing and brand in Scotland. Working with our volunteers, story tellers and partners to support engagement and understanding of our work.

We are a flexible and inclusive organisation. We are moving from strength to strength and this role will make a real and lasting difference to ensure fewer lives are lost to suicide.

Samaritans Scotland

Join a friendly, supportive, and ambitious staff team in Scotland. Our established Policy and Communications team is working with a range of external stakeholders including the Scottish Government, MSPs and local partners to achieve change and have an impact on suicide risk. There are around 1000 Samaritans volunteers across Scotland working in our 19 branches. These volunteers respond to calls for help every day of the week via telephone, e-mail, text and in person at our branches or at events across Scotland. Our staff team works to support and promote our services and ensure that people know we’re here when they need us.

We also work with the public and the media to inform them about Samaritans and explain how we can help people find their own way forward, as well as supporting the delivery of media guidelines training in Scotland.

What’s in it for you – our benefits

So, you want to work for us? Good choice. We like it here too. We offer competitive salaries, flexible and hybrid working to suit your needs, family-friendly policies, 28 days annual leave inclusive of wellbeing days and a matched pension contribution up to 5%. You’ll have a structured induction and ongoing projects, secondments & learning opportunities. We also have colleague-led affinity groups made up of people with shared identities.

Your health and wellbeing is our priority. We have a staff community of Mental Health First Aiders, a Health Cash Plan and an Employee Assistance Programme. You’ll have free subscriptions to Headspace (your personal guide to mindfulness, sleep, focus, movement, and more) & Perkbox (an employee benefits platform with online exercise classes). That’s not all. We listen to your ideas and have staff forum and social committee networks.

Hybrid and flexible working

We are a flexible organisation, and we embrace hybrid working – a mix of connecting in person and remotely. We’re aware that the world is changing, and we all want and need different things from our work and home lives. So, if you need to walk the dog, go to the gym, or have commitments outside of work, we’re open to talking through flexible working options that work for you and us.

Being Inclusive

We recognise the enormous benefits and the social justice imperatives of ensuring diversity at every level of our organisation. Samaritans is wholly committed to inclusion and diversity and to building a culture and environment where everyone is appreciated for the unique person they are. To ensure Samaritans is representative of those we support and who support us, we particularly welcome applications from Disabled, BAME and LGBTQ+ candidates, as these people are under-represented at Samaritans.

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 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.

Occasional evening and weekend work may be required and a driving licence and access to a vehicle is essential to the role.

If you are looking for a rewarding career and to work within an epic team that will help you grow and thrive, then you have come to the right place. Working with us, you can start your day knowing what you do really does make a difference!

Our Innovation and Improvement Team oversees a range of our quality processes, evaluation systems and practice and learning and development. We’re looking for a Quality and Improvement Manager to join our team consisting of:

Head of Innovation and Improvement

Practice Development Manager

Learning and Development Manager

Impact and Evaluation Lead

If you are looking for a new challenge, then Penumbra may be for you.

Penumbra is one of Scotland’s leading mental health charities, providing a wide range of community based and recovery focussed mental health services. We’re proud pioneers in the peer movement, with 27% of our colleagues employed in peer support roles. Our creative and forward-thinking approach to mental health recovery has earned us the reputation as a key influencer in public campaigning, policy and practice, and a highly respected provider of high quality and innovative mental health recovery services.

As our Quality and Improvement Manager, you will support our services to gather the data and evidence they need to understand both areas of strength, and of challenges, and to create development plans based on this evidence. A key focus will be leading and managing our Quality Assurance Framework. Substantially revised and relaunched in 2023 with a brand new digital resource, this approach allows our services to self-assess against our strategic priorities and core quality areas, combined with objective review by the Quality and Improvement Manager. Other key responsibilities are the oversight of our operational policies and acting as Penumbra’s Data Protection Officer.

You truly will have the ability to influence what we do, developing and implementing your ideas to demonstrate what you can achieve, which will make a difference to the people we support.

As a mental health charity, we really value the wellbeing of our staff. That’s why we want you to know that you’ll be joining a friendly team, who will give you a supportive environment to help you thrive in your role, including all the training you need to feel confident and equipped.

We can offer you a tonne of employee benefits, and we can promise you’ll be inspired by some pretty amazing humans every single day. We will support you on your own career path; developing new skills, accessing formal and informal learning experiences and providing opportunities to put your continual progress into practice.

For more information, including full job description and application/interview guidance, please download our recruitment pack.

We cannot consider CV’s – all applications should go through the application process on our website. Only applications completed through our website will be considered. If you are unable to complete an online application, please contact us at recruitment@penumbra.org.uk and we can arrange for a paper copy to be sent out to you.

Please note that unfortunately we cannot offer visa sponsorship. We can only accept applications from applicants who currently have the legal right to work in the UK, or applicants who have already have an application in progress to obtain the legal right to work in the UK.

Would you like to make a difference to the lives of People Living with Dementia in Midlothian?

We are looking for a unique person to join our team at our dementia specific day service in Bonnyrigg. Our day services are personalised to the preferences and needs of individuals, providing therapeutic activities with a focus on maintaining skills and independence. The day services in Bonnyrigg are open Monday to Friday.

Our Support Workers are our most important people as they provide front line support. Successful applicants will have a positive approach to dementia. You will also have good communication skills and a caring attitude. Supporting individuals to keep connected to their communities, engage in their interests and hobbies and access peer support.

The use of a car is preferred (mileage and expenses are paid).

A willingness to learn and participate in training (including SVQ’s) and registration with the SSSC is essential. Relevant qualifications and/or experience of working with people with dementia would be an advantage.