Who Cares? Scotland is Scotland’s only national independent membership organisation for Care Experienced people. Our mission is to secure a lifetime of equality, respect, and love for Care Experienced people in Scotland and we currently have over 3000 Care Experienced members.

At the heart of Who Cares? Scotland’s work are the rights of Care Experienced children and young people, and the power of their voices to bring about positive change. We provide individual relationship-based independent advocacy and a broad range of imaginative participatory opportunity for Care Experienced young people across Scotland; we work alongside corporate parents and communities of all sorts to broaden understanding; we work with policy makers, leaders and elected representatives locally and nationally to shape law, policy and practice on the basis of all that can be learnt from the voices of those with experience of care - working together to build on the aspirations of The Promise and secure positive change.

The post holder will work directly with children and young people with experience of care, in an individual relationship-based advocacy role, and within participation and group activity across our West Central region. This unique role requires you to listen to what children and young people with experience of care say and support them to ensure their rights are upheld and their voices are heard in the processes of making decisions about their lives. You will also help facilitate a broad range of participatory and engagement opportunities and create the conditions for collective advocacy.

The right candidate for this post will be brilliant at forming positive relationships with children and young people. You will have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal, adaptable to a wide range of contexts. You will enjoy working collaboratively with partners. You will be committed to children’s rights, inclusive working, equal opportunities, and believe that all young people can make transformative change happen in their lives if given the opportunity.

The successful candidate will be joining Who Cares? Scotland and working within the West Central locality team at an exciting time, when the voices of those who are in or have experienced care are growing in power, individually and collectively - bringing with them insight, challenge, hope and change. Flexibility will be required given the remit of the role. Some evening and weekend work will be necessary, as will a full driving licence and access to transport.

If this sounds like the role for you, we would love to hear from you. For an informal conversation about this opportunity please contact Jamie McAnally, our Advocacy and Participation Manager for our West Central team on jmcanally@whocaresscotland.org.

Scottish Love in Action harnesses the compassion and generosity of people in Scotland, to support the poorest and most vulnerable children and young people in India. We are a local charity with a global impact.

We believe every child deserves to thrive. For 24 years we’ve been working with local partners in South India to help create life-long change for children, their families and their communities.

In 2025 we celebrate 25 years of giving children the opportunity to thrive. We’re looking for someone to join us on this journey.

We’re looking for someone to write copy for print and online marketing to maximise Scottish Love in Action’s profile and engage new audiences with our work. To lead digital fundraising activities, maximising online presence to encourage donor growth, engagement and retention across a range of digital platforms.

Charity experience is welcome but not required. We recognise transferrable skills.

Fundraising is one of the most rewarding of careers, full of contribution and achievement. We have an entry level role perfect for someone wanting to explore a career in the charity sector and who wants to learn. You will thrive on being involved in a range of fundraising activities. No charity experience is required for this role, just enthusiasm. This role would suit someone starting out in their fundraising career or who has volunteered in a fundraising department. It would also suit someone who enjoys building relationships, thinking on their feet, is proactive, organised and is motivated to try new things and contribute ideas.

You will join a small charity; meaning you get responsibility from day one. Shadowing a career fundraiser, you will learn about supporter care, individual giving, community and events fundraising and international development.

Reporting to the Chief Executive, you will support the charity in a range of activities and projects. You will learn about fundraising and marketing and gain a rounded view of their role in charities.

Charity experience is welcome but not required. We recognise transferrable skills.

About the organisation

Pregnancy Counselling and Care (Scotland) is a small Edinburgh-based charity that supports families and individuals during pregnancy and early parenthood, or at times of loss, by providing practical and emotional support.

Our Vision:Nobody is left alone to struggle with pregnancy, loss or early parenthood

Our Mission:To support families and individuals during pregnancy and early parenthood, or at times of loss, by providing practical and emotional support

Our Objectives:

This is done through the delivery of two services:

• Our Counselling Service - providing professional counselling to anyone who is struggling as a result of pregnancy, childbirth, baby loss, miscarriage, termination, stillbirth or infertility
• Our Baby Bank – that supplies baby equipment, clothes and toys to families experiencing poverty

Our Values:

• Respect/ Compassion
• Inclusiveness/Diversity
• Collaboration/Connected
• Dependability/Flexibility

About The Role

The Counselling Lead is a part time role (21 hours/week), based in a hybrid fashion from home and the Baby Bank in the Gyle Shopping Centre, as well as the current counselling rooms in the Gyle and Dialogue and Space in the east of the city.

The Counselling Lead will manage the counselling service, and line manage the counselling team of 10 counsellors including both qualified practitioners and trainees. The Counselling Lead will manage the waiting list, allocating them to counsellors appropriate to each client’s needs. They will also contribute to the furtherance of our strategic priorities in respect of the counselling service:

1. To increase capacity of our Baby Bank and our Counselling Service
2. To improve awareness of all our services and their impact on individuals and families
3. To improve the quality of the services we provide

There is a possibility of extension beyond May 2025, on a job share basis with the current post holder returning from maternity leave.

Job Description

• Provide leadership and line management to our counselling team made up of sessional senior counsellors, volunteer and trainee counsellors
• Manage the waitlist, contact referrals coming in and liaise with counselling team to allocate initial assessments and first appointments
• Hold day to day responsibility for child and adult protection concerns within the service with support from Operations Manager
• Support counsellors in their work with client via line management supervision and regular check ins
• Provide in-person support for placement counsellors at both counselling venues when required
• Recruit senior counsellors when required, and placement counsellors on an ongoing annual cycle
• Provide comprehensive training and induction for all new counsellors
• Review counselling policies and procedures, ensuring child and adult protection procedures are followed and service remain in line with COSCA standards
• Oversee the use of Bacpac (client management software) by all counsellors
• Collate statistics from Bacpac and other client feedback routes to report against KPIs
• Liaise with other referral organisations and other agencies to build up partnerships
• Promote the counselling service through awareness campaigns and creation of resources for referrers and key audiences
• Ensure counselling premises are suitable for the needs of the service and maintain relationships with in-person space providers
• Contribute to the operational and strategic development of the counselling service
• Work as a team with all the staff, contributing to team meetings and discussions
• Provide regular reports to Board, liaise with fundraiser and Board members as required
• Liaise with Operations Manager and Baby Bank Development Workers to respond to the needs of the charity
• Oversee PVG applications for the service

Person Specification

Required:

• Fully qualified counsellor with a minimum of 200 hours of client work
• Full membership to COSCA or BACP or other recognised governing body
• Willingness to work to COSCA Statement of Ethics and Code of Practice
• Current PVG membership or willingness to join the PVG scheme
• Experience in
  • Handling child and adult protection concerns and disclosures
  • Providing online and in person counselling
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills
• A proactive and positive approach to problem-solving
• Ability to work effectively, both independently and as part of a team
• Flexibility regarding specific hours worked, and attitude to activities undertaken
• A passion to support others experiencing difficulties in their lives

Preferred:

• Experience of line management supervision, preferably in a counselling context
• Clinical supervisor qualification
• Counselling experience and / or knowledge of pregnancy and early parenting-related issues