North Glasgow Integration Network SCIO (NGIN) is currently seeking new Board Members. NGIN is governed by a voluntary Board of Trustees, who guide and oversee our organisation. Our board is made up of people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, with an interest in supporting asylum seekers & refugees and all New Scots in Glasgow,

The main aim of NGIN is to support asylum seekers and refugees who are accommodated in North/North East Glasgow communities. Led by the needs and interests of people accessing the service, NGIN connects people with services that will support them and hosts and promotes tailored events and opportunities. The charity works with people on an individual and group basis to help them to feel safe, develop the confidence to integrate with the host community and to have an improved quality of life.

Our Board wishes to expand its skills base and welcomes individuals with relevant financial, community and business experience, aligned with a belief in social justice and financial inclusion. We are looking to attract individuals with skills and experience ranging from social media, human resources, community learning & development, finance/fundraising, marketing and, most importantly, an interest in the wellbeing of New Scots. Given our aims and commitment to diversity, we encourage applications from all genders, the BAME community and people with additional support needs.

The position of trustee is a voluntary position but travel expenses and other reasonable expenses accrued when carrying out the role will be paid.

Time Commitment

We ask board member candidates for a minimum commitment of attending 1 meeting every quarter, held online or in person, with email contact on matters arising between meetings. Alongside this, additional requests may be made for support with board activities such as recruitment of staff on an occasional basis.

North Glasgow Integration Network SCIO (NGIN) is currently seeking a new Treasurer. NGIN is governed by a voluntary Board of Trustees, who guide and oversee our organisation. Our board is made up of people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, with an interest in supporting asylum seekers & refugees and all New Scots in Glasgow,

The main aim of NGIN is to support asylum seekers and refugees who are accommodated in North/North East Glasgow communities. Led by the needs and interests of people accessing the service, NGIN connects people with services that will support them and hosts and promotes tailored events and opportunities. The charity works with people on an individual and group basis to help them to feel safe, develop the confidence to integrate with the host community and to have an improved quality of life.

The treasurer would work closely with the lead worker to provide regular financial updates for the board, prepare annual accounts and budget forecasts and support the aims of the organisation through effective financial management of the funds received through grant awards and donations.

We are looking for an individual with an interest or experience in accounts and finances. We would also welcome skills in other areas relevant to the wider work of the board in steering the organisation such as social media, human resources, community learning & development, finance/fundraising or marketing. We are looking for candidates with a belief in social justice and financial inclusion and an interest in the wellbeing of New Scots. Given our aims and commitment to diversity, we encourage applications from all genders, the BAME community and people with additional support needs.

The position of treasurer is a voluntary position but travel expenses and other reasonable expenses accrued when carrying out the role will be paid.

Time Commitment

For the role of treasurer we ask for availability to attend online meetings with the lead worker once a month to effectively support the financial management of NGIN. As with all board members we are also seeking commitment to attend 1 board meeting per quarter, held online or in person, with email contact on matters arising between meetings. Alongside this, additional requests may be made for support with board activities such as recruitment of staff on an occasional basis.

ABOUT EAST LOTHIAN COMMUNITY RAIL PARTNERSHIP

Community Rail Partnerships (CRP) were first established in England in the 1990s as a formal mechanism to reinvigorate local and rural railways. CRP status provides a framework for community involvement in strategic planning, development and operation of a specific railway line.

Since 2014, the East Lothian Community Rail Partnership has been pulling together a wide range of local organisations with an interest in communities and sustainable transport, to fix the link between railway stations, town centres and the surrounding areas, and realise an integrated transport network accessible to all. We work with four train operators (ScotRail, LNER, TransPennine Express, and Cross Country), Transport Scotland, East Lothian Council, the Regional Transport Partnership (SEStran), local businesses and community groups towards the following aims:

• Supporting the local economy by promoting rail use and rail facilities
• Actively promoting the use of rail and other public and low carbon-emitting transport
• Supporting safety, security and access initiatives relating to railway use
• Working with ‘station adopters’ (individuals and groups) to provide a more pleasant environment within the station areas.

ABOUT THE VACANCY

Harry Barker has been chairing East Lothian CRP since its inception in 2014 and is now preparing to pass on the reins of a well-established and respected organisation. In addition the time is right to expand the Board and also appoint a vice chair. Examples of projects completed to date include:

• restored the murals at Prestonpans Station (best community project 2023)
• improved signage to stations
• provided information boards for display in stations promoting local attractions and historical information
• supported many local events in the North Berwick and Dunbar areas
• producing a line guide and leaflets to encourage tourism
• working with bus operators to improve integration between bus and rail

Projects have always been dependent on external funding which to date has not proved problematical, and, as such, the incoming Chair will have the flexibility to pursue their own agenda. The CRP is financially sound and new ways of operating are being explored by The Community Rail Network and the new Chair will be well placed to provide input to these.

East Lothian CRP has no paid staff, and projects are led by volunteers under direction from the Board, and therefore the amount of work involved can vary but can be expected to be around 10 hours per month for the Chair.

DUTIES OF THE CHAIR

Responsibilities include:

• Ensuring that the CRP is run in accordance with the constitution
• Guiding and encouraging projects that will be undertaken from time to time
• Ensuring that the Action Plan is kept up to date
• Chairing four meetings per year, including the AGM (normally held in November)
• Producing an annual report for the AGM
• Ensuring that the activities of the CRP are within the guidelines produced by the Train Operating Companies in all respects particularly including safely

BENEFITS

You will receive a ‘staff’ rail pass from ScotRail permitting free rail travel throughout Scotland when travelling on ScotRail trains.

Reasonable expenses will be paid if required to travel on other rail services and/or stay overnight.

REQUIREMENTS

The successful applicant will be expected to support public transport in general, with a keen interest in integration between modes such as buses, active travel and rail.

A willingness of Board members to attend committees and conferences is essential (expenses will be covered) and these will give valuable access to professional railway staff and management on the front line, where your views can be heard. These include:

• the local ‘Rail Forum’ involving MSPs, Councillors and Train Operating Companies - twice a year, usually virtually
• in-person or virtual annual conferences of the four local Train Operating Companies (ScotRail, Cross Country Trains, TransPennine Express, and LNER) which may be held anywhere in the UK
• An annual event in Scotland sponsored by Modern Railways magazine which is attended by many high profile railway managers and senior representation from Transport Scotland
• Virtual attendance (via Zoom) at the national Community Rail Network meetings
• In-person Community Rail Networks Awards ceremony, if the CRP is short listed for an Award – this year’s was in Swansea over three days
• Six Community Area Partnership ‘On the Move’ groups consider local transport in East Lothian – CRP representation on one or more of these groups is important for a full appreciation of issues surrounding each station. Each On the Move Group meets every two months

A knowledge of railways and their workings is desirable but not essential.

Living in East Lothian and using the county’s rail services from time to time would be advantageous.

You will be expected to liaise with the station adoption groups from time to time. They have a separate relationship with ScotRail.

You will be expected to be pro-active in instructing the website to be kept up to date via the CRP’s appointed webmaster, and in responding to public enquiries which come via the website. You will not be required to answer complaints from the travelling public but direct these to ScotRail for attention.

From time to time it may be necessary to communicate with the local Press (East Lothian Courier and occasionally Edinburgh Evening News).

Overall purpose

As our Financial Accountant you will ensure accounting standards are adhered to and compliance matters met. You’ll drive forward the controls framework to ensure good financial management across the organisation and that standards are adhered to. You’ll own the finance manual and ensure it is complete and up to date.

To view the full job description and person specification, as well as details on our accessible recruitment process, please view the attached recruitment pack.

Other considerations

• As part of our safeguarding commitment to our clients, we carry out pre-employment checks to ensure that successful applicants are suitable to work with adults at risk. These include basic DBS checks for some roles, obtaining references and verifying a candidate’s identity and right to work in the UK.
• We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity status, race, religion or belief.
• This role is suitable for part-qualified candidates.