An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the staff in the Church of Scotland Guild as part of a team supporting a national movement. This role will work to support the strategic communication of the Guild to its membership and will provide invaluable resources and training that will support office bearers as they run the Guild locally.

As well as being familiar and comfortable with the values and work of the Guild and Church of Scotland, it is essential that you are creative and have excellent presentation and communication skills. This role will be based within Edinburgh, however travel throughout Scotland may be required.

he Simon Community is Scotland's leading homeless charity. We are creative and innovative. We get things done with care and compassion that make a difference to our community, being true to our values. We are a community of staff, volunteers and the people that we support.

We are looking for someone who is passionate about changing expectations and experiences of people we support, many of whom have experienced significant trauma, exclusion and stigma. They often engage in risk taking behaviours that put their physical and mental health, and their lives at risk. Despite the challenges they face they have incredible resilience, survival skills and a wicked sense of humour. They know what a good, and not so good service looks like.

As part of our Hub team in Edinburgh you'll be working with people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness in an awesome environment alongside our partner agencies.

We work to support people in securing accommodation and to live well.

This support can include housing advice, applying for benefits, accessing health care - or veterinary care for their pets! - whilst being compassionate, sharing a laugh and sometimes a cuppa too!

About Simon Community Scotland

People are at the heart of who we are and what we do. We tailor our support to what people need. We offer consistent and informed support so that people can exploreoptions and take ‘the next step’ towards a positive future. We welcome people with a wide range of skills and experiences to our team – including those who have lived through homelessness. To make a difference we need to work flexibly, with everyday-leadership, humour and a ‘can do’ attitude. We want to make it easy, make it right, and make it happen.

The Simon Community is Scotland's leading homeless charity. We are creative and innovative. We get things done with care and compassion that make a difference to our community, being true to our values. We form a community; of staff, volunteers and the people that we support.

Job Summary

Simon Community Scotland is working collaboratively with the University of Edinburgh to recruit 400 people from sites across Scotland to the Phoenix for severe and multiple disadvantage study. You will be working in various sites across Edinburgh to support the research team and the people we support that are participating in the study.

We are looking for someone with a non-judgemental approach that will be embedded in one of our new exciting projects: Beggars and Choices or Creating Safer Communities. These projects engage with people who are homeless, roofless or street begging across the city. The work will take place wherever people are at; on the streets, in services or community settings as required.

Job Purpose

• Support people rough sleeping, begging and or engaged in harmful street lifestyles to access the services and support they need
• Offer assertive outreach to people facing homelessness and rooflessness
• Offer trauma informed care offering a holistic healthcare model
• Bring services to people that are unable to engage in building based services
• Identify eligible participants to the study and liaise with the research team regarding this
• Conduct face-to-face interviews with participants supporting the research team
• Reduce barriers for people that are facing multiple marginalisation through offering a person centred, trauma informed relational model of care

Are you passionate about supporting young people – especially those who have experiences of care or need extra help to make the transition to adulthood, parenthood, employment and education?

Dean and Cauvin Young People’s Trust is one of Scotland’s oldest charities – working in Edinburgh since 1733. Today, we exist to be a place of hope for vulnerable and care experienced children, young people and families in Edinburgh and the Lothians and we do this via our interconnected services which include:

• 2 residential houses for young people aged 15-21 and young mums and babies

• Our Community and Transition team which delivers support to young people and families in the community

• Our Wellbeing Hub and outings, breaks and activities

• Room 4U our teenage fostering service.

We have been working hard in the last few years to redesign our services to best meet the recommendations of The Promise. We are now looking for new trustees to join us on the next stage of our development as we seek to deliver high-quality care and support with the voices of young people at the heart of all we do.

Join us

This is an incredible opportunity to make a difference with young people and build your skills alongside our other trustees. Our Board will always contain those with experience in key areas of work with young people including social work, education and fostering as well as finance and organisational governance. As a part of our origins, we also have representatives from:

• The Sheriff Principal of the Lothians and Borders

• The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

• The Royal High School of Edinburgh

• The Presbytery of Edinburgh of the Church of Scotland

• The Councillors of the City of Edinburgh Council

• The Faculty of Advocates

Skills and experience

It is important that we continue to build and diversify our board to ensure we have a range of voices and experiences represented to help us reflect and understand the needs of young people in Edinburgh today.

We are recruiting for Trustees in the following areas:

• Leadership roles in children and families and child-protection focused services (i.e. social work, residential care, family support)

• Charitable / third sector – delivery and governance

• Fundraising and income generation

• Those with lived experiences of care/care-experienced

• Those from ethnically diverse and ethnic minority groups

• Young people aged 18-26

No previous board experience is necessary as full support and training will be provided.

What we do need is someone who is committed to our values and has an understanding of the current issues affecting young people, of high-quality practice approaches as well as the opportunities and challenges of the third sector.

The most important attributes of trustees joining us include:

• A willingness to ask questions

• A shared belief in our values, aims and objectives

• Energy to be an active and engaged trustee

• Desire to be a champion for young people and our organisation

Your responsibilities

Being a trustee requires a time commitment to the role. Duties/tasks include:

• Attend 4 board meetings a year (quarterly)

• Take part in our annual Development session with staff and/or trustees

There are additional opportunities to attend and contribute to our Finance sub-group and/or Care & Support sub-group. These meet 4 times per year (1-2 weeks before a Board meeting).

If this sounds like an opportunity you can bring your time, skills and passion to – we would love to hear from you.