Could you make a difference for members of the LGBT+ community in Edinburgh and beyond?

The Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive has grown out of Scotland’s first LGBT+ bookshops, Lavender Menace (1982-87) and West & Wilde (1987-97). They sold what we now call queer books – by, about or for LGBT+ people – at a time mainstream bookshops would not stock them. The bookshops also provided openly queer meeting places, where LGBT+ people were able to connect and felt affirmed and welcomed.

Bob Orr and Sigrid Nielsen, the owners of the original Lavender Menace Bookshop, in 2019 founded the Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive to keep this valuable LGBT+ book heritage alive and share it with the community. Through its amazing collection of books, the archive tells the story of queer people’s resistance, and the rise of what is now known as ‘queer pride’. These books told the stories of queer lives; they were written honestly and positively for the first time, and they changed lives.

This post represents a unique opportunity to work with Edinburgh’s Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive to develop an Oral History Project (OHP). The OHP will explore the impact and legacy of the Lavender Menace and West & Wilde Bookshops (1982-97), and more generally community experiences of reading LGBT+ books and magazines, and ways reading – now and in the past – has impacted on their identity. Stories and interpretation will be shared online as well as through a programme of events and a temporary exhibition.

The Oral History Project’s key activities are:

• Recruiting, supporting, training and coordinating volunteers to become involved in the OHP.
• Identifying OHP interview participants and devise ways to capture the individual and collective voices and stories of LGBT+ community members.
• Working with partners and stakeholders in the development and delivery of the project.
• Acting as the main point of contact for the volunteers and interviewees, to arrange and set up interviews, liaise with volunteers and interviewees.
• Ensuring policies, systems and processes are in place to collect, store and use all audio and visual material collected.
• Promoting the OHP and its programme of events, creating materials for use on social media, website and in the temporary exhibition, and ensuring the Archive’s profile is raised through these activities.

These activities build on the existing programme of events and projects under the responsibility of the Community Project Coordinator with the team of volunteers. The post holder will thus be able to tap into their experience, contacts and knowledge in taking this work forward.

Employee benefits package

• 35 days of leave (pro-rata including public holidays)
• Enhanced pension scheme
• Flexible working options
• Training and development opportunities

Your mission (if you choose to accept it): join our small but mighty team in a key role as Creative Writing Workshop Facilitator!

Part time, Edinburgh based, you’ll manage our creative writing workshops and interdisciplinary activities. Your dynamism and creativity will increase our impact in the classroom and your communication skills will positively change the lives of all involved.

You also get to wear a cape! A true superhero!

The Super Power Agency (SPA) is a non-profit organisation that seeks to improve the lives and literacy rates of young people from some of Scotland’s most under-resourced areas. Through creative writing workshops, interdisciplinary activities, and individual mentoring, we work with young people aged 8–18 in schools and community organisations. Our creative writing programmes culminate in the publication of a book of the young people’s writing which is shared with their school, families and community.

Our programmes are free to all young people and serviced predominately by volunteers drawn from the communities we work in and serve.

The work of the SPA is based on that of 826 National (826national.org), an educational charity started in San Francisco, California in 2002. The programmes run by 826 National have now been replicated in 9 US cities as well as internationally in London, Dublin, Sydney, Melbourne, Paris, Buenos Aires and Milan. The SPA is proud to be part of this international network that supports the confidence and creativity of young people across the world.

Writing Facilitator Role Description

It is an exciting time to join the Super Power Agency as we work towards our goal to expand across Scotland and serve 3,000 young people each year by 2026. The Writing Facilitator would work closely with the wider SPA team, including our volunteers, as well as teachers, schools and other partners across Scotland. Reporting directly to the Programme Manager, the Writing Facilitator will deliver the in-school element of our writing workshops and programmes.

Our school and community programmes run for 8 or 10 weeks, with school groups participating in one workshop per week. The Writing Facilitator will deliver a suite of different workshops across Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. These sessions vary from creative writing, poetry, and playwriting. The hours will be primarily during the week and during school hours. The Writing Facilitator will also work closely with our SPA volunteers, who support the young people during the in-school workshops.

As well as leading on the delivery of the workshops, the Writing Facilitator will have the opportunity to work with the Programme Manager and wider SPA team to review and shape workshop content. They will also assist the SPA team with final publication of the young people’s work if necessary.

The Writing Facilitator will maintain organisational policies and procedures throughout and promote the organisation and its programmatic accomplishments.

The part time role is to be carried out across Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday between our core hours of 9:30am and 3pm. Workshop delivery is across primary and secondary schools throughout Edinburgh.

A full Job Description and Person Specification is available for download below.

Street Soccer is a charity using football to create lasting change in the lives of isolated and excluded adults and young people. We run 60 sessions a week of free, inclusive and judgement-free football. These sessions provide person-centred support to players facing a number of challenges including mental health, homelessness, long term unemployment, problem substance use, criminal justice and seeking asylum. Our mission is to create hope and opportunity for all.

We support thousands of players a year on their journey to positive change by providing a safe space, trusting relationships and a sense of belonging. We fight isolation and exclusion by bringing people together, building confidence and creating supportive communities. We support people of all ages and backgrounds through relationship-based support, focusing on trust and personal development, supporting everyone to set and achieve their own goals. Thanks to the support of Street Soccer, 82% of players say that their quality of life has improved.

Lived experience is at the heart of what we do, with over 80% of our staff having lived experience of the challenges our players face.

97% of players think that Street Soccer is a unique organisation. With 15 years of experience delivering positive change through football, we are now working in more communities than ever, with city hubs in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen and South London, as well as a network of sessions across 6 other local authorities.

Role Purpose

In 2020, Street Soccer developed ‘The Network Programme’ to expand our services out of our four main city hubs to serve the local communities and socially disadvantaged groups across Scotland. The Network Programme has quickly expanded and now operates in 7 different local authorities across the country. Having already supported 500 people in these areas.

As we continue to expand, we would like to grow to offer Street Soccer Sessions to the communities of West Dumbartonshire as well as providing opportunities for people to engage in SCQF qualifications, tournaments and events including The Homeless World Cup.

The Programme Co-Ordinator will be responsible for developing the Network Programme within West Dumbartonshire. Responsible for sourcing and managing suitable venues for sessions to take place. They will recruit and work with partners to ensure players get the right level of support across a variety of issues. They will grow the number of players attending sessions by promoting these across the community in a variety of ways.

An enthusiastic person, the Programme Co-Ordinator will be able to build relationships with a series of communities across West Dumbartonshire. They will also work with the Fundraising Team to establish local opportunities for sponsorship and other support.

We are particularly interested in applications from those with the same lived experience as our players, further information about our Safer Recruitment process can be found within section 8 of our Safeguarding Policy.

Street Soccer value work life balance and are happy to discuss part time hours, job share and flexible working.

Reports to: Network Programme Manager

NYOS nurtures and celebrates outstanding classical youth music-making, with a vision of all Scotland’s communities sharing in its social, personal, and cultural benefits. Through our three programme strands - NYOS Foundations, NYOS Orchestras and NYOS Futures – we offer accessible, co-created projects, world-class orchestral training, and performances, and unique career development opportunities. Our work is delivered by internationally renowned artists and exceptional tutors. Creativity, ambition, belonging, and joy are fundamental to all we do.

The Administration Officer role is designed to enable NYOS to operate efficiently. The post-holder will report directly to the Head of Finance and Administration and will work closely with them to provide administrative support across NYOS departments as well as providing admin support to the Chief Executive.

Job Challenge

To develop and implement key new systems while maintaining and supporting ongoing operations.

A full Job Description is available for download below.