Lesmahagow Development Trust is based at the Fountain Community Centre in Lesmahagow. Our organisation is first and foremost community-led, with the community at the heart of everything we do. We are a forward thinking, creative and diverse organisation that has an ambitious and exciting future ahead with a dedicated and committed team of staff, volunteers and Board.

We are looking to add to our staff team as we move forward to the next phase of our development. These newly created positions will be a core part of our organisations vision to increase the opportunities and support services for local people.

Funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, we’re looking for a talented, experienced Community Development worker to join LDT and support our Community to develop in ways that are meaningful to them. The role will support the planning and development of community support across LDT activity including our Allotments growing/ greenspace skills programme, as well as volunteering opportunities, and wider events in delivering the Local place plan with our partners.

This role provides an excellent opportunity to develop activities that respond to local needs in conjunction with the views of our local community members. A key part of this role will be to develop genuine relationships within our communities and create opportunities for individuals to develop their knowledge and skills. By empowering them to take positive steps which will benefit their own health and wellbeing and that of the wider community.

This is a unique opportunity for someone who’s passionate about changing the outcomes for young people and ensuring they are at the centre of our work.

This is an entirely new and exciting project initiative with the potential for the right candidate to work with our team here at Fauldhouse and Breich Valley Community Development Trust to create an innovative Youth Pathway Project.

You will work with, and be fully supported by, our development team, our communications coordinator, our administration and finance support, our experienced management team, and our Board of Trustees.

We would like you to help us to develop our ambitious intentions to create a Youth Pathway Project and ensure young people are at the heart of this initiative, its design and its implementation.

We would like you to help us further develop our cross-sector partnerships and set up a working group. A wide range of partners have already been consulted and fully support the Youth Pathway Project proposal. We want to ensure that we engage with young people to enable them to participate and to have meaningful input into the Youth Pathway Project Planning Process.

With the support of your manager, the board of trustees and relevant partners, we would like you to take a lead role in the construction of a working plan, a document that highlights the aims and objectives of the Youth Pathway Project and how these aims and objectives can/will be achieved.

The Youth Pathway Project will aim to not only help young people with training, skills development and employment opportunities, but to help with confidence building, physical and mental health and wellbeing, life skills, social interaction and more. The “document/plan” will outline how we could address a wide range of issues, needs, concerns and aspirations.

The Youth Pathway would offer young people, who are excluded, disadvantaged, marginalised, who have complex needs and issues a wide range of opportunities.

If you feel you are the forward thinking, enthusiastic, self-motivated person required to help us achieve these goals we would love to hear from you.

If you would like to discuss the post further, or you would like to know more about the Youth Pathway Project initiative, please feel free to contact me for further details,

Julie Smith

Telephone: 01501 773 699

Email: info@fauldhouse.org.uk

Background information

Do you want to help alleviate poverty and improve the lives of families and children?

Within the UK there is over £22bn a year in unclaimed welfare benefits, and in Edinburgh it is estimated that 1 in 4 children are living in poverty. Are you understanding of people’s journeys and the challenges they face in their lives, and how poverty can have an impact on this?

This is an exciting opportunity to join our Growing Families project and help deliver a quality advice service to families with young children in Edinburgh. Working alongside the project’s current advice team and working in partnership with Health Visitors in Edinburgh, this post will support and develop this service. The Advice Worker will provide income maximisation; housing and debt advice as well budgeting support to expecting families and families with babies and young children who are supported by their Health Visitors. Comprehensive and continuous advice training is provided by CHAI to support this rewarding role.

The Advisor will be part of our wider CHAI ‘Advice For Families’ Team and will benefit from our comprehensive training programme, peer expertise, team support and ethos of continuous learning and development which is at the heart of our service delivery.

Are you?:

• Passionate and committed to making a meaningful difference for families and children.
• Able to quickly learn complex rules and legislation on Welfare Benefits, Debt and Housing.
• Able to grow trusting relationships in a formal setting.
• Understanding of people’s journeys and the challenges they have had in their lives, and how poverty can have an impact on them.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Do you want to help alleviate poverty and improve the lives of families and children?

Within the UK there is over £22bn a year in unclaimed welfare benefits, and in Edinburgh it is estimated that 1 in 4 children are living in poverty. Are you understanding of people’s journeys and the challenges they face in their lives, and how poverty can have an impact on this?

This is an exciting opportunity for an Advice Worker to join our ‘Advice In Schools’ team.

The project provides a high-quality advice service to families in Edinburgh who are impacted by low income and the effects of living in poverty. Working in partnership with all stakeholders including parents, schools and other statutory and third sector agencies, the project takes a whole family and trauma-informed approach to helping parents who may face multiple barriers to moving out of poverty. The Advice Worker will help families by maximising income, providing support to claim benefits as well as offering housing and debt advice. Continuous training is provided and the adviser is expected to contribute to the continued development of this successful service.

The Advisor will be part of our wider CHAI ‘Advice For Families’ Team and will benefit from our comprehensive training programme, peer expertise, team support and ethos of continuous learning and development which is at the heart of our service delivery.

Are you?:

• Passionate and committed to making a meaningful difference for families and children.
• Able to quickly learn complex rules and legislation on Welfare Benefits, Debt and Housing.
• Able to grow trusting relationships in a formal setting.
• Understanding of people’s journeys and the challenges they have had in their lives, and how poverty can have an impact on them.