Home-Start West Lothian is looking to appoint a Chair to the Board of Trustees

Location: West Lothian (meetings held in person and/or virtually)

Time Commitment: Approximately 4 to 6 hours per month with Board meetings held every 8 - 10 weeks.

Salary: Voluntary (expenses reimbursed)

About Home-Start West Lothian: Home-Start West Lothian, a member of the Home-Start Federation, is a well-established local charity for 25 years providing compassionate, practical support to families with young children across the region. We believe that all children deserve a happy and secure childhood, and that parents play a key role in giving their children the best possible start in life. We aim to make a lasting and positive impact on the development of children and the health and wellbeing of the family. We do this by empowering parents, promoting resilience and confidence through friendship, guidance, and tailored assistance. We support hundreds of families each year with a team of nine staff and twenty-five volunteers.

The Role: We are seeking an experienced, passionate, and dedicated individual to take on the voluntary role of Chair of the Board of Trustees. This pivotal position ensures strong leadership and strategic oversight, working collaboratively with fellow trustees and the senior management team to shape the charity’s future.

Building on our successes to date, we want a new Chair to lead us through the next exciting phase of our journey. You will have a strong background and track record of providing leadership at board and/or senior executive level and will have a passion for supporting the early years in life for a better future. You should have the judgement and vision to operate effectively at strategic level and you should demonstrate the skills and expertise to help drive our mission forward.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership to the Board, ensuring it fulfils its responsibilities for governance and strategic direction.
• Support and guide the CEO to achieve the charity’s aims and objectives.
• Oversee the implementation of policies and ensure compliance with relevant legal and regulatory frameworks.
• Act as an ambassador for Home-Start West Lothian, fostering relationships with key stakeholders and promoting the charity's work.
• Ensure the Board operates efficiently, encouraging engagement and diversity of thought among trustees.
• Lead the Board in ensuring the charity’s financial stability and long-term sustainability.
• Represent Home-Start West Lothian at external events and within the local community.
• Bring impartiality and objective to decision making.
• Chair Board meetings and the AGM.

Skills and Experience:

• Proven leadership or management experience, ideally at Board level (charity sector experience desirable but not essential).
• Strategic thinker with the ability to support and challenge the team constructively.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• A passion for supporting families and an understanding of the challenges they face.

What We Offer:

• An opportunity to make a tangible difference to families across West Lothian.
• A chance to lead and influence a respected local charity.
• Supportive and collaborative Board environment.
• Induction, training, and ongoing support.
• Reimbursement of reasonable expenses.

Would you like to make a difference?

Children First is Scotland’s National Children’s Charity.

Our vision is that all children in Scotland grow up safe and well in strong, resilient families and communities and we work tirelessly to make sure that happens. By getting alongside children and their families to offer practical, emotional and financial help we uphold the rights of children to be raised in their own families. The children we support have to overcome many challenges; poverty, isolation, trauma, violence and abuse but we know that with the right support they can recover and live safe and happy lives. We are proud of the way we do things at Children First, we put respect, compassion and relationships at the heart of everything we do and we believe that with the best people delivering the best quality support, amazing transformation can take place.

Our Board of Trustees is committed to this vision and values, and Trustees bring their wide range of skills, knowledge, expertise, objectivity, insight and strategic thought to the table. They involve themselves in our work and steer our organisation forward, working closely with the Chief Executive and executive leadership team of the Charity.

We are currently looking for a new Board Trustee with a legal background who will take on the role of Law Agent as required by Children First’s Royal Charter. This is an exciting and rewarding opportunity for an enthusiastic and dynamic individual. You will have the opportunity to use and develop your legal skills and experience to support children and families across Scotland.

The Position

You will join the Board of around 10 other trustees and will be expected to attend and participate up to 5 Board meetings a year as well as an annual Strategy Day. You will also be expected to sit on one subcommittee of the Board and attend meetings of that subcommittee 3 to 4 times a year. The Law Agent will be appointed for an initial term of 3 years, and is eligible to seek nomination to serve a further 3 year term.

Board Trustees are asked to contribute actively to the Board by providing strategic guidance, setting objectives and goals, evaluating performance and providing challenge and support. You will also be an ambassador for the Charity and are expected to respect, promote and protect the culture and values of the Charity.

All Trustees are expected to have a good understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of the position of a Trustee on a Board.

As Law Agent you will ensure that the Charity complies with it’s governing document and wider legal responsibilities and you will use your legal experience and knowledge to help inform decision making and to support strategic planning at Board meetings. You will be able to apply legal principles to managing risk and ensuring that the policies and processes of the Charity are in line with best legal practice. You will have the ability to identify when the Charity should seek external legal advice.

The formal appointment to the Board will become effective from the date of the Charity’s AGM in September 2025. There will, however, be opportunity to attend Board meetings as an observer before then. New Trustees will participate in an induction process and will be supported in spending time getting to know the organisation.

The Candidate

We are looking for a committed and enthusiastic qualified lawyer to join our Board. Whilst it would be beneficial, you do not need to have specifically worked in the area of child or family law but a keen interest and passion in protecting children’s rights is essential, as well as a commitment to the values of Children First. An understanding of good governance is also required.

You must be able to demonstrate sound, independent judgement and have an ability to be open minded and work collectively. You must have an ability to challenge constructively where required and be able to critically assess and analyse complex issues. Good listening and communication skills are essential.

Children First is committed to being an inclusive and diverse organisation that is representative of the families and communities it supports. The Board supports this commitment and seeks to enhance its diversity from the perspective of ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender and disability. We believe that the more diverse and inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

We welcome and encourage applications from all interested parties who believe they can help make a difference.

The position is voluntary, however reasonable travel expenses are reimbursed.

Home-Start Glasgow North and North Lanarkshire is a vibrant community charity making a big impact on families with young children (under 5) in the local area. Our trained volunteers and staff help families through challenging times. In Scotland, over 1,500 volunteers support over 3,500 families and 6,500 children each year through compassionate, confidential help to parents when they need us most.

The parents we support are often overwhelmed and isolated. They may be struggling with mental health, illness, disability, multiple birth, poverty, domestic abuse, separation or trauma. We provide both 1:1 and group support to families, helping them to cope with the stresses and strains of life and make sure they have the skills, confidence and strength they need to nurture their children.

We are now looking to welcome a new Administrator to our Glasgow North team.

Do you have what we’re looking for?

• Highly organised and experienced administrator
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office packages
• High attention to detail and accuracy
• A positive team player with the ability to work using your own initiative
• Valid UK driving licence and own car essential

The post is initially funded for one year, with the possibility of extension subject to the availability of additional funding.

Home-Start Glasgow North and North Lanarkshire is a growing, vibrant community charity making a big impact on families in the local area. Our trained volunteers and staff help families with young children through challenging times. In Scotland, over 1500 volunteers support over 3500 families and nearly 6500 children each year through compassionate, confidential help to parents when they need us most.

The parents we support are often overwhelmed and isolated. They may be struggling with mental health, illness, disability, multiple birth, poverty, domestic abuse, separation, or trauma. We provide both 1:1 and group support to families in the community and online.

We are now looking to welcome a new Family Support Coordinator to our North Glasgow team who are based in our Glasgow office, Netherton Community Centre, G13 1AX, though there will be travel across all of North Glasgow.

Hybrid working arrangements in place.

The role is initially funded for one year but is expected to continue beyond this, subject to the availability of funding.

Key responsibilities:

• An understanding of the needs of children and families
• Relevant experience of working alongside families, preferably in the voluntary sector
• Good working knowledge of child protection and child development
• Experience of developing and delivering training
• The ability to supervise and support a caseload of families and volunteers
• Good IT skills
• Valid UK driving licence and own car required

This role is subject to PVG checks.