Murray’s Initiative (formally known as Glasgow Council on Alcohol) is an independent Scottish charity that works to reduce alcohol and drug-related harm at both individual and community levels. Established in 1965, Murray’s Initiative adopts a long-term, trauma-informed and asset-based approach to changing the culture around substance use. Its services are built on a person-centred, harm-reduction model, supporting people whether their goal is to reduce consumption or achieve abstinence.

Murray’s Initiative offers free, confidential counselling services for people concerned about their own or someone else's drinking. Murray’s Initiative delivers a range of interventions including groupwork and employability support as well as a number of holistic and inclusive services, such as a women’s service for survivors of gender-based violence, young persons peer education service, LGBTQ+ health and wellbeing support and tailored wellbeing programmes.

Murray’s Initiative is also a recognised provider of professional development, offering a comprehensive training portfolio including education aimed at increasing awareness of alcohol use and promoting healthier lifestyles, COSCA Counselling Skills and a Diploma in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy.

Murray’s Initiative deliver services over 6 days per week and throughout Glasgow, East Dunbartonshire and East Renfrewshire, helping people make meaningful, positive change in their lives.

The foundation of Murray’s Initiative is our supportive and inclusive culture for all who engage and work with us.

About the Role:

The role of the Counsellor is to provide a counselling, advice, and information service for individuals aged 16 and over to support their wellbeing and mental health.

The Counsellor will report to the Service Manager - Counselling.

This post requires a Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme membership for children and protected adults. Successful applicants will be required to join the PVG Scheme.

Key Responsibilities of the Counsellor:

• Provide counselling service to individuals following Murray’s Initiative’s integrative counselling approach.
• Conduct comprehensive assessments to gain a deep, holistic understanding of a client's current circumstances.
• Ensure all paperwork is completed accurately and professionally and work with the admin team to ensure that the counselling database and reports are kept accurate and up to date.
• Attend regular practice supervision and line management meetings, and participate in appropriate meetings and training opportunities, ensuring the minimum required CPD is completed.
• Complete all mandatory training as required.
• Adhere to the ethical frameworks of the appropriate governing body (COSCA).
• Follow organisational policies and procedures, including health and safety.
• Produce accurate and quality case studies of counselling clients for reports and training.
• Contribute to service promotion by attending partner meetings in a professional manner.
• Undertake any other duties as required by the Service Manager – Counselling.

Qualifications and Experience :

• Obtained a diploma-level qualification in counselling.
• Completed a minimum of 100 hours of post-qualification client work.
• Awareness and training in an array of mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, bereavement and neurodiversity.
• Demonstratable experience of inter-agency working and working in community settings to be able to provide a high standard of support to clients alongside different services.
• Up to date, or working towards, registration with COSCA, BACP or similar.

Skills and Competencies:

• Demonstratable excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to empathise with a broad range of individuals and experiences.
• Proven ability to empower individuals to change with a non-judgmental approach.
• Ability to self-motivate and work proactively, managing own diaries and appointments, whilst maintaining resilience and capacity when working with complex client issues.
• Commitment to working in line with Murray’s Initiative values of respect, empathy and collaboration.
• Demonstrable alignment with the Core Conditions for a counsellor.

Working pattern: Ideal working pattern : Tuesdays & Wednesdays 9:00am – 5:00pm. We understand that many will have other commitments outside of work and so flexible working, part-time hours or job-sharing arrangements will be considered for the right candidate.

Why Join Us?

• Your work will contribute to make a real difference to people’s lives.
• Competitive salary and benefits package:
  • Very generous annual leave entitlement: full time employees start with an annual leave entitlement of 37 days (inclusive of 12 bank holidays) which increases with length of service.
  • Duvet days where employees may take time off at short notice.
  • Death in service policy.
  • Cycle to work scheme where employees can save money on a new bike and spread the cost.
  • And much more!
• Opportunities for continuous learning and career development.
• A supportive and inclusive work environment where your contributions are valued.

Do you want to work for a caring organisation that believes in people?

Do you want to make a difference?

As a Recovery Coordinator with Change Grow Live you’ll work with people who use our services, helping them get to where they want to be.

We are looking for an enthusiastic Recovery Coordinator to join our team focused on helping individuals mitigate the impact of alcohol and drug use.

In this role, you’ll be part of the West Lothian Recovery Service, based in Bathgate and across West Lothian, working alongside a supportive and dedicated group of professionals.

The team provides support to individuals affected by drug and/or alcohol use, Reducing Harm and Supporting Recovery.

Every person we work with has a unique story, so no two days are ever the same. We take a person-centred approach, which means being flexible, curious, and, above all, a good listener is essential.

Ideal candidates should have a strong understanding of addiction, excellent communication skills, and a compassionate approach to client care. If you're motivated to make a positive impact in people's lives, we invite you to apply.

Where:West Lothian

Hours: Part time, 22.5 per week

Full Time Salary: £27,861.26 - £32,002.35 * (pro rata for part time)

Full-time hours at Change Grow Live are 37.5 hours per week. For part-time roles, the salary and payments will be pro rata based on contracted hours.

Responsibilities

About the role:

• Supporting service users from point of entry into the service and through their treatment/recovery journey
• Providing screening, assessment, and recovery planning and onward referral
• Reducing drug and alcohol related harm to service users and the wider community
• Promoting carer, service user and community involvement
• Providing advocacy for access to partnership services
• Working with service users to support social (re)integration, enabling them to lead meaningful and purposeful lives: promoting recovery, resilience, peer support and self-determination
• Research, design and prepare subject matter and materials for groups / pods.
• Deliver structured content within group settings to service users at various stages of recovery
• Engage with debriefing and evaluations with co-facilitators after groups/pods have taken place, reviewing progress and identifying concerns with service users
• Tailor specific workshops around the needs of the service users, such as: anger management, sleep disorders, relationships, etc

About you:

• Have a strong understanding of substance misuse issues and experience of working within a similar field
• Experience of working with groups/pods and managing group dynamics, such as conflict or challenging behaviour.
• Be an excellent communicator, both verbal and written with good IT skills
• Proactive and able to work on own initiative with excellent time management and prioritising skills
• Have a good working knowledge of mental health interventions, services, and good practice
• Be a supportive team player with strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work in partnership with a wide range of professionals, agencies, and internal/external stakeholders
• Ability to manage change successfully in a way that prioritises the needs of service users
• Understand the importance of information governance processes and commit to follow and apply all necessary safeguards
• Seek out learning opportunities to improve and broaden your professional knowledge and skills and to contribute and oversee the learning and development of others

What we will give to you:

• 27 days of annual leave, plus most bank holidays(6). Additionally, you'll receive one extra day of annual leave for each year of service during your first five years, therefore you will enjoy 32 days of leave after five years with us.
• Paid ‘Wellness’ hour each week along with a ‘Wellness’ hub and Employee Assist Programme
• Contributory pension scheme
• Several benefits incl. discounts for shopping, cinema, holidays, etc.
• A friendly and supportive team
• Training, career development & progression opportunities
• Generous Refer-a-Friend Scheme

We are looking for a qualified counsellor, either accredited or working towards accreditation, to work within our existing counselling service, operational within Shettleston, Glasgow.

This role will have an emphasis on counselling young people to offer professional assistance aimed at improving mental health, wellbeing and personal development.

The post will involve primarily one-to-one therapeutic work with young people aged 10–25, from creative or play-based work with younger clients through to more adult-focused therapy with older young people, with openness to working with families where clinically appropriate.

Candidates will require experience of professional counselling, a demonstrable passion for working with people from a range of backgrounds and a personal drive to see young people thrive, flourish and overcome personal challenges.

The role is open to opportunities for flexible working in conversation with the UpStream Counselling & Families Manager, and is supported by external clinical supervision.

As Bethany is a Christian organisation this post carries an Occupational Requirement in line with Equality Act 2010. Applicants should have and be able to evidence an active Christian faith and commitment. Successful applicants for this post will require membership of the PVG scheme. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK as we are unable to offer visa sponsorship.

Since being granted our Royal Charter in 1599, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow has been improving health and healthcare for people around the world.

Today, we are a professional membership body providing education, assessment and development to more than 15,000 Fellows and Members at all stages of their careers. We are a UK organisation with a global membership.

Our estate in the heart of Glasgow city centre includes modern conferencing and events facilities, a rich and extensive heritage collection with museum status, a library and our multi-award winning events offering, 1599 at the Royal College.

Our purpose is built around delivering:

• Excellent education and outstanding member experience
• New standards through assessment and gold standard qualifications
• Transformative impact on the health and wellbeing of the wider world

Our vision: To build an influential global community that enables our Members to develop the skills, knowledge and influence to improve healthcare standards worldwide.

Our mission: We want to enable our Members to achieve their full potential as healthcare professionals and give them an influential voice in the world.

Our values: The College is not a building or a tradition, but a global community. In all that we do, we’re committed to putting our people first: Fellows and Members, those undertaking our education and assessment, colleagues and partners.

For us, how we work is as important as what we do, and we aim to live by our values. They embody the essence of the College motto, conjurat amice, meaning ‘together in friendship’. It’s an approach that is as relevant today as it was 425 years ago.

• Community Working together to support one another to succeed; listening to and engaging with partners and people, locally, nationally and globally, to achieve our core purpose.
• Integrity Valuing and learning from our heritage and commitment to excellence; never compromising on our core purpose, our standards and the quality of delivery.
• Innovation Proactively challenging current thinking with a forward-looking agile approach that meets the changing needs of our members and all those who interact with us.
• Inspiration Leading by example through open dialogue, teamwork and engagement to maximise our potential and affect change.
• Inclusivity Demonstrating care, kindness, civility, generosity and mutual respect through the way we welcome, work and interact with people.

The Role

Obesity Action Scotland, hosted by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, is seeking a Policy and Public Affairs Manager to support and coordinate the work of the Scottish Obesity Alliance.

Reporting to the Head of Obesity Action Scotland, the Policy and Public Affairs Manager will support the development and delivery of policy and public affairs activity to advance the Alliance’s priorities and influence policy that supports healthier environments across Scotland.

The role involves developing policy proposals, coordinating consultation responses and position statements, building relationships with key stakeholders, and identifying opportunities to influence policy and decision making.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development of policy proposals aligned with the priorities of the Scottish Obesity Alliance
• Identify opportunities to influence policy and decision making in Scotland
• Draft consultation responses, policy briefings and position statements in collaboration with Alliance members
• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders including policymakers, parliamentarians and partner organisations
• Support the coordination and development of the Scottish Obesity Alliance
• Monitor policy developments and support the delivery of advocacy and public affairs activity

About You

You will have experience working in policy, public affairs or advocacy and a strong understanding of the Scottish policy environment. You will be confident engaging with stakeholders and able to communicate complex policy issues clearly and effectively.

You will also demonstrate strong organisational and planning skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and work collaboratively with a wide range of partners.

The post holder will require the following:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent in relevant subject
• Demonstrating a strong understanding of public health policy, including the social and commercial determinants of health, food and nutrition.
• Experience of partnership working and effective relationship management
• Demonstrable understanding of policy making structures and processes in Scotland.
• Experience of public affairs work and engagement with politicians, Scottish Government officials and the parliamentary system (for example, writing responses to public consultations or serving on policy groups).
• Excellent oral and written communication skills including track record in the facilitation of discussions and delivering presentations.

Desirable

• Experience supporting an alliance/partnership/coalition
• Knowledge of wider public health policy areas
• Understanding of local planning structures
• Budget management
• Proof reading skills

Benefits include:

• 40 days holiday
• Hybrid working – at least 50% working in College, dependent on the needs of the business
• Pension Scheme – The College offers a contributory pension scheme with employee contributions ranging from 6% to 10%, based on the employee’s chosen contribution level
• Enhanced Sick Pay, Maternity, Paternity and Adoption pay
• Health and Wellbeing Benefit
• Cycle to Work Scheme

Successful candidates will have the requisite ability and experience to meet the specific requirements of the post.