Purpose of Post:

The post-holder will work within the East Dunbartonshire Befriending Service, providing social contact and inclusion through volunteers to vulnerable socially isolated adults 18+ who have been referred to the service and reside in East Dunbartonshire. This will be either telephone, one-to-one, or group methods of befriending. You will assist in supporting carefully recruited, selected and trained volunteer befrienders.

Outcomes of the Service:

East Dunbartonshire Befriending Service provides services to increase the social connectedness of its service-users; reduce the isolation and loneliness of its service-users, and ensure that its volunteers have access to high-quality volunteering.

The above post is based in Kirkintilloch but works across the whole of East Dunbartonshire. Travel across East Dunbartonshire and working out of the office will be required.

Suitability:

This role would suit an individual who seeks a work-life balance. Who values job satisfaction and the reward from helping people flourish, gain confidence and experience the joy befriending can give.

The Commission protects and promotes the human rights of people with mental illness, learning disabilities, dementia, and related conditions.

Our mission is to be a leading and independent voice in promoting a society where people with mental illness, learning disabilities, dementia and related conditions are treated fairly, have their rights respected, and have appropriate support to live the life of their choice.

People who work at the Commission play a vital role in promoting rights and welfare of some of Scotland’s most vulnerable people. It’s challenging and rewarding work that relies on excellent communication skills and the ability to work well as part of a team.

An opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and motivated individual to join our small Finance team. This role is part of a small Finance team that responds flexibly and efficiently to the growing demands of the Commission.

The post-holder will work closely with the existing Finance Officer and report to the be responsible for the Finance Manager. The role covers a full and varied range of Finance tasks, including management accounting, accounts payable, payroll, pensions, financial policies and procedures, procurement and external/internal audit activities.

We are looking for someone who brings:

• A formal Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) Qualification or equivalent
• Substantial practical experience in a Finance role with significant experience of management accounting, accounts payable and payroll.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Flexibility to support with a broad range of finance duties.

Make a real difference to people living with dementia and their families.

STAND is a Fife charity led by people with lived experience of dementia. We believe that life doesn’t stop with a diagnosis — people can continue to grow, connect and enjoy new experiences. Our Dementia Friendly Meeting Centre Spaces (DFMCS) offer friendship, peer support, meaningful activity and a warm welcome to anyone living with dementia and those who support them.

We’re looking for a compassionate, creative Facilitator to help run three of our weekly groups. Each group meets for two hours and offers a mix of social connection, conversation, shared learning and fun. You’ll help create a relaxed, supportive environment where people feel valued and included.

What you’ll do

• Welcome and support people living with dementia and their families
• Plan and deliver enjoyable, therapeutic activities
• Build relationships and encourage peer support
• Work alongside volunteers and other facilitators
• Help shape the development of our Meeting Centre Spaces

What we’re looking for

You don’t need to be a dementia specialist — we value empathy, good communication, reliability and a genuine interest in people. Experience in community work, care, group facilitation or volunteering is helpful but not essential.

What we offer

• A supportive, lived‑experience‑led organisation
• Training and ongoing supervision
• Flexible planning time from home
• The chance to make a meaningful difference every week

Independent Age is the national charity focused on improving the lives of people facing financial hardship in later life. We believe no one should face financial hardship in later life.

Our Helpline and expert advisers offer free, practical support to older people without enough money to live on. Through our grants programme, we support hundreds of local organisations working with older people across the UK.

We use the knowledge and insight gained from our support services and partnerships to highlight the issues experienced by older people in poverty and campaign for change.

We would love to find individuals from all walks of life and diverse backgrounds to join us on this journey.

Responsibilities and Person Specification:

This new role is an integral part of the day-to-day delivery of our Advice and Support Service. The service is targeted at older people in or facing financial hardship, and provides information, advice and follow up support relating to a range of issues, including Welfare Benefits, Social Care and Housing.

As an Adviser (Scottish Housing, Social Care and Welfare Benefits) you will be responsible for providing specialist support to older people, their families and carers through our advice service with their enquiries relating to housing and welfare benefits in Scotland as well as providing generalist level support on a range of issues through our duty service.

You should have in depth, specialist level knowledge of Housing or Welfare Benefits in Scotland (ideally both) as they relate to older people, and experience working within a high-volume advice setting and advice supervision framework. We plan to expand our advice offer in Scotland to cover Social Care, so knowledge in this area would also be beneficial. You should be able to travel within Scotland, including to Glasgow and Edinburgh.

For full details on the role and requirements, please review the job description and person specification. If your experience doesn’t align perfectly with all of the criteria in the person specification but you do meet most of them and are excited about the role, we encourage you to apply anyway.

This role could be worked full-time, 35 hours per week, which you can choose to work over five days or a 9-day fortnight, or part-time on a minimum of 21 hours per week.

Salary Information:

The salaries below are full-time (35 hours per week) and will be pro-rated if part-time.

London based: £34,493 per year

Homebased: £31,054 per year

What it’s like to work at Independent Age:

We celebrate diversity at Independent Age and champion the differences that make each of us unique. We actively support and encourage people from a variety of backgrounds, experiences and skill sets to join us and help shape what we do. We aim to attract and retain a wide range of talent and create an environment where everyone can feel safe, protected, welcome and included.

We offer great benefits including 28 days annual leave plus public holidays, a generous pension scheme with life assurance, and fantastic learning and development opportunities. We also offer a number of enhanced leave provisions and benefits.

We know that a good work life balance helps us perform at our best and supports wellbeing. Flexible working hours and hybrid working is standard for all (those contracted to work in the office usually attend 1 day per week). But if you need a different form of flexibility, we are always happy to talk flexible working.

You can find out more about what it’s like to work at Independent Agehere.