Blindwells lies just off the A1 near to Tranent.

The developer Hargreaves has been working on site with East Lothian Council since 2017 and around 500 houses have been completed, both social & private housing. There is however outline planning permission for many more houses over the next twenty years.

The High Street is scheduled for construction and there will be two other schools. It is intended that the Church be a key community partner and part of the long term infrastructure.

Background to this post

The local churches have, led by the local Church of Scotland churches, been engaged in welcoming new residents to Blindwells for the past three years.

The opening of the first Primary school marks an important moment in the life of this fledgling new community. With space for community development now is the time to move from providing occasional gatherings to a more day to day working on the ground with residents.

The vision is for the establishment of a new Christian community that emerges from the local context. It is intended that this community will be ecumenical and will be at the heart of the Blindwells community.

Although initiated and led by the Church of Scotland applications are encouraged widely and an ecumenical advisory group has been formed.

Purpose of Post:

To lead the planning and implementation of Lothian & Borders Presbytery’s vision to develop Christian witness and ministry in the new settlement of Blindwells.

Main Duties :

• Developing the existing work by the local churches and to develop & initiate plans for establishing a new Christian community
• Reaching out and engage with children & families in Blindwells to start new community groups
• Building relationships with and engagement in local schools.
• Recruiting & building voluntary teams to be part of this work
• Overseeing all safeguarding & to lead training of this work
• Liasing with other local bodies, site developers, construction workers
• Work closely with the Blindwells Beacon Leadership team & the Local advisory group
• To communicate to Presbytery regularly and to share good practice with regard to mission with partner churches
• To undertake any other duties as reasonably required by the Line Manager

Do you have the experience and skills to establish new initiatives for children and families based at Murrayfield Parish Church?

Applications are invited for freshly developing work with children and families in the congregation and parish of Murrayfield in Edinburgh.

The local community is highly populated with families and there is a great opportunity for making fresh connections through a missional approach.

The two key aspects of this role are:

(1)Toddlers and Young Families Work:

Setting up a group for parents and children of pre-school age with the intention of creating pathways for engaging with church

(2)Youth Work:

Providing opportunities for young people to socialise together in a church setting and grow in faith together

Applicants may apply for appointment to both aspects of the role or to only one aspect.

The post would suit someone:

• Experienced in ministry with children and families
• With a relational and friendly approach
• Able to work under their own initiative and plan activities

The normal hours of work for the full post are 4 half-days per week, including attendance at weekly Sunday morning worship.

The salary is pro-rata based on the Ministries Development Staff (MDS) scale of £30,274-£34,224 per annum.

Could you be part of something different? We have an exciting opportunity for a motivated and enthusiastic individual to use their gifts, skills and experience to make a difference to the lives of the people in our parishes and communities.

The MDS Mission and Outreach Worker will play a key role in supporting and developing the mission of the linked charge of St George’s Tron, Wallacewell Local Mission Church, and St Rollox Church.

Working within a ministry team of 1 x FTE Minister of word and sacrament (MWS) post and 1 x 0.5 FTE MWS* post, and with leadership teams, volunteers, and community partners, the postholder will help build relationships with people beyond the existing congregations, encourage discipleship and faith exploration, support community outreach initiatives, and develop pathways that enable people to move from initial contact with the churches into deeper engagement with Christian faith and congregational life

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the development of a new and growing ministry partnership across three diverse communities, each with distinct opportunities for mission and evangelism.

*This post is currently also being recruited via a congregational Nominating Committee process.

The successful candidate will be a committed Christian with an active Church connection (Genuine Occupational Requirement in terms of the Equality Act 2010).

Who Cares? Scotland is Scotland’s only national independent membership organisation for Care Experienced people. Our mission is to secure a lifetime of equality, respect, and love for Care Experienced people in Scotland and we currently have over 3000 Care Experienced members.

At the heart of Who Cares? Scotland’s work are the rights of Care Experienced children and young people, and the power of their voices to bring about positive change. We provide individual relationship-based independent advocacy and a broad range of imaginative participatory opportunity for Care Experienced young people across Scotland; we work alongside corporate parents and communities of all sorts to broaden understanding; we work with policy makers, leaders and elected representatives locally and nationally to shape law, policy and practice on the basis of all that can be learnt from the voices of those with experience of care – working together to build on the aspirations of The Promise and secure positive change.

This role offers the opportunity to work directly with children and young people with experience of care. The Advocacy & Participation Worker will provide individual relationship-based advocacy support and will be a key member of the Advocacy and Participation team, supporting young people from across the Western Isles to ensure their rights are upheld and their voices are heard.

In this role you will have the opportunity to provide independent advocacy, children’s rights, and participation opportunities for children and young people who are looked after, Care Experienced, or subject to formal processes and structures. The role will see you actively participating in child’s plan meetings, children’s hearings, and other formal processes. In partnership with professionals, carers, and organisations, you will help to achieve the best outcomes for children and young people.

The role will also include facilitating group opportunities for and with children and young people, including providing engagement and participation opportunities, both locally and nationally.

The post holder will raise awareness of Who Cares? Scotland and its services to children, young people, professionals, third sector partners and carers.

The right candidate for this post will be able to form positive relationships with children and young people and have good interpersonal skills. You will feel confident communicating with individuals and groups, both in writing and verbally, and be able to adapt your approach to a wide range of contexts. Secure in making effective plans, as well as evidencing your work, you will prioritize and meet deadlines. You will take enjoyment from working collaboratively with partners, believing in equal opportunities and inclusive working. Committed to children’s rights, you are someone who knows that all young people can make transformative changes happen in their lives if given the opportunity. You will have demonstrable knowledge of the current structures, developments, policy, and practice in relation to children and young people experiencing care in Scotland.

You will be flexible in your approach, be able to work occasional evening and weekends (with prior agreement), and have a full driving license, access to own transport and business insurance.

While we would welcome the knowledge gathered through relevant qualifications, we are just as interested in relevant work experience. We welcome and encourage applications from those with experience of care.