Chair of the Board of Trustees

We are excited to have the opportunity to recruit a committed, experienced Chair with outstanding strategic planning ability, to lead our charity as we enter the next stage of our evolution and prior to the launch of our new strategy in April 2025.

As Chair of MCR Pathways, you will play a crucial role in shaping the strategic direction of the charity, ensuring the highest standards of charity governance and effective oversight of our operations. Drawing on your substantial non-executive experience, ideally as Chair, you will ensure a cohesive and well-functioning board where diverse views are encouraged to improve consensus decision-making.

You will work closely with board colleagues through quarterly board meetings, and working groups and provide support and constructive challenge to the Chief Executive, Sharon McIntyre and her senior team. With a track record of identifying and mitigating risk, you will protect and promote the charity’s excellent reputation, and represent us at external events and with key stakeholders.

Trustees

We are also looking for three committed individuals to join our Board of Trustees. This is an incredible opportunity to make a difference with MCR,build on your existing skills and potentially discover new ones. We are currently recruiting for Trustees to join our board from December 2024, with a particular interest in candidates with experience in the following areas:

Charitable / Voluntary sector

Charity Finance

Marketing/Communications

Fundraising

We are focused on identifying new trustees who:

Believe strongly that care experienced young people should have the same opportunities to learn and develop as their peers. And are passionate about making this happen.

Are committed to making a meaningful contribution to fulfilling the Board’s strategic, financial and legal responsibilities.

This is an incredible opportunity to make a difference with MCR, build on your existing skills and potentially discover new ones. The most important attributes trustees joining us should have include: a willingness to ask questions, sharing our values of Respect, Person-Centred practice, Integrity and Communication and a guaranteed time commitment to the role. If this sounds like you, we would love to hear from you.

You will work closely with board colleagues through quarterly board meetings, and working groups and provide support and constructive challenge to the Chief Executive, Sharon McIntyre and her senior team. With a track record of identifying and mitigating risk, you will protect and promote the charity’s excellent reputation, and represent us at external events and with key stakeholders.

Our Commitment

In return, we offer a comprehensive induction programme including charity trustee training, CPD as a trustee and the opportunity to be part of a forward thinking, committed and impactful team working to help care experienced young people transform their lives. These positions are a voluntary role in a national third sector organisation that has important stature in Scotland with a growing reach in England.

Street Connect is a Christian organisation with a mission to offer hope and opportunity of recovery for people disadvantaged by addiction, homelessness and poor mental health.

As a Projects Worker you can contribute to profound and lasting changes in the lives of highly vulnerable individuals. In 2023/24 working with our church partners, Street Connect benefitted over 2,166 people overall with 806 people receiving support through one-to-one appointments or groupwork, with 160 of those individuals receiving formal key work support, and we supported 16 entries to residential rehabilitation. Our participants report stability and improvements not only in their recovery from drug and alcohol problems, but also in their living skills and situations, social skills and relationships, and in their physical, mental and spiritual health and wellbeing.

The focal point of the role of Projects Worker will be in supporting church partners and volunteers. Our experience has shown us that working closely with partner churches to deliver support within communities is a successful way for people to access the support that they need. We currently have Street Connect partner churches and projects in Glasgow city centre, Royston, Clydebank, Paisley central, Paisley Kilnside, Greenock, Motherwell, Dunoon and Wishaw. As we continue our vital work in each of these areas our aim is to grow into new communities and allow as many people as possible to access the support they need.

In this role you will be part of the Street Connect team seeking to develop and deliver community recovery support through a range of different routes to both male and female service participants who have a background of complex needs such as addiction, homelessness, and mental health issues, who are now at different stages in their recovery journey. This will include both those in aftercare who are living independently and free from such issues and those at an earlier stage in their recovery.

We are Right There, a charity celebrating 200 years of service this year. We provide tailored support to individuals at home and in the community, helping those affected by homelessness, poverty, addiction, and family breakdowns.

Our vision is a world where everyone has the opportunity to create a safe and supportive place to call home. We strive to challenge stereotypes—regardless of a person’s situation, we are here to help, not judge. Our approach is about creating trusting relationships and nurturing people’s strengths,

Last year we supported almost 4,000 people, helping them avoid homelessness and stay connected with their loved ones. In partnership with Sonnet Advisory and Impact, we recently launched a report estimating that Right There generates a societal benefit of at least £308 million annually (net present value) based on a single cohort of referrals.

You would be joining Right There at a pivotal time, as Scotland faces a housing emergency declared by the Scottish Government. As a Board Trustee, you will play a crucial role in guiding our charity through these challenges and leveraging new opportunities. Your involvement will ensure our services remain effective and impactful.

Becoming a Trustee is a highly rewarding experience, offering the chance to influence strategic decisions, oversee governance, and support the delivery of life-changing services. We are looking for individuals passionate about our mission and values, with relevant knowledge and experience in:

• Strategic Commissioning (as a funder or provider)

• Children and family services design and delivery

• Scotland’s housing and homelessness landscape

• Policy, PR, or Communications

Welcoming, Connecting and Supporting Families and Visitors is at the core of what we do here at the Croft!

Providing practical and emotional support, information and advice to the families impacted by a loved one’s imprisonment at HMP Barlinnie to help make their visiting experience the best it can be under the circumstances

Do you want to help make a difference to the lives of families affected by another’s imprisonment – this is a group of people, including many children, often marginalised and severely impacted, practically, emotionally and financially by the actions of another. Want to learn new skills in the process? - you can by becoming a volunteer Board Member for the Croft HMP Barlinnie’s Visitors Centre.

What we are looking for

We are looking to recruit a number of Board members.

We welcome applicants from any background and experience, including people who have been personally impacted. We welcome all skills but do have particular skills gaps we would love to bring on board–

• Case Management Systems – to have oversight of and help us develop an appropriate system.
• Treasurer - Accounting/Finance experience to help us with oversight of our funding and statutory reporting.
• Human Resources.
• Business development/growth – particularly Social Enterprises / Community Interest Companies.

What you get from being a Board Member

1. The chance to give something back into the community and make a real difference to the lives of families impacted by imprisonment - Becoming a Trustee is a fantastic way to give something back to a cause you care about. You’ll be playing an integral part in the way the charity is run, ensuring it remains sustainable and financially viable. The help you provide will be invaluable.
2. Meet new people - joining a new organisation or charity is a fantastic way to meet new people from a range of different personal and professional backgrounds. There will be meetings to attend, projects to get involved.
3. Learn new things - getting involved as a charity Trustee is a great way to put your professional skills to use, but can also be a fantastic opportunity to learn new things. You’ll get great insight into what’s involved in the management of charities and gain skills on working well within a leadership role.
4. Improve your CV and enhance your professional development - from learning how organisations are run to planning finances and attending meetings, this experience can be the perfect way to boost a CV and set you apart from the crowd.

Background

For more information about the Croft and its work see:

Visit our new website: thecroftfamilysupport.org

Visit our Facebook page: facebook.com/CroftVisitorsService

Click on this article to read about just some of the work we do: cjg-annualreport23.co.uk/2023/08/21/supporting-families-cost-of-living-crisis-a-year-of-reflection