Iriss is seeking Board Members to help social work and social care to truly flourish.

We are a charity that helps make social work and social care better for people. We have helped people to make real change through research, improvement and innovation. We have experimented with new ideas and approaches, some have worked, and some haven’t. As an organisation with innovation at its core we keep learning from our work

We have a new strategy in the works to support this aim above so it’s an exciting time for our organisation, and for you to be part of shaping its future.

We are particularly interested in hearing from people with experience of using social work or social care support or being an unpaid carer. Experience in accessing or working in health, social work and social care is desirable but not essential as we also welcome interest from people with transferable skills and knowledge including curiosity, financial sustainability and strategy.

If you share our ambition and vision for better lives for people, workers and communities in Scotland, and have an interest in ensuring good governance, we would love to hear from you.

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.

We are excited to have the opportunity to recruit for new trustees to join our Board in 2024.

No previous board experience is necessary as full support and training will be provided.

We are focused on identifying new board members who:

• Are passionate about making our vision of “A Lifetime of equality, respect and love for Care Experienced people” a reality
• Are committed to making a meaningful contribution to fulfilling the Board’s strategic, financial and legal responsibilities
• Are willing to build strong relationships with the Care Experienced community

For more information, please see our Trustee Recruitment pack below, or contact: board@whocaresscotland.org.