Help shape brighter futures for children and families across Scotland

At Children First, we believe every child should be safe, loved and able to enjoy a happy childhood. As Scotland's national children's charity, we work alongside children, families and communities to protect children from harm, support recovery from trauma and abuse and create lasting change.

We are looking for a compassionate, skilled and motivated Community Partnership & Participation Worker to join our team and help strengthen the support available to children and families across Scotland.

In this exciting role, you will build trusted relationships with communities, services and partner organisations, helping families access the support they need while ensuring children's and families' voices influence how services are developed and improved.

This is an opportunity to make a meaningful difference by connecting people, strengthening local networks and helping shape services that respond to what matters most to children and families.

What you'll do

Working as part of our Support Line service, you will:

• Develop strong partnerships with community organisations, schools, health services, local authorities and third sector partners.
• Improve access to support for families experiencing poverty, inequality, kinship care challenges or concerns about a child's safety.
• Increase awareness of Children First Support Line and the range of help available to families across Scotland.
• Ensure children, young people and families have meaningful opportunities to share their experiences and help shape service development.
• Support participation, engagement and co-production activities, including events, consultations and focus groups.
• Build local knowledge of community resources and identify gaps, barriers and opportunities for support.
• Gather learning and insights that help us improve services and influence positive change for children and families.

What we're looking for

• You'll bring experience of community engagement, partnership working or participation practice, along with a genuine commitment to improving outcomes for children and families.

You'll also have:

• Experience working with children, young people, families or communities.
• Strong relationship-building and partnership skills.
• Excellent communication and facilitation abilities.
• An understanding of poverty, inequality and the barriers families can face when seeking support.
• Knowledge of children's rights and participation approaches.
• Experience of trauma-informed, strengths-based and relationship-based practice.
• The ability to work independently, manage competing priorities and maintain accurate records.
• Confidence using Microsoft Office and digital communication tools.

Who you are

We're looking for someone who:

• Believes in the power of children's voices.
• Values inclusion, participation and co-production.
• Builds trust quickly and works collaboratively with others.
• Is passionate about reducing inequality and improving children's lives.
• Brings warmth, curiosity and compassion to their work.
• Shares our commitment to safeguarding and promoting children's rights.

Why join Children First?

At Children First, our values guide everything we do:

With Love

We put children first, listening with compassion and kindness and standing alongside families when they need support most.

With Purpose

We work together with families, communities and partners to create lasting change and better outcomes for children.

With Strength

We do whatever it takes to protect Scotland's children and champion their rights.

You'll join a supportive organisation that values learning, innovation and collaboration, where your work will directly contribute to helping children and families thrive.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

We are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive and anti-racist organisation where everyone experiences a sense of belonging. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and lived experiences and particularly encourage applications from groups currently under-represented within our workforce.

Join us

If you're passionate about building stronger communities, amplifying children's voices and helping families access the support they need, we'd love to hear from you.

Together, with love, purpose and strength, we can help Scotland's children and families thrive.

We are looking for a Partnerships Manager based in East or South East Scotland, someone who wants to help build our programme across these regions. You’ll join a friendly, supportive and values-driven team, working with employers, public sector organisations and communities to create life-changing opportunities for young people through mentoring.

About the role

This is a unique opportunity to help shape MCR Pathways’ growth. As Partnerships Manager, you’ll build relationships with employers, public sector organisations and community partners that create sustainable pipelines of volunteer mentors and wider organisational support.

You’ll enjoy a varied and autonomous role, combining business development, relationship management and regional partnership building. Working flexibly between home, partner locations and communities across the East & South East of Scotland, you’ll have the opportunity to influence how mentoring grows across the region while being supported by an experienced national team committed to achieving lasting impact for young people.

Key responsibilities

• Research, map, and secure new corporate, public sector, and SME partners whose CSR, ESG, and D&I pillars align with MCR Pathways’ mission.
• Deliver compelling pitches, proposals, and workplace engagement events to drive high-volume mentor recruitment and hit ambitious monthly regional targets.
• Serve as the primary account manager for regional partners, delivering exceptional service to nurture long-term commitment and turn partners into active champions of the program.
• Collaborate with the Communications team and local networks to execute place-based campaigns and social media drives that raise brand visibility and generate prospective mentor inquiries in priority areas.
• Work closely with cross-functional internal teams to optimise the conversion process, guiding prospective mentors seamlessly from initial inquiry through to active onboarding.
• Utilise CRM systems and dashboards to track pipeline activity, evaluate campaign ROI, and monitor key recruitment and retention metrics.

About you

• Experience of and expertise in relationship-building on an organisational and individual level
• Experience presenting compelling and emotionally engaging information sessions to stakeholder organisations and individuals
• Experience and understanding of the importance of recruiting a diverse range of volunteers
• Can-do, proactive, flexible, solution-focused attitude
• Belief in young people’s potential, modelling motivation, commitment and resilience
• Knowledge of East and South East Scotland, including community groups and organisations

This role would suit someone with experience in business development, partnerships, account management or fundraising who is ready to take the next step in their career. You’ll have the opportunity to shape partnerships across the East and South East of Scotland while being supported by an experienced national team.

About us

MCR Pathways is an award-winning mentoring charity, founded in Glasgow in 2007 and now expanding across East and South East Scotland. Every week, our volunteer mentors give just one hour of their time to help young people build confidence, recognise their strengths and realise their potential. Through trusted, long-term relationships, mentoring helps young people navigate challenges, broaden their horizons and create brighter futures.

Our mission: To connect every young person with a trusted adult mentor, someone who sparks confidence, fuels ambition, and walks beside them as they find their way.

Our vision: MCR Pathways will work until every young person has someone to help them find their way.

You will be joining a friendly and supportive team who love what they do and enjoy working with each other. MCR Pathways’ values are Respect, Communication, Trust and Growth and they inform everything we do.

Benefits include: 30 days annual leave (inclusive of public holidays) in first year rising to 35 days from 2nd year of employment, 7% Employer Pension Contribution, 3 further days of annual leave between the December and January public holidays, additional day off for your birthday, annual salary increment, Employee Assistance Programme, Life Assurance – 4 x salary.

Do you share our determination to address the inequalities arising from childhood abuse or neglect in care in Scotland?

You will join a busy team that supports a vibrant schedule of online and in-person activity. Your warm, relational approach and well developed communication skills will enable you to organise and host events that are inclusive, meaningful and productive. Passionate about participation, the successful candidate will be a trusted ambassador for Future Pathways’ work with survivors.