Background of project

The post is funded by The National Lottery Community Fund for 3-years through our new community-led project ‘Grow, Cook, Eat, Repeat’ from May 2021 to March 31 2024.

Grow, Cook, Eat, Repeat is for local residents of all-ages in Wester Hailes. It combines three interconnected strands of our existing work - our community garden, community meal and volunteering - into one cohesive programme which will put a 3-year structure in place to enable local residents to take the lead in developing their skills through volunteering in the garden, at the meal or other areas across the organisation. It will put local people at the centre of decision-making and follow their lead on how best to address food insecurity and improve the mental health and wellbeing of our community.

During the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020 WHALE Arts paused all regular programmes and activities and focused resources into food provision for Wester Hailes. We turned our popular Community Meal into a takeaway and delivery service and continue to develop and deliver the project safely and within government guidelines and following building risk assessments.

The community meal at WHALE Arts originally formed between 2017 – 2019 from the ‘Tasting Change’ project between local community organisations (Prospect Housing, WHALE Arts, SCOREscotland, The Health Agency and CHAI). We remain connected with local partners and will work closely with them to deliver important work to the community.

Summary of the Post

The Community Meal Chef and Coordinator will continue to cook a delicious plant-based meal for 50-70 local people in the Wester Hailes community served at 1pm-2pm every Friday at WHALE Arts centre.

They are responsible for coordinating local community meal volunteers, cooking and serving the weekly meal and working closely with the community garden team to ensure that garden produce is transformed into healthy, delicious meals.

Our aim is that volunteers and participants will feel:

• Welcome, safe, included, accepted, supported.
• An increased sense of ownership and that they can make a valuable contribution.
• Less isolated and lonely.
• More skilled with better economic prospects.
• Healthy and well.

To find out more about the role, please download the Application Pack below.

The Go Beyond Network are looking to appoint a Community Wealth Building Project Lead for 12 months working 28 hours a week. The post-holder will be co-located at WHALE Arts Centre, Big Hearts, Space Hub and other locations across South West Edinburgh. This is a new fixed term post which will help Go Beyond, Capital City Partnership and the Edinburgh and South East City Region Deal area establish what Community Wealth Building (CWB) and the 5 pillars of CWB mean to them and importantly show how community organisations (such as charities & social enterprises) can play their part in developing CWB in the South West locality of Edinburgh. We are looking for someone who understands Community Wealth Building (CWB) and can help develop this from the grassroots of our communities and is prepared to come on a Community Wealth Building journey with us over 12 months.

WHAT’S THE JOB?

We’re on the hunt for an Academic Coordinator to join our Student Engagement department to support the Union with all things relating to the undergraduate and postgraduate learning and teaching experience.

You’ll work closely with our Vice President Education and Student President, plus you’ll get to train and support our incredible academic reps. You’ll also work with staff in the university to make sure students’ voices are listened to.

It’s basically a brilliant opportunity for anyone who has a passion for student representation, especially on the academic side of things!

This is a full-time job on an initial three-month contract, with the potential to become permanent. It’s 35 hours a week, and you’ll be on a salary of £22,101.

WHO ARE WE?

We are Heriot-Watt University Student Union. We’re based at Riccarton (on the outskirts of Edinburgh) and our main goal is to make sure that Heriot-Watt students have THE BEST TIME whilst studying here. We have food & drink venues, a nightclub and shop, plus we work with Students to make their time at Heriot-Watt the best it can be through our Advice Hub, societies, academic representation and a whole load of volunteering opportunities.

You’ll join a friendly, hardworking and professional team and have a real opportunity to make a difference for students.

The role will be based at the Edinburgh campus. We’re working from home at the moment but are looking forward to returning to the office when restrictions allow.

IS THIS THE JOB FOR YOU?

If you answer yes to these questions, then apply now!

· Do you have experience working with academic representative systems?

· Do you understand a fair bit about learning and teaching issues in a university?

· Are you comfortable talking to wide range of students and getting them fired up?

· Can you guide and empower students to come up with solutions to problems, and support them to put a plan in place to fix things?

· Can you look at something and think of new and creative ways that will make it even better?

· Does it make you happy to help people, and go home at the end of the day knowing you made a difference?

· Are you happy spending everyday with students? It’s ridiculously rewarding – but they can be super demanding!

· Do you want to work with an amazing team of people who are passionate about helping students?

· We will probably ask you for a baby picture and to photocopy your face. You ok with that?

WHAT’S THE JOB?

We’re on the hunt for a Wellbeing Coordinator to join our Student Engagement department to support the Union with all things relating to student wellbeing.

This role is all about delivering a wellbeing awareness strategy for students, and you’ll work closely with the Vice President Wellbeing to run campaigns and activities that will support and empower our students who are living both on and off campus. It’s a non-clinical role, so you won’t be counselling students!

It’s basically a brilliant opportunity for anyone who is passionate about student wellbeing, and Equality and Diversity.

This role is for 1 year and is part-time, working 21 hours a week, we can be flexible on working hours to suit the right candidate! The salary for these hours is £13,260 per annum (full-time equivalent salary would be Grade 5 £22,101).

WHO ARE WE?

We are Heriot-Watt University Student Union. We’re based at Riccarton (on the outskirts of Edinburgh) and our main goal is to make sure that Heriot-Watt students have THE BEST TIME whilst studying here. We have a bar, café, nightclub and shop, plus we work with Students to make their time at Heriot-Watt the best it can be through our Advice Hub, societies, academic representation and a whole load of volunteering opportunities.

You’ll join a friendly, hardworking and professional team and have a real opportunity to make a difference for students.

The role will be based at the Edinburgh campus. We’re working from home at the moment, but are looking forward to returning to the office when restrictions allow.

IS THIS JOB FOR YOU?

If you answer yes to these questions, then apply now!

· Do you have experience planning and running campaigns or events?

· Do you understand a fair bit about wellbeing issues students face?

· Are you comfortable talking to wide range of students and getting them fired up?

· Can you guide and empower students to come up with solutions to problems, and support them to put a plan in place to fix things?

· Can you look at something and think of new and creative ways that will make it even better?

· Does it make you happy to help people, and go home at the end of the day knowing you made a difference?

· Are you happy spending everyday with students? It’s ridiculously rewarding – but they can be super demanding!

· Do you want to work with an amazing team of people who are passionate about helping students?

· We will probably ask you for a baby picture and to photocopy your face. You ok with that?

SCOREscotland is looking for skilled and experienced Sessional Youth Workers who are passionate about engaging with young people and supporting them to make progress.

Sessional staff hours are variable and the rate of pay is £11.50 per hour (unqualified) or £13 per hour (youth work qualification).

Are you passionate about working with young people?

· Interested in working with BME? communities?

· Are you professional and positive?

· Are you a creative team player?

· Do you have skills that you would like to share with young people?

We are looking for youth workers who are available on Friday afternoons, Saturdays. The beauty of being a sessional worker is you can vary your hours from weekly to monthly sessions. Our group ages are: 7-10 years old, 11-16 years.

We are based at WHALE Arts Centre, Wester Hailes but we take our young people throughout the city and beyond.