Background to Heart of Newhaven Community

Victoria Primary School (until recently the oldest working primary school in Edinburgh) was acquired for community use by conclusion of a Community Asset Transfer in August 2022 and has since been renamed The Heart. There are few community resources in the area and a general lack of communal/meeting spaces for use by local groups: public meetings demonstrated a real interest in the potential The Heart might offer in this respect. Most notably, there is a desire for more facilities and activities for older and isolated individuals as well as a recognised need for more early years’ resources and for mental health support. In particular this area of Edinburgh has no facilities for people living with a diagnosis of dementia.’ We have been a member of the Scottish Meeting Centre Network since January 2022. Conversations with people with lived experience of dementia confirm our belief that The Heart can meet the ‘basic fellowship need’ and opportunity to ‘meet other people with the same condition meeting as equals’.

Overview of the post

Meeting Centres are a model of dementia support first developed in the Netherlands. They are social clubs where people living with dementia and their family carers can get help, support, and advice to adapt to the life changes dementia brings.Heart of Newhaven are now recruiting for a new Development Worker position, to help set up our Centre. This position is initially funded for 6 months by Age Scotland.

We are hiring a part-time Coordinator to join our new team at the Heart of Newhaven Community. The Coordinator will join the new Transition Manager as well as numerous volunteers to deliver the soon-to-be-opened intergenerational community hub in the old Victoria Primary School and its associated buildings. Be part of the ambitious project and make a difference.

About the Heart of Newhaven Community

The Heart of Newhaven Community (a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation, SC049919) was created on the back of community consultation around four years ago. The aim was to save Victoria Primary School from development, dereliction or destruction and turn it into an inclusive, welcoming hub that everyone could enjoy. The themes of Culture and Heritage and Learning and Enterprise combining to ensure Health and Well-being will lead the ambitious programme of collaborative, intergenerational activity. The charity has secured the building and now needs a team of professionals to help turn the vision into reality.

Job purpose

The Heart Coordinator will be the first point of contact for the Heart’s users and will be responsible for creating a warm and inclusive welcome. They will play a key role in coordinating the Heart’s administrative systems and databases and will be given a high degree of autonomy. They will be self-motivated to play a key role in the delivery of the Heart’s projects and services.

Major tasks and responsibilities

● Collaborating with all delivery partners to promote and facilitate a welcoming, open and inclusive environment in the Heart.

● Coordinating a team of volunteers to support the day-to-day running of the Heart

● Managing a central email account and answering telephone enquiries

● Developing and maintaining administrative systems within the Heart and adapting these as necessary.

Start date as soon as possible, and no later than 1st September 2022

This is a part-time, fixed-term role for 18 months. Once the Heart is successfully established then it is expected that role could evolve into a permanent position of employment.

We are hiring a Transition Manager as we make the transition from a focus of acquiring the site and buildings, to running the Heart and delivering our vision. This new post will lead our new team at the Heart of Newhaven Community. The full-time Transition Manager will join two new part-time colleagues and numerous volunteers to deliver the soon-to-be-opened intergenerational community hub in the old Victoria Primary School and its associated buildings. Be part of our ambitious project and make a difference.

About the Heart of Newhaven Community

The Heart of Newhaven Community (a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation, SC049919) was created on the back of community consultation around four years ago. The aim was to save Victoria Primary School from development, dereliction or destruction and turn it into an inclusive, welcoming hub that everyone could enjoy. The themes of Culture and Heritage and Learning and Enterprise combining to ensure Health and Well-being will lead the ambitious programme of collaborative, intergenerational activity. The charity has secured the building and now needs a team of professionals to help turn its vision into reality.

Job purpose

The post holder will play a key role in ensuring the effective management and development of the Heart’s initiatives and activities. The role holder will be given a high degree of autonomy and will be self-motivated to deliver the Heart’s strategic aims in collaboration with the Board of Trustees and the community.

The role has three central aims:

● Develop collaborations and partnerships that achieve the Heart’s vision.

● Manage employees, volunteers, consultants, and contractors.

● Manage the Heart’s physical resources including the three buildings and the wider site.

The Transition Manager will lead the development of the Heart of Newhaven to ensure wider community engagement and collaboration, and identify new opportunities to address recognised community needs. Through effective networking and good communication, the role holder will work closely with third, private and public sector partners to achieve a vibrant, well managed and inclusive service. The Transition Manager will play a central role in achieving the overarching aim of the Heart to become a multi-generational hub that sustainably operates for the benefit of the local community.

Start date: as soon as possible, and no later than 1st September 2022

We are hiring a part-time Buildings Maintenance Officer to join our new team at the Heart of Newhaven Community. The part-time Buildings Maintenance Officer will join the Transition Manager and the Heart Coordinator as well as numerous volunteers to care for the soon-to-be-opened intergenerational community hub in the old Victoria Primary School and its associated buildings. Be part of the ambitious project and make a difference.

About the Heart of Newhaven Community

The Heart of Newhaven Community (a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation, SC049919) was created on the back of community consultation around four years ago. The aim was to save Victoria Primary School from development, dereliction or destruction and turn it into an inclusive, welcoming hub that everyone could enjoy. The themes of Culture and Heritage and Learning and Enterprise combining to ensure Health and Well-being will lead the ambitious programme of collaborative, intergenerational activity. The charity has secured the building and now needs a team of professionals to help turn the vision into reality.

Job purpose

The Buildings Maintenance Officer will play a key role in the maintenance and repairs of the premises, liaise with facilities management contractors, as well as additional one-off and regular hires and events. The post holder will be given a high degree of autonomy and will be self-motivated to play a key role in the day-to-day management of the Heart’s rooms, spaces and buildings.

The role has three central aims in the development of a thriving multi-generation hub, its three buildings and the wider site:

● Managing and organising the building during day-to-day use, as well as additional one-off and regular hires and events

● Monitoring and maintaining stock levels, set up and break down of rooms and spaces, general building management

● Maintaining and cleaning and supporting the wider team to deliver projects, while working closely with the Transition Manager to escalate and plan repairs and improvements

Start date as soon as possible, and no later than 1st September 2022