Purpose of Job

To implement all aspects of the Midlothian Climate Hub. This post provides a unique opportunity for someone with a passion for reducing the impacts of climate change, and the potential of empowered communities, to make a major contribution to forward planning, project delivery and policy at local, regional and national levels.

Job Overview

This post is one of two part-time Community Engagement Officer posts in the Hub. The other was filled on 8 January 2024 and this second post has fallen vacant. In accordance with an agreed Hub work plan, the Community Engagement Officer will develop and deliver community group support packages to further develop groups’ capacity for climate actions, including skills development, sharing and learning, and help signpost community groups to funding opportunities. They will use communication strategies targeted to the circumstances of the local communities they are engaging. The community outreach work will be as inclusive as possible to ensure that no communities or groups are excluded from the support available from the Hub.

The postholder will be a good team worker, and be prepared, within the context of a 21-hour working week, to work flexibly across Midlothian in response to demands as and when they arise. This may involve some evening and weekend work. Time off in lieu can be provided when required.

Purpose the of Job

To support the running of the Grassy Riggs Drop In Café.

Duties

• Help set up cafe.

• Preparing food such as soup and scones for the café.

• Domestic duties such as washing up, clearing up etc.

• Interacting with and supporting café users.

• Take part in activities as requested.

• Undertake any other duties relevant to the post, as reasonably required from time to time by your line manager.

Training will be provided on food preparation and other relevant issues.

PURPOSE OF JOB

To oversee the implementation of all aspects of the Midlothian Climate Hub. This post provides a unique opportunity for anyone with a passion for reducing the impacts of climate change and the potential of empowered communities, to make a major contribution to forward planning and policy at local, regional and national levels.

PURPOSE OF JOB

To implement all aspects of the Midlothian Climate Hub. This post provides a unique opportunity for anyone with a passion for reducing the impacts of climate change and the potential of empowered communities, to make a major contribution to forward planning and policy at local, regional and national levels.

JOB OVERVIEW

In accordance with an agreed Hub work plan, the Community Engagement Officer will develop and deliver community group support packages to further their climate actions, including skills development, sharing and learning; help signpost community groups to funding opportunities. They will use communication strategies targeted to the circumstances of the local communities they are engaging. The community outreach work will be as inclusive as possible to ensure that no communities or groups are excluded from the support available from the Hub.

Working as part of a small team delivering an agreed work plan, the two postholders will be good team workers, and be prepared, within the context of a 21 hour working week, to work flexibly across Midlothian in response to demands as and when they arise.

Midlothian is a small but fast-growing local authority, made up of a series of small market towns and a semi-rural area. There is strong cooperative working between the third sector and statutory agencies. The third sector in Midlothian is made up of mainly small/medium sized local organisations, with some regional and national organisations also having a presence.

This post supports the work of two organisations – Midlothian Voluntary Action (MVA) and Midlothian Financial Inclusion Network (MFIN). MVA provides a range of support services to third sector organisations in Midlothian and represents their interests in community planning. MFIN is a network of third sector organisations undertaking anti-poverty work locally. The post will be managed by the MVA Lead Officer for Capacity Building on behalf of both organisations.

This post combines two complementary development roles, within MVA you will provide development and capacity-building support and information to local third sector organisations, including grassroots community groups, charities, and social enterprises. For MFIN you will support cross-sector networks addressing financial inclusion and other policy areas in Midlothian through facilitating Network meetings, providing a regular newsletter, and leading on activities such as Challenge Poverty Week.

You will be a person who can build and maintain excellent relationships, has a strong understanding of the third sector and community development, and is an effective digital, written, and face-to-face communicator.

Midlothian is a small local authority, made up of a series of small market towns and a semi-rural area. There is strong cooperative working between the third sector and statutory agencies.

The Administrator will work as part of a small team in an office that is shared by Midlothian Voluntary Action (MVA), and its partner organisation, Volunteer Midlothian, which together form the Midlothian Third Sector Interface (TSI). More information about both organisations can be found here: thirdsectormidlothian.org.uk

Our offices are located on a busy pedestrian precinct, in the centre of Dalkeith. You will be a key person in coordinating activities in the office and its meeting room. We have recently taken on another property next door ‘The Salon’ which will have TSI projects running out of it and be open to bookings from other third sector orgs. The post-holder will support the running and booking of this space alongside the bookings for the main office. There are currently sixteen staff who are hybrid working out of the office who require co-ordination at times. This post will be key in keeping everyone linked together.

The post will have a key role in supporting the work of MVA, and the TSI more widely, providing admin support to the team, assisting with any events, and raising the profile of the TSI by updating our social media accounts and website in line with the communications and engagement strategy.

You will be working alongside both staff members and volunteers, and dealing with members of the public, so will have to have excellent interpersonal skills. As a charity, we will be looking for someone who values the work of the third sector and is keen to work for an organisation that supports others.

Midlothian is a small local but fast-growing local authority, made up of a series of small market towns and a semi-rural area. There is strong cooperative working between the third sector and statutory agencies. The third sector in Midlothian is made up of mainly small/medium sized local organisations, with some regional and national organisations also having a presence.

Midlothian Voluntary Action (MVA) is part of the Third Sector Interface (TSI) which is a single point of access for support and advice in every local authority in Scotland. MVA provides support, guidance and representation for third sector organisations working in Midlothian. This includes grassroots community groups, charities and social enterprises.

We do this by:

• Providing free one to one development support.
• Delivering an annual programme of training, workshops and networking events.
• Distributing news and information via our e-bulletins and social media.
• Running the Third Sector Forum and giving a voice to the sector within Midlothian’s Community Planning Partnership.

thirdsectormidlothian.org.uk/mva

The Build Back Bolder project is brand new post for MVA that aims to maximise third sector income and non-grant resources through capacity building. Local third sector organisations will be offered a tailored training courses for their staff around maximising Gift Aid, exploring charity specific sources of support such as Utility Aid and Charity Digital Exchange, and tapping into cheap resources such as Gifts in Kind.

You will also work locally with organisations second on ideas-generating sessions with staff about what Community Benefits they could be utilising. Community benefit requirements are defined in the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 as a contractual requirement imposed by a contracting authority (such as Midlothian Council):

a) relating to:

• training and recruitment
• availability of sub-contracting opportunities

b) or which is otherwise intended to improve the economic, social or environmental wellbeing of the authority’s area in a way additional to the main purpose of the contract in which the requirement is included.

As a follow up we will support them to upload this information to the City Region Deal Community Benefits Portal and the NHS Community Benefits Portal. We will also populate a spreadsheet of the items that local third sector organisations are looking for to be used by capital development staff at the Council when they are negotiating with developers. We will also provide on-going support on these issues and written/video guidance. Finally, we will run a session for third sector advisors in Midlothian so that we are all aware of the issues.

The Building Back Bolder Development Worker will be responsible for delivering the training noted above. They will have support from other MVA staff to deliver these tasks.

This post is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in conjunction with Midlothian Council and Midlothian Voluntary Action.

Midlothian is a small local authority, made up of a series of small market towns and a semi-rural area. There is strong cooperative working between the third sector and statutory agencies.

The Administrator will work as part of a small team in an office that is shared by Midlothian Voluntary Action (MVA), and its partner organisation, Volunteer Midlothian, which together form the Midlothian Third Sector Interface (TSI). More information about both organisations can be found here: thirdsectormidlothian.org.uk

Our offices are located on a busy pedestrian precinct, in the centre of Dalkeith. You will be a key person in coordinating activities in the office and its meeting room. There are sixteen staff working out of the office, although most of them will mainly be working from home. This post will be key in keeping everyone linked together.

The post will have a key role in supporting the work of MVA, and the TSI more widely, through the provision of accurate financial information to staff members. We are about to change over to using Xero accounting software, with the support of our accountant. Full training will be provided, if required, but some familiarity with similar software would be helpful.

You will be working along side both staff members and volunteers, and dealing with members of the public, so will have to have excellent interpersonal skills. As a charity, we will be looking for someone who values the work of the third sector and is keen to work for an organisation that supports others.

To support cross-sector networks addressing financial inclusion and other policy areas in Midlothian.

Learning Outcomes of the Internship

This role will provide the intern with:

• Experience in working in key areas of social justice and inclusion policy in Scotland;
• Experience of working in partnership with a variety of third sector and public sector partners;
• Understanding how public services are shaped and delivered at local level;
• One to one job coaching and supervision will be provided throughout the internship;
• 3 hours per week to undertake CPD through training and/or volunteering.

Main Tasks

Forums

• Coordinate activity around financial inclusion in Midlothian through supporting meetings of:
  • Midlothian Financial Inclusion Network
  • Midlothian Digital Steering Group
  • Midlothian Food and Health Alliance
• To provide administrative support to other thematic third sector networks in Midlothian, such as the Third Sector Forum and Social Enterprise Alliance Midlothian;
• Support statutory agencies, national campaigns, and others to link with Midlothian financial inclusion organisations through offering guest speaker slots at Network meetings.
• Contribute to community-based events led by partners;
• Contribute to community planning activity such as the Midlothian Child Poverty group;

Information

• Ensure the sector has easy access to financial inclusion issues by using the MFIN website and social media to highlight welfare reforms and other Government changes as they come into effect, including a weekly bulletin of relevant news;
• Enhance knowledge in the sector on financial inclusion issues by offer tailor made training in partnership with CPAG or other suitable provider to ensure organisations are aware of changes brought about by welfare reform;
• Promote MFIN members, including maintaining an online directory of organisations who deal with poverty and financial inclusion and maintaining a social media presence;
• To research and disseminate up to date policy briefings for the third sector and partners on areas such as financial inclusion, employability, poverty, sustainable economic development and wider social justice issues in Scotland;
• Other related tasks, as required.

To find out more abut the role, please download the Job Description & Person Specification below.