WHALE Arts are looking for a dynamic and engaging Community Meal Chef and Coordinator to join our Grow, Cook, Eat, Repeat team, to deliver our weekly community meal and support local people and volunteers to engage with the project.

WHALE Arts is a building-based and place-based community-led charity and social enterprise, founded by local people in 1992. Our mission is to be the creative heart of a thriving community.

This fixed-term 9-month contracted post will support WHALE Arts to deliver our Grow Cook Eat Repeat project which engages community members through gardening, cooking and volunteering.

The Community Meal Chef & Coordinator will plan, prepare and cook a delicious, nutritious vegetarian meal at WHALE Arts every week. They will support a small team of volunteers to help prepare and serve the meal; and support local people in developing new skills related to food, nutrition and cooking, through volunteering and related opportunities.

WHALE Arts are looking for an experienced, proactive Business Development Lead to increase income generation from our social enterprises to support our creative community led work.

WHALE Arts is a place-based community-led charity and social enterprise, founded by local people in 1992. Our mission is to be the creative heart of thriving community. We had 14,000 visits last year and delivered over 600 co-designed creative activities, workshops, performances and events at our Arts Centre in Wester Hailes, Edinburgh.

The Business Development Lead will generate new income streams for our organisation, build internal capacity to support and grow our portfolio of social enterprise projects including Pod Café and Pod Press, identify organisational and building cost savings and efficiencies and support community members to develop their social enterprise and microbusiness ideas.

Your role is:

• To identify and implement new income generation opportunities to support our core organisational costs.
• To maximise income generation and support delivery of activities through room rentals and other services
• To work with Head of Operations to deliver the Pod Pop-up Café as additional income source, identifying and delivering a profitable model that combines both community café and catering operations.
• Work with Arts and Wellbeing Manager and Pod Press Co-ordinator to develop a successful business model for our newly launched Riso Printing social enterprise.
• To work with the CEO and Head of Operations to develop a new Business Strategy which will align with our new Strategic Plan for 2025 -2030 and Community Asset Transfer.
• To support ongoing development of community members' social enterprise /microbusiness skills.
• To research, test, and develop innovative business development ideas and connect with enterprise partners, support and advice.
• To identify and implement new income generation opportunities to support our core organisational costs.

Person Specification

Essential

• Strategic thinker able to identify and capitalise on opportunities
• Hands-on, flexible and adaptable
• Proven record of commercial or social entrepreneurialism
• Commercial acumen
• Proactive and self-motivated
• Understanding of social enterprise/community wealth building
• Understanding/ experience of working in the voluntary or community sector
• Proven ability to plan and prioritise a busy, diverse workload
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Excellent literacy, numeracy and IT skills
• Knowledge of financial and impact monitoring and evaluation
• Understanding of arts/community spaces
• Ability to engage and support community members with enterprise activities.

Desirable

• Knowledge/ understanding of communications and marketing
• Experience of partnership working and ability to develop partnerships
• An interest in social justice and helping people
• Experience of catering/ hospitality industry.

This new post will lead the administration/ co-ordination of the Community Asset Transfer process and will be a key role in supporting members’ involvement in the exciting plans for WHALE Arts Centre. The post is supported by the Scottish Land Fund

WHALE Arts is a building-based and place-based community-led charity and social enterprise, founded by local people in 1992. Our mission is to be the creative heart of thriving community.

Main Duties:

• To take responsibility for progressing, supporting and documenting the Community Asset Transfer process.
• To build and evidence a tangible sense of community ownership of the newly acquired asset, and to explore ways to consolidate, document and strengthen community involvement in this process.
• To nurture new projects and opportunities locally based on residents’ ideas and interests.
• To build confidence locally so that people feel empowered to take leadership roles in developing new activities and opportunities for the residents of Wester Hailes.
• To work with our two existing Community Development Leads to support membership development, community empowerment and local community-led regeneration more generally.

For full details please see our website whalearts.co.uk

Person Specification

Essential

• Experience of community development, preferably with a suitable qualification and/ or at least 3 years’ experience in a similar role.
• Engaging, positive and supportive people person with excellent communication skills to work with a wide range of community members.
• Experience designing, delivering, and evaluating programmes of activity.
• Skills, experience, and confidence to facilitate groups.
• Able to work flexibly (including evenings, weekends) to meet the needs of the post.
• Knowledge of safeguarding practices and experience of following organisational policies and procedures relating to this.
• Using digital technologies in creative and engagement processes.
• Experience of supporting and managing others, especially volunteers and freelance artists.
• Understand how to proactively build relationships and work with local, regional and national stakeholders and partner organisations.

Desirable

• Experience working or volunteering with a member-based organisation.
• Knowledge of Community Asset Transfer and the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, Local Place Plans and the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019.
• Knowledge of the Wester Hailes area including local organisations, services and the community.

See whalearts.co.uk/vacancies for more information.

Accountable to : WHALE Art’s Arts & Wellbeing Manager

Personnel responsible for: Volunteers involved with garden element of the Grow Cook Eat Repeat project

WHALE Arts is recruiting a Community Garden Coordinator position for our Grow Cook Eat Repeat Project.

Grow Cook Eat Repeat is a project that combines three strands of WHALE Art’s core activities – our community garden, our community meal and volunteering. The overarching aims of the project are

• To provide a range of cooking, gardening and volunteering related opportunities for local people that lead to improved well-being
• To facilitate local people to develop new skills through volunteering and other related opportunities
• To ensure that local people are at the forefront of the decision-making process in relation to the development and direction of the Grow Cook Eat Repeat project

Grow Cook Eat Repeat is a 3-year project funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, we are now coming into the final year of the project. The project supports four part time positions. A community food project lead, a community chef a volunteer coordinator and community garden coordinator.

Community Garden Coordinator: Role Specification

There are 4 key components to the community garden coordinator role, each with a set of specific responsibilities. Below we have outlined the main responsibilities for the 4 key components. We have also outlined some other duties that you may be expected to undertake within your role. Please note this is not an exhaustive list and you may be asked to undertake other tasks as part of the Community Garden Coordinator role.

• Community Garden & Allotment
• Maintain & develop the community garden and allotment to a high standard
• Develop and implement a planting schedule specifically for food crops
• Assist with the ongoing development and management of the organization’s food waste and composting system
• Coordinate necessary maintenance works relating to the garden and/or allotment, liaising with external contractors where necessary
• Maintain all garden related equipment ensuring they are fit for purpose and stored safely and securely
• Ensure correct health and safety procedures relating to gardening activities are followed at all times

Volunteers & Garden Group Participants

• Work closely with the Volunteer Coordinator to recruit and support a team of volunteers for the community garden and allotment
• Build positive relationships with volunteers and participants, sharing your knowledge and skills relating to horticulture and garden maintenance for example planting, growing, soil preparation, cuttings, indoor plant growing and pruning.
• Consult with local residents to establish whether there is a desire for a gardening group at WHALE Arts and if yes, work with local residents to establish and deliver one
• Support volunteers to achieve their specific goals in line with WHALE’s volunteer policy
• Support volunteers to take the lead in relevant garden and or allotment activities
• Ensure that the health and wellbeing benefits of gardening are passed on to volunteers and participants

Grow Cook Eat Repeat – project wide engagement

• Work closely with the wider Grow Cook Eat Repeat team to ensure we meet the aims and objectives of the project
• Work closely with the Community Food Project Lead and the Community Chef to identify suitable food crops for planting and develop a planting schedule
• Work closely with the Volunteer Coordinator to support volunteers within the garden and allotment
• Contribute to the coordination and delivery of project wide events, activities and training opportunities
• Work closely with the Arts & Wellbeing Manager, Grow Cook Eat Repeat team, and community members to identify, support and pilot sustainable enterprise activities that relate to the project aims
• Network and work closely with local partner organisations and other local community gardens/groups

Data & Evaluation

• Contribute to ongoing data collection and project monitoring – details to be outlined by your line manager
• Take photographs of garden activities, produce, events and general progress within the garden and allotment
• Contribute to the project wide evaluation alongside the wider team and the Arts & Wellbeing Manager

Other Duties

• To be a key holder, opening and securing the building out of office hours when required
• To provide occasional ad-hoc support to the wider WHALE Arts team when required
• Act as a First aider where required
• To comply with relevant WHALE Arts Agency policies
• To undertake any relevant training in relation to the post

The Arts & Wellbeing Programme at WHALE Arts consists of a range of therapeutic, social, creative, self-directed & entrepreneurial groups. The overarching aim of the program is to promote, nurture and enhance people's well-being by providing opportunities to make positive social connections and engage in a wide range of creative activities.

We currently have 7 groups in our Arts & Wellbeing program, each delivered by a freelance artist/facilitator. We also have our Community Meal and Community Garden which support a number of volunteers and Pod Press - our Riso printer and publishing project which is a fantastic resource that all of our groups can access as well as members in the Wester Hailes and wider community.

On top of our own regular groups, WHALE Arts works in partnership with other organizations delivering their own short-term projects and ongoing groups at WHALE Arts. During the summer many of our adult groups take a break from their regular sessions and instead go on a range of trips, special workshops, and events.

We are looking for someone to help support the overall delivery of the Arts and Wellbeing program and the participants who take part.

About the role

This is a new role set up to support the delivery of the Arts and Wellbeing program at WHALE Arts. The day-to-day tasks will include a mix of hands-on practical support including supporting groups on trips, organizing lunches, ensuring project registers are filled in and collected, and supporting group facilitators when needed. Logistical support including booking/coordinating transport for trips. Creative support, including designing flyers for groups, events, or projects, and emotional support, including supporting participants many of whom have complex and challenging lives. This is not an exhaustive list and there may be other tasks involved in the role.

The person we are looking for…

●is a realpeople person

●isresilient, flexible,andpractical

●can respondcalmlyandeffectivelyin challenging situations

●has excellentcommunicationandinterpersonalskills

●canconnectandengagewith people who havediverse interests, needs,andabilities

●is hard working and a great team player,

●treats people fairly and values the contributions others make,

●appreciates diversity,

●is open-minded and inclusive.

The person we are looking for will have experience of…

● Working with people who havediverseandcomplex needs

●Supporting the creative artswithin acommunity setting

●Supporting groupsandindividuals

●Safeguarding- specifically in relation to vulnerable adults

● Working on theirown initiativewithin a larger creative team

They will also need to have...

● The ability tobuild trustand to welcome all people including those withdiverse needs, those fromdiverse culturalandeconomic backgrounds,and facingadditional barriers

● An understanding ofcomplex needs in adults,mental healthandwellbeing, and the specific challenges facing these groups

● Excellenttime managementandorganizational skills

Ideally but not essential, they will have…

● A knowledge of Wester Hailes

● An understanding of the issues facing people living in areas of deprivation

● Experience in using the arts to address community issues

Confidence can sometimes hold us back from applying for a job - we don’t want this to be the case for you. However you identify and whatever background you bring, if this role feels like something that would make you excited about getting up and coming to work then please apply!

About the project

Create Community Wealth is an 18-month project, funded through Creative Scotland’s Culture Collective programme, that aims to develop community enterprise projects across Wester Hailes and Muirhouse. The project is a partnership between WHALE Arts and North Edinburgh Arts, working closely with SCOREscotland and Passion 4 Fusion.

The project has two clear aims:

● to support local people to create and produce a range of products/services

● to explore and set up platforms where people can sell their products/services

The project will employ a small team of artists/creative people to work within these communities, supporting local people to develop their ideas and sell and showcase their products and services locally.

Based on our knowledge and experience working in Wester Hailes and Muirhouse, we envisage that these products and services will include locally created crafts, food and drink products, wellbeing services and creative performance-based work.

We also want to create a framework for selling and showcasing the work created which could include regular street markets but may develop into something quite different as the project progresses.

About the role

We are looking for a Project Coordinator - someone who can oversee the delivery of the project and coordinate and support the team of artists/creative people.

The person we are looking for…

● is well organised, solution-focused and kind

● they treat people fairly and value the contributions others make

● appreciates diversity and are open-minded and inclusive.

We want someone who…

● thinks expansively - seeing multiple ways to reach a goal, solve a problem, or improve a situation

● recognises opportunities and challenges assumptions

● values new ideas and approaches, and encourages creative thinking

● is hard-working and a good team player.

The person we are looking for will have experience of…

● Planning and delivering projects

● Managing community events - including publicizing the programs and enhancing participation

● Community engagement

● Working & Networking with a range of partners and stakeholders

● Project management including managing budgets

● Overseeing and supporting freelance workers and volunteers

● Monitoring projects

● Evaluating projects

● Writing reports

They will also need to have...

● a commitment to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion

● cultural sensitivity

● The ability to build the trust and to welcome all people including those from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds facing additional barriers.

● Strong understanding of the challenges faced by B/ME communities in areas of deprivation

● excellent written and oral communication skills

● the ability to work as part of a team

● self-motivation and the ability to use their own initiative

● Flexibility to adapt to the changing needs of our target communities

● Empathy and kindness

Ideally but not essential, they will have…

● A knowledge of Wester Hailes and or North Edinburgh communities

● An understanding of the issues facing people living in areas of deprivation

● Experience in using the arts to address community issues

● Experience in micro-enterprise development

● Fluency in at least 2 languages

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.