Closing date: 10 December 2019 at 11.30pm
We’re looking for a proactive individual with experience of using community organising approaches and/or working in a
charity, political or social campaigning environment to join us as a Community Organiser. Experience of local
political and policymaking systems and how to influence them is also required.
A decent, safe and affordable home is a fundamental human need, yet tens of thousands of people across Scotland
struggle on a daily basis with homelessness, bad housing conditions, unaffordable rents and the threat of
eviction. Our strategy sets out a new approach to support local communities to demand long term solutions to
this housing emergency, including the delivery of more social housing and to defend hard-won housing rights. To
achieve this we are creating a network of Community Organisers, who will be located in each of our Hubs in
Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee by the end of our three year strategy.
Community Organising differs significantly from one-off charity campaigning and service user participation or
co-production as an approach to achieving change. It is a process that seeks to put power in the hands of the
people affected by a social injustice or societal problems. We need ambitious individuals who are passionate
about our cause to join us at this exciting time. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change
we are striving to achieve in Glasgow.
Organising, engaging, influencing and working in local communities is critical to all that we do, and this includes
running national and local campaigns, influencing politicians and working to build a network of active and
motivated campaign supporters. Join us, and you could soon be helping to grow and develop local activism in
Glasgow.
About the role
As a Community Organiser, you’ll play an important role in developing local community responses to the housing
emergency in and around Glasgow, coordinating and delivering a range of community-based activity including
rights awareness workshops and developing and facilitating local activist groups. You will develop local
knowledge and create a community organising plan, working closely with the teams in the Glasgow hub and across
Shelter Scotland.
We will rely on you to build on existing national and local campaigns and priorities and develop that further in the
Glasgow context. Understanding the local dynamic, identifying opportunities, managing projects and motivating
others to get involved will also be a large part of this role. You will work closely with the various teams
including Glasgow Hub, Campaigns, Policy and Communication amongst others, to ensure the Glasgow community
organising activity aligns with existing workstreams and national priorities.
About you
As well as experience of delivering effective community organising activity and/or working in a charity/social
campaigning environment, you have a good understanding of local political and policymaking systems and how they
operate. We’re also looking for a proven ability to work with and represent an organisation effectively to a
range of stakeholders. A good project manager, with lots of enthusiasm and a ‘can-do’ approach, you have strong
influencing and negotiating skills too. Finally, while prior housing and homelessness working experience is not
a requirement, you’ll need a passion for Shelter Scotland’s issues. A good, affordable, safe and secure home is
critical to all of us, yet this is being denied to an increasing number of people. You’ll thrive on the
challenge of taking on this issue, working with the community to create relevant campaigns and making it a local
priority.
Benefits
We offer a wide range of benefits, including 30 days of annual leave, enhanced family friendly policies, pension and
interest free travel loans. Our employees also have access to a tenancy deposit loan, payroll giving, cycle to
work scheme and an employee assistance programme.
Shelter Scotland helps millions of people every year struggling with bad housing or homelessness through our advice,
support and legal services. And we campaign to make sure that, one day, no one will have to turn to us for help.
We’re here so no one has to fight bad housing or homelessness on their own.
To find out more about the role and the benefits of working for Shelter Scotland please visit our website. Apply to
be part of our team and be the change you want to see in society.
Safeguarding is everyone’s business. Shelter Scotland is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and human
rights of those we support, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. All our staff will be
expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in line with our Safeguarding
Policies.
At Shelter Scotland, we welcome and encourage applications from everyone regardless of age, disability, gender,
ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation. We also encourage applications from people, who have been homeless
or have been at risk of homelessness. We are facing diverse problems, so need diverse people to tackle
them.
Shelter Scotland does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated
with them.