About Aberlour …

We are a values driven organisation delivering over 40 services across Scotland supporting children, young people and families.

The views of our children, young people and families are critical in shaping the support they receive as well as helping us shape internal polices and influence national policy makers. The rights of children and young people are at the forefront of decision making and policy development in Scotland thanks to the introduction of the Promise and the UNCRC. Our work aims to ensure the voices and views of children and young people we work with are at the centre of decision making and policy development within Aberlour and across Scotland.

What we are looking for...

You will work directly with children and young people, parents and carers, to identify appropriate and accessible ways for them to participate meaningfully in activities designed to help them share their views and experiences.

You will also support staff to ensure that all Aberlour services are able to demonstrate the active and meaningful participation of children, young people and families in decision making, policy making and service planning.

You will have experience of working in a social care environment supporting children and young people and will have an understanding of children and young people’s rights.

Please see the job description on our website for further details about the role along with the required qualification level and knowledge.

What we offer...

As well as a supportive team, we want all our employees to feel valued and rewarded for the vital work they do. When you work with us, we'll recognise your efforts with generous annual leave, an excellent employer pension scheme, life assurance worth 3x salary and a range of deals and discounts across various retailers.

About Aberlour …

We are a values driven organisation delivering over 40 services across Scotland supporting children, young people and families.

We have a strong record of using knowledge and evidence from our work to campaign for the rights of children, young people and families across Scotland. Furthermore, the views of our children, young people and families are critical in shaping the support they receive as well as helping us shape internal polices and influence national policy makers.

What we are looking for...

You will work with our rights and participation team to identify appropriate ways for children, young people and families to share their views and experiences to help influence and inform Aberlour’s policy, influencing and campaigning work.

You will help analyse the political landscape to assess legislative and policy changes that impact the work of Aberlour.

You will have knowledge of the current Scottish political systems at a national and local level particularly relating to policy areas that impact on children and young people such as the UNCRC and The Promise. You will have experience working in the third sector along with skills in research and analysis. You will have a track record working directly with children and young people to amplify their voices and views to influence policy and decision making.

Please see the job description for further details on our website about the role along with the required qualification level.

What we offer...

As well as a supportive team, we want all our employees to feel valued and rewarded for the vital work they do. When you work with us, we'll recognise your efforts with generous annual leave, an excellent employer pension scheme, life assurance worth 3x salary and a range of deals and discounts across various retailers.

BACKGROUND

The Association for Fostering, Kinship and Adoption Scotland (AFKA) is an independent charity that promotes and facilitates evidence-informed best practice in fostering, kinship care and adoption, through advising, training, and influencing practitioners and policymakers, and supporting them to improve outcomes for children and families.

Our Vision is a future where every practitioner working with children, young people and their families is knowledgeable, skilled, confident, and empowered to support the safe, secure, and loving care to which every child has a right.

Our services support agencies and professionals to implement child centred, evidenced informed practice that involves children and their families in decisions about their lives, protect their rights and promotes inclusion. Through our multi-disciplinary communities of practice, we enable social workers, lawyers, and health professionals to work effectively across professional boundaries to meet the needs of children, their families, and their Carers. As a membership organisation, AFKA Scotland uses its links with professional bodies and agencies across the country to contribute to the development of policy and practice at a local and national level. We have a collaborative agreement with CoramBAAF.

AFKA Scotland’s multi-disciplinary team has a wealth of experience and up-to-date expertise in practice relating to kinship care, fostering and adoption and delivers a wide range of workshops, training and consultancy, post qualifying courses, and conferences to assist professionals to develop the knowledge and skills they require when working in this specialist area.

We work closely with our research colleagues in AFKA Scotland, and our research underpins our evidence informed approach. We are committed to #keepthepromise, have been instrumental in promise funded work and have been on a journey to adapt to the changing landscape of care in Scotland.

We are seeking to recruit a highly experienced and motivated individual to the role of Administrative Assistant. This role is key in supporting the Business Support and Finance Manager in the day-to-day operational activities of the organisation and to the smooth delivery of our Forums, training and workshop activities.

JOB SPECIFICATION

PURPOSE

To provide administrative support to the Business Support & Finance Manager on a day-to-day basis and to support the overall work of the organisation.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

National Practitioner Forums and Consortia - in conjunction with lead facilitator, manage the arrangements for the full range of forums and consortia meetings, including setting dates, sending out agendas, formatting and sending out final notes, collating meeting papers, and keeping distribution lists up-to-date.

Support training and development events (Commissioned Training, Conferences and workshops) – in conjunction with Trainer/Consultants, provide administrative support for management of events including: finalising training materials for training booklets, creating and sending out booking forms; logging bookings and maintaining database; preparing attendance certificates for participants at all external events; create , collate and analyse evaluation form returns.

Information Technology – Support staff in their use of IT apps and platforms when they are producing materials or delivering training.

General Administration – Undertake a range of administrative tasks to support the work of the organisation including:

• In conjunction with the Business Support & Finance Manager plan and monitor the action required to run the planned programme of events.
• Telephones - answer the phone and pass messages to staff as appropriate.
• Email - check generic emails and respond / forward messages as appropriate.
• Photocopying – where required, photocopy training materials / meeting papers for all events.
• Banking/Post Office – posting office mail and banking cheques when required.
• Library – maintain database and record when books taken out on loan.
• Take notes at staff meetings.

Scotland’s Adoption Register - provide administrative support to Register staff including support for the running of family finding events when required.

Advice Line Enquiries – record all enquiries, forward to staff, follow up as required, maintain records of completion dates and provide statistical information to Business Support & Finance Manager.

Participation in conferences and other external events – provide administrative support for the running of events as part of the AFKA Scotland team.

Experience

Essential

• A working knowledge of an office environment
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Ability to work on own initiative

Desirable

• Personal or professional experience of the care system
• Experience of working as part of small enterprise or charity

Knowledge, skills and abilities

Essential

• Computer literate in a range of computer processes which must include Microsoft Access, Word, PowerPoint and Excel and have proficient keyboard skills
• Familiarity with Microsoft 365 including MS Teams
• Working knowledge of social media platforms
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and telephone manner
• Ability to collate and analyse information and to produce accurate, well presented documents
• Self-motivating with excellent organisational skills

Attitude and beliefs

Essential

• Positive, problem solving and resourceful
• Clear understanding of the need to maintain confidentiality
• Flexible working approach

Base: Office - 3 days / Home - 2 days (if desired).

Organisational Relationships:Line Managed by the Business Support & Finance Manager / Responsible to the Executive Director.

Circle is a children and families charity working at the heart of communities across central Scotland. Our purpose is to improve the lives of children by strengthening families.

Circle’s approach builds on strengths, is solution focussed and uses a whole family approach to create a family environment that promotes healthy development in children.

Offering peer support across Edinburgh to parents who are affected by substance use.

We have an exciting opportunity for a committed and enthusiastic individual to join our Harbour team and be part of delivering a service for parents, children and young people affected by parental substance use in Edinburgh.

Funded by Scottish Government, and administered by Corra Foundation, our project aims to develop family inclusive practice and involve families in the development of group opportunities within the recovery community.

The post holder will work alongside families to ensure that their views and experiences inform not only their support, but wider family inclusive practice.

Applicants should be parents and have lived experience of substance use.

Expected to be funded until 31 March 2027

We offer excellent staff benefits including a competitive salary, generous pension contribution, flexible working, an employee assistance programme and generous annual leave.

We are committed to finding the right people for the jobs that we advertise.