VisionPK is a charity providing a range of specialist services for those who have sight loss and hearing loss living in Perth and Kinross. We are at an exciting stage in our strategic development, and we are seeking new Trustees to join our Board. We are looking for people who act with empathy, respect and are passionate about our work. It is important that you understand the role and importance of governance in the third sector. We welcome applicants to this voluntary role from people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds and are keen to hear from people with lived experience of sight or hearing loss.

We are particularly interested to hear from people with the following skills and experience:

· Finance

· Media/PR / Marketing

· Digital / Technology

· Legal

· Fundraising

· Health and Social Care

Commitment:

The board meet bi-monthly and meetings are hybrid – online and face to face – so this may suit potential Board members who are further afield, although we would like you to have knowledge of Perth and Kinross.

The duration of Board meetings is usually no longer than 2 hours. All relevant papers are forwarded on a reasonable timescale, either via email or posted in hard copy.

Aside from the board meeting, additional time consideration should be given to allow time to read through relevant papers, follow up on any action points, and may involve attending occasional additional meetings, events, or strategy days.

There is also a half day induction session to attend, ideally face to face in VisionPK sensory Hub in Perth. This will provide an opportunity to meet some of the staff and find more out about VisionPK and becoming a board member.

This is a voluntary role, but VisionPK will cover relevant out-of-pocket travel and other expenses that would allow you to attend meetings.

Transforming the experience of child victims and witnesses in Scotland

Children 1st are looking for an exceptional and experienced operational leader to become our Bairns Hoose coordinator/service manager in Aberdeenshire. You will co-ordinate children’s journey through the Bairns Hoose, managing the space, liaising with agencies on behalf of children and their families and leading a team of advocacy and trauma recovery workers. Working within the Aberdeenshire Bairnshoose Development Group alongside Social Work, Police, Health and Justice colleagues to deliver on the ambition to offer children a trauma sensitive, rights-based and recovery focussed response to their care, protection, justice and recovery needs.

The Bairns Hoose is based on the European Barnahus, a child-friendly, multi-disciplinary, and interagency model of justice, care and recovery for children who are victims and witnesses of all forms of violence. A carefully designed place where all services and supports are child centred, rights- based and recovery focussed with Police, Social Work, Health, Court and recovery support services based under one roof.

This service demands a leader who is driven by children’s rights, is passionately committed to trauma responsive models and who has a background in delivering child centred, family minded support and multiagency services. You will lead our team of Rights, Advocacy and Trauma Recovery Workers and ensure the effective and efficient running of the Bairns Hoose. As a member of the Aberdeenshire Bairns Hoose partnership, you will build on the progress made to date and work towards achieving fully the aspiration of a Bairns Hoose for children and their families. As a key member of our Bairns Hoose Team, you will support our ambitions to have the highest quality Bairns Hoose delivering the greatest impact in the lives of children and families.

Our charity is a people and culture organisation. We put children’s rights and relationships at the heart of everything we do. We have ambitious plans for our Bairns Hoose to deliver on the Bairns’ Hoose National Standards, offering support to recover from the point at which children report abuse or harm, minimising the re-traumatisation of the justice and child protection system.

The Bairns Hoose Coordinator role is challenging due to the complexity of the systems change that Bairns Hoose seeks to achieve, requiring significant multiagency partnership working. The role also provides an exciting opportunity for you to develop new approaches to practice within child protection and justice that helps inform the way forward for Bairns Hoose in Scotland. You will shape and lead a high performing team focussed on achieving the best outcomes for children and their families. You will be an excellent communicator, creative, collaborative, inclusive and willing to work alongside our brilliant partners and leaders in Aberdeenshire to achieve our shared strategic vision for Bairns Hoose.

This is an exciting and unique opportunity to join us and play a critical part in transforming the lives of children and families in Scotland, ensuring that children’s voices are at the heart of our Bairns Hoose development and support.

About you

You will have substantial experience of leading a team delivering trauma sensitive support to children, young people and families. You will fully understand the ways in which the current justice and child protection systems retraumatise young people. You understand that ambitious change requires a clarity of purpose and vision and that as a leader it is your responsibility to communicate this. Your leadership and decision making are founded on a strong value base of doing the right thing by children and families at all times. You understand that strong professional, working relationships are the foundation of quality outcomes for children and families and high quality practice within your own team and with external stakeholders.

Knowing our ambition for children and young people, you will:

• Want to transform children’s lives
• Understand trauma and know that with the right support children and young people can recover – there is always a way
• Be able to build strong relationships, work collaboratively with partners and manage tricky conversations
• Be resilient and calm when under pressure – modelling a clear and accountable approach to leadership
• Be an outstanding communicator
• Be enthusiastic, driven and able to motivate and develop a professional team, inspiring colleagues to be even better
• Have a fierce passion for children’s rights and belief in working with children and families; not ‘doing to’
• Believe that it is a privilege to work with and on behalf of children and families and that their voices should be at the heart of service design
• Be kind and willing to bring your whole self to the job: heart and mind, above all else, you are someone who will do the right thing for children and their families at every turn.

If this sounds like you and your values align with ours then we would love to tell you more. An informal conversation with our Assistant Director can be arranged for interested candidates.

Further information

This a full-time role of 35 hours per week. You will work across the Aberdeenshire area. As you will be leading and developing a new service. Children1st are a relationship based organised and we need you to be a physically present ‘hands on leader’ of an amazing team who are similarly ‘hands on’ and ‘in person’ in their support of children and young people and families. The role may also involve occasional travel across Scotland.

Salary, Conditions, Pension

We will offer you a competitive salary, generous annual leave entitlement (40 days inclusive of 7 public holidays), flexible working opportunities and a contributory pension scheme. We also have a cash healthcare plan, cycle to work scheme and access to a credit union.

ASH Scotland is the leading charity campaigning for effective tobacco control legislation in Scotland. For more than 50 years, ASH Scotland has played a key role in raising awareness about tobacco use and its harmful effects and has contributed to the implementation of effective public health policies to help people who smoke to quit and to protect children from tobacco.

They seek to improve health and quality of life by helping to create a society which supports young people in remaining tobacco-free, helps those who want to stop smoking, protects people from second-hand smoke and challenges the inequalities resulting from use of tobacco and related products such as e-cigarettes. With a mission to create a tobacco-free generation in Scotland by 2034, ASH Scotland is focusing on generating a positive shift in social attitudes to establish a normal expectation of a tobacco-free environment, wherever in Scotland they live.

The Role

Your contribution will be vital in shaping both the long-term strategic vision and the day-to-day operational plans of the organisation. You'll assist in managing resources effectively and participate in evaluating and reporting on the outcomes of these plans.

Your responsibilities will extend to making strategic and operational decisions, ensuring effective implementation with the appropriate resource. You'll play a key role in developing policies related to smoking, health, and wellbeing, taking the lead on some and supporting others as needed.

Another important aspect of the role involves cohesive communication within the organisation and across teams, helping to ensure that information flows smoothly and effectively. Additionally, you'll be engaging with external stakeholders, managing relationships and partnerships on behalf of ASH Scotland, whilst identifying and developing opportunities to generate income and secure funding for the organisation.

In return, alongside a competitive salary, generous employer contribution, 7 weeks annual leave (pro rata), flexible working culture with an office requirement of once a week, you will have the opportunity to operate within an organisation operating at national level with a team who are supportive and passionate, whilst enabling you to use your professional skills and experience to deliver national objectives for Scotland.

Working for Erskine:

“ERSKINE is an iconic Scottish charity, formed in 1916 by Scotland’s compassionate response to the horrors of war. A century later, we still believe that Veterans and their families deserve our utmost respect and compassion, for the sacrifices they made and the challenges they now face. At Erskine, we work as a dedicated team to ensure that Veterans of all ages are cared for to the highest of standards in a beautiful, fun-filled environment, made up of two care homes and a Veterans Village of cottages, activities centre and apartments”.

Our Erskine Veterans Activity Centres (EVACs), and the skills, activities and sense of community which they offer, have been rightly described as life-changing and life-saving by military Veterans of all ages. EVACs are central to Erskine’s future plans. It is our strategic aim to create an EVAC in at least 5 regional locations across Scotland. They will not only support meaningful activities and wellbeing for members – they will become operating hubs for partner organisations and evolve into regional offices for our new Care and Support at Home services.

The people in our team are crucial to providing the best possible community support, so we recognise and reward our employees with benefits including employer pension contribution, fantastic career opportunities, and enhanced annual leave.

If you are kind and committed to the Veteran community, then you do have what it takes to be part of the team here at Erskine! We exist to offer exceptional care and support to our ex-service community and everyone in every role, in every department plays their part.

The Role:

The successful candidate will have responsibility for the development of a new Activities Centre in Forres, in line with Erskine’s strategic objectives of nationwide support to Veterans. The post holder will be responsible to the Regional Manager for the efficient and effective management of the Centre and will ensure that the services provided are safe, stimulating, meaningful and rewarding. The post holder will develop a staff team with an appropriate skills mix, ensuring person centred service delivery and a culture of pride and enthusiasm in the workplace. The successful candidate will also build networks and partnerships with relevant external agencies and internal departments to support the service and ensure maximum benefit for Veterans.

If you would like any further information about this role, please contact Debs Dickson, Regional Manager EVAC Services - debra.dickson@erskine.org.uk

Benefits:

• 28 days annual leave plus 5 public holidays, increasing to 33 days per year, at the rate of 1 additional day for 5 years

• Employer pension contribution

• Free payment of Disclosure Scotland Application

• Structured Induction programme

• Flexible working considered

• Fantastic progression opportunities with development, training and ongoing support

• Enhanced sick & maternity pay

• Occupational Health Service

• Access to credit union

• Free On-Site Parking

• Cycle to Work scheme

• Access to Employee Reward Scheme which provides a huge range of discounts on everything from holidays to high street shopping, restaurants and cinema tickets.