VOCAL (Voice of Carers Across Lothian) is seeking a talented and enthusiastic individual to undertake a new, fast-paced and varied role within the Communications Team, supporting VOCAL’s communications and engagement functions.

The Communications Team aims to develop and expand VOCAL’s reach to increase carer awareness and identification, promote carer engagement and VOCAL’s services, and to build cross sector partnerships and synergies. From social media and website development, to email marketing and leaflet production, the team is responsible for a wide range of outputs and platforms.

The Communications and Engagement Assistant will have excellent communication and interpersonal skills combined with some previous experience in a communications, engagement, marketing or digital role. They will have experience of: using communications channels, including social media, email marketing; website development and design development; and knowledge of content management systems.

Circle is a Scottish charity providing whole family support services to some of the most marginalised children and families in Scotland. We have recently partnered with Scottish Families Affected by Drugs and Alcohol as an ‘early adopter’ site across East Lothian to deliver the Grow Your Own Routes programme. This programme will support young people affected by family substance use.

We have an exciting opportunity for a committed and enthusiastic individual to join our team.

Funded by Scottish Government’s Whole Family Wellbeing Fund for three years, Grow Your Own Routes aims to ensure that young people affected by substance use are visible, have a voice and are empowered to effect change.

The team aims to reduce harm and the impact of substance use on young people by offering strengths-based and co-produced one-to-one, peer, advocacy and group work in youth and community settings.

Funded until 31 March 2026

Applicants should possess a qualification in youth and community work, social work, social care, health or education, and have relevant experience.

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.

Volunteering Matters are looking for a talented, dynamic, and professional Engagement Manager to join our team in the City of Edinburgh. The right candidate would be someone who can work flexibly, while demonstrating a strong understanding and commitment to our organisational values.

In this role you will work as part of a small staff team, coordinating the delivery and development of our established Family Supporters programme across the City of Edinburgh.

Family Supporters is an effective mentoring programme which offers practical, emotional, and social support to parents and families across Edinburgh, empowering them to face a range of life challenges and issues. We recruit, train and match dedicated, local volunteers to help families every step of the way, spending 1-1 time together on a personalised set of goals chosen by the family, for the family.

The programme supports parents and families in lots of ways such as help to access Employment, further Education or Training, improved living standards, budgeting skills, healthier eating, better school life and behaviour, access to physical and mental health and wellbeing resources/aid, as well as introducing parents to community resources and volunteering, to name a few.

This role has a particular focus on supporting parents/families who are New Scots (Refugee’s, Asylum Seekers, Displaced people) as well as parents/families from ethnically diverse backgrounds. Further details and information on Family Supporters Edinburgh can be found on the Volunteering Matters website.

Skills / Knowledge Required

· Excellent knowledge & understanding of the life challenges and issues that families face in Scottish society, particularly New Scots, or families from ethnically diverse backgrounds

· An understanding of how to assess the needs of an individual using a person-centered approach

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills including being able to have strategic conversations with partners and stakeholders one minute, and talk to an anxious or unsure parent

· Excellent people skills with the ability to build professional, long-term relationships with various stakeholders, to influence and motivate others

· Excellent organisational and IT skills including the ability to manage workload, prioritise effectively and strong attention to detail

· Able to use own initiative and work independently at times

Experience Required

· Significant experience working directly with families, particularly those who face barriers/life challenges

· Experience in supporting volunteers through quality Volunteer Management practices

· Evidence of relationship management experience with a wide range of stakeholders

· Experience of project coordination, achieving high targets, a busy workload and working to strict deadlines

· Proven ability to communicate effectively and work as part of a larger regional team

· Experience in Safeguarding / Child Protection / Adult Protection

· Understanding of, and full commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Qualifications

Relevant experience and an understanding and commitment to our organisational values is more important for this role than any specific qualifications.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

• Consistently role modelling and displaying Volunteering Matters organisational values Contribute to effective teamwork across the regional team and the wider charity, in line with our “flexible working by default” and “self-managed teams” philosophy

• Deliver and develop the Family Supporters programme across the City of Edinburgh, meeting ambitious targets and milestones, ensuring all families/parents engaged achieve positive outcomes

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders including colleagues, volunteers, families, social work, NHS, Education partners, third sector organisations and others.

• Effective recruitment, selection, training, and ongoing support of a diverse pool of talented and dedicated volunteer mentors from a wide cross-section of the community

• To maintain Volunteering Matters standards around quality and effective Volunteer Management

• To manage all elements of family’s experience, from referral to completion of their support journey

• To manage the risk assessment, safeguarding, quality assurance and audit processes as appropriate

• Ensure monitoring, impact and evaluation information is collected and that Family Supporters meets it’s agreed targets, reporting format and schedule. Assist the Project Manager by preparing Impact Reports.

• Administration tasks including maintaining effective and accessible records, the use of Microsoft Office, Teams, Zoom and other software such as Canva (use to develop relevant promotional material and information)

Other

Part of your working week will be based in local Edinburgh communities, meeting families, volunteers, colleagues, and other stakeholders. For the remainder of the time, you can choose to work from home (must be based locally) or from our Edinburgh office premises (EH7 5JT). If working from home, you will need good internet access and a suitable home working environment. All I.T. equipment, mobile phone and infrastructure will be supplied by our organisation.