Who Cares? Scotland is Scotland’s only national independent membership organisation for Care Experienced people. Our mission is to secure a lifetime of equality, respect, and love for Care Experienced people in Scotland and we currently have over 3,500 Care Experienced members.   

At the heart of Who Cares? Scotland’s work are the rights of Care Experienced people, and the power of their voices to bring about positive change. We provide individual lifelong relationship-based independent advocacy and a broad range of imaginative participatory and engagement opportunities for Care Experienced people across Scotland.  We work alongside Corporate Parents and communities to broaden understanding and create change. We work with policy makers, leaders, and elected representatives locally and nationally to shape law, policy and practice, working together to build on the aspirations of The Promise and secure positive change.     

This Development Officer post is central in facilitating East Lothian Champions Board and ‘Communities that Care’ activities for Care Experienced children and young people in our South East region. Responsible for maximizing the networks through which Care Experienced young people can connect and grow as individuals, you will help to develop schools work participation through the organisation of ‘Communities that Care’ activities. Whilst forming relationships with community groups and local partners, you will also lead the wider Champions Board team and line manage the Champions Board Participation Assistant.  Building upon your experience working with children and young people, you will help to support them to engage with East Lothian Champions Board Meetings, as well as ‘Communities that Care’ activities. You will also aid team members in utilising their own youth work and/or community engagement skills, working collaboratively with organisational partners, Local Authorities, and other public services across East Lothian/Edinburgh.   

As part of your Development Officer (Champions Board/Communities that Care) role you will collaborate with our Advocacy and Participation Manager to identify, attract, and monitor local funding and fundraising opportunities. Ensuring funding for our Champions Board/ ‘Communities that Care’ projects, you will enhance our local offering to Care Experienced people, helping to support belonging and participation activities. These core activities include connection sessions; issue-based group work; creative based group work; collective advocacy and focus groups; as well as forums and events. Whilst doing so, you will develop and maintain good working relationships with relevant regional organisations across Edinburgh and East Lothian, gaining experience in awareness-raising and promotion. In post, your reports in relation to the impact of your work with the Champions Board and local communities will bolster the evidence base to influence local policy initiatives, such as The Promise. The post will also allow you to work with other regional teams to develop their own ‘Communities that Care’ activity, and to collaborate with teams cross Who Cares? Scotland more widely, ensuring that our members are benefitting nationally from WC?S activities and programmes.  

This role offers the opportunity to help ensure that the Champions Board and local community in the South East are environments where the voices, views, and experiences of Care Experienced children and young people are heard, and to bring about positive change. As an ambassador for Who Cares? Scotland, you will be joining the team at an exciting time, when the voice of those who are in or have experienced care is growing rapidly across Scotland – bringing with it insight, challenge, and hope.   

The right candidate for this position will be able to form positive and compassionate relationships with children and young people and have good interpersonal skills, as well as experience in inter-agency and inter-disciplinary working. You feel confident communicating and leading, with a solution focussed attitude. As well as evidencing your work, you can prioritise and meet deadlines. You hold knowledge of the current structure, developments, policy, and practice in relation to children and young people experiencing care in Scotland.  You are flexible, given the remit of the role, as some evening and weekend work will be necessary, along with a full driving licence and access to transport.   

While we would welcome the knowledge gathered through relevant qualifications, we are just as interested in relevant work experience. We welcome and encourage applications from those with experience of care.  

If this sounds like the role for you, we would love to hear from you. For an informal conversation about this opportunity please contact Jordan Croan, our South East Advocacy and Participation Manager on jcroan@whocaresscotland.org.

Closing date for applications is Thursday 22nd June. 

Interviews will be held in person on Thursday 29th June.