Work For Us
Who We Are
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 3700 Care Experienced members.
What We Do
At the heart of our work are the rights of Care Experienced people and the power of their voices to bring about change.
We provide individual relationship-based independent advocacy and a broad range of imaginative participatory opportunity for Care Experienced young people across Scotland; we work alongside corporate parents and communities of all sorts to broaden understanding; we work with policy makers, leaders and elected representatives locally and nationally to shape law, policy and practice on the basis of all that can be learnt from the voices of those with experience of care – working together to build on the aspirations of The Promise and secure positive change.
Join Our Team
Our people are our greatest asset! Without our incredible board, staff force and volunteers, we could not be successful in what we do, which is why we are proud to say Who Cares? Scotland is an award winning, people organisation.
We are committed to investing in our people, our relationships and in a positive working culture. It’s important to us that our staff team is included, involved and motivated to change society.
We aim to recruit people with excellent qualities from a wide variety of backgrounds who share in our mission, and we particularly welcome applications from individuals with care experience.
Why work for us?
We believe in building a diverse and inclusive organisation that is representative of and responsive to the needs of the Care Experienced community and our employees, volunteers, partners and stakeholders.
We currently maintain a target of 30% of our staff being Care Experienced at all levels.
We want to engage with like-minded people, with a great can-do attitude, who are passionate about achieving our vision of a lifetime of equality, respect and love for all Care Experienced people.
We are committed to the wellbeing and development of our staff because we know people can only perform at their best if those needs are being met.
We will support you in balancing your home and work life and ensure that your work and working environment contribute positively to your emotional and physical wellbeing. We value and respect people’s different backgrounds, characteristics, ideas and beliefs, and have a number of initiatives to connect people.
Our benefits
We’re committed to the welfare of our people and seek regular feedback about what matters to them. We do this through our staff surveys, our Joint Staff Consultative Committee (JSCC) and our working groups.
- 30 days annual leave, plus 7 set public holidays. We also offer additional 3 days annual leave for longer serving employees (5 years service) to thank them for their incredible contributions and hard work.
- 4 x annual salary life assurance cover.
- Group personal pension scheme, operated by Scottish Widows, with a 5% employer contribution.
Westfield Health (see Wellbeing for more detail)
- Salary Sacrifice towards your pension.
- Cycle to Work Scheme.
- Add a partner to Westfield Health offering your family support with mental and physical health and wellbeing.
- Flexible and family-friendly working policies, including:
- Flexi-time/ TOIL
- Flexible working patterns and locations as far as your role permits.
- Additional Maternity pay for employees who have had 2 plus years service with us.
- Enrolled into our Employee Assistance Programme, Westfield Health, our wellbeing package which provides fast access to diagnosis and treatment for body and mind, as well as money back on everyday health, fitness, and retail discounts; such as:
- 24 hours access to a team of confidential experts.
- Counselling and NPL training
- Money towards eye care and dental care, physio therapy and much more
- Gym membership discounts
- Supermarket, clothing, and food outlet discounts.
- Flexible and family-friendly working policies.
- The option to volunteer at and attend some of our great events such as Summer Camp.
We are committed to the development and growth of our staff, where individuals have the chance to discuss this annually, and more regular at support and supervision with their line manager, through our training needs analysis, and our workforce planning.
We believe that learning comes in a variety of ways: 70% of learning comes from just doing our job day to day (experience), 20% comes from connection and conversation with our managers and colleagues, as well as from our own reading, research and reflection (exposure), and 10% of our learning comes from more formal taught inputs such as courses or webinars (education).
We ensure that a variety of resources are available to all staff, including opportunities for shadowing, mentoring and coaching as well as more formal inputs and we gather this information through regular support and supervision conversations between staff and their line managers, through annual appraisals, annual Training Needs Analysis, and our Workforce Planning.
Education, Children and Young People Committee: You Said, They Did.
Since a meeting in March 2023 the members of the Education, Children and Young People Committee have been using it to influence decisions and discuss The Promise.
Who Cares? Scotland Publishes Finance Issue Paper
The second in our series of issue papers. This paper focuses on the most commonly raised issues for 16+ Care Experienced people contacting us for advocacy.
The 2024 Gala for Love
Held in August at the Radisson Blu in Glasgow, the Gala for Love raised £22,906 for Who Cares? Scotland, thanks to the generosity of our guests and sponsors. Alison Nicholson, Golden Jubilee Trust Partner, reflects on her experience helping to deliver the event.
Current Vacancies
Join our team where you will be looked after, nurtured and developed to help us achieve a lifetime of equality, respect, and love for Care Experienced people.
Looking to volunteer with us? Check out our Volunteer page.
This unique role requires you to listen to what children and young people with experience of care say and support them to ensure their rights are upheld and their voices are heard in the processes of making decisions about their lives. You will also help facilitate a broad range of participatory and engagement opportunities and create the conditions for collective advocacy.
FAQs
We’re currently not able to hold applications on file for posts that are not advertised. Please keep checking back regularly for details of our current vacancies. Follow us on social media for updates and alerts whenever we are recruiting.
If you have any queries about a vacancy or need help in applying for a post with Who Cares? Scotland, please contact our HR Team jobs@whocaresscotland.org
All Application and Equality Monitoring forms should be emailed to jobs@whocaresscotland.org. Please note that all forms should be submitted in word format wherever possible.
We ask that all applicants complete our Application Form. This ensures that everyone’s application is treated equally and provides us with the information we require. The Application Form provides an opportunity for you to explain and demonstrate how you meet the requirements for a post, and why you want to work with us. You may also choose to submit additional information with your application, but please do ensure that your application is fully completed.
We believe in building a diverse and inclusive workforce, and seek to ensure that all applicants are treated equally regardless of their care background, age, disability, gender, gender reassignment status, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership status or pregnancy/maternity status. The information you provide on the Equality Monitoring form helps us to monitor this. The Form is kept separate from your application and all information is treated in confidence. It is not used for selection purposes.
Staff stories
Introducing Haus of Seisay
Same-sex interracial couple, Tony and Thomas Seisay have created a unique charity to teach young Care Experienced people the art of hairdressing. Susie, from the Comms Team visited the salon to meet Thomas, have her hair done, and learn all about this exciting charity.
New Fundraising Manager #SteppingUp for Care Experienced People
Our new Fundraising and Partnerships Manager Lucy writes about her plans to take on the Edinburgh Kiltwalk.
Louise Hunter Looks Back at 2022
Louise Hunter, Chief Executive, reflects on a busy year at Who Cares? Scotland.
Catch up with Louise
Thomas and Marissa, WC?S members and members of the National Representative Body (NRB), caught up with our Chief Executive, Louise Hunter, in March 2022 to find out what she’d been up to.
Connecting Scotland
The power of connection has never been more imperative to our community. Read how Jemma Kerr and Connecting Scotland teamed up to support Care Experienced people.
Claudia Macdonald Leaves Who Cares? Scotland After 9 Years
Who Cares? Scotland Director of Influencing, Claudia Macdonald, has announced that she will be leaving the charity after nine years.
New Podcast Launched (Press release)
What do this comedian, wrestling champion and Member of Parliament all have in common?
Jamie Kinlochan awarded British Empire Medal in New Year Honours List
Who Cares? Scotland’s Public Affairs Manager, Jamie Kinlochan, will receive a British Empire Medal in the New Year Honours List 2021.
Helping In Any Way That I Can
Jemma writes about her experiences on the Who Cares? Scotland COVID support helpline.
Care Experience & The Poverty Trap: My Story
Kenny Murray writes about his personal experiences of Care Experience and Poverty
From Belfast to Bathgate; Care Experienced young people are the change.
Former WC?S Policy Assistant, Lynzy Hanvidge talks about going to Nothern Ireland to attend a political hustings as part of a Care Experienced panel.
Blog: I’m influencing change where it matters.
Dionne Mcnicol talks about what it is like to be a Care Experienced member of staff at Who Cares? Scotland.
