Community Advisor - National Advice Line

Scottish Autism; Alloa, Grangemouth; Hybrid; GBP 21,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Scottish Autism is seeking a Community Advisor to join our National Advice Line Team. You will provide free, accessible, and needs-led support to autistic people, families and professionals, helping them navigate information and services.

You will work with the Senior Community Advisor to deliver autism-specific information, listen to lived experiences, and connect people with the support they need. The role blends home working with occasional outreach across Scotland.

Qualifications

• Professional autism practice experience with ability to translate theory into practical advice.
• Lived experience of autism welcomed, with strong professional foundation.
• Contemporary knowledge of autism across the lifespan.
• Experience supporting individuals in complex distress or confusion.
• Excellent listening and interpersonal skills to identify needs and options.
• Ability to work across diverse settings delivering tailored support.
• Ability to self-manage and organise diverse workstreams.
• Sound knowledge of education, health and social service contexts in Scotland.
• Align with organisational values.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver advice, information, support and guidance via our advice line.
• Support autistic people, families to access our free community services and events (Get Set 4 Autism, Click and Connect).
• Promote awareness and understanding of the needs of autistic people among parents, carers and communities.
• Identify gaps in access to information and inform development of community services.
• Support the delivery of new projects and community services as they develop.

Skills

Professional autism practice

Lived experience of autism

Listening skills

Person-centred support

Diversity awareness

Self-management

Scotland education/health/social care

Job description

Embracing Difference, Leading Change

Please note we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.

Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of autistic people and their families? We're looking for a Community Advisor to join our National Advice Line Team!

Working closely with the Senior Community Advisor, you will provide free, accessible and needs-led support to autistic people, families and professionals. The Advice Line supports thousands of enquiries each year and plays a vital role in shaping wider Scottish Autism services and community supports. Every day brings opportunities to listen, advise, empower and connect people with the information and support they need.

Every day is different. You may be providing autism-specific information and advice, listening to lived experiences, or helping families and professionals navigate the wider support landscape.

This role offers a blend of home working and travel to support outreach and engagement across autistic/autism communities, as well as our commissioned support services. Community engagement varies according to local needs and service priorities, so a degree of flexibility is required.

In this role you will:

• Develop and deliver advice, information, support and guidance to autistic people, their families and professionals via our advice line.
• Support autistic people, and their parents and carers to access our free to access community advice services and events, such as Get Set 4 Autism and Click and Connect.
• Promote awareness and understanding of the needs of autistic people amongst parents and carers, as well as communities.
• Identify gaps in access to information and support, to inform development of community advice services.
• Support the delivery of new projects and community services as they develop.

About you:

• You’ll have professional autism practice experience, with the ability to translate complex theoretical knowledge into accessible and practical advice.
• We welcome lived experience of autism, supported by a strong foundation of professional practice, and an understanding of the diversity of autistic experience.
• Contemporary knowledge and understanding of autism, autistic people and their families across the lifespan, with the ability to provide enabling, person-centred support that empowers individuals.
• Experience of supporting individuals in complex situations, including those experiencing heightened levels of distress or confusion.
• Excellent listening and interpersonal skills, with the ability to identify individual underlying needs, explore options and pathways collaboratively, and provide meaningful, person-centred support, recognising that immediate resolution may not always be possible.
• Ability to work across a diverse range of settings, delivering and facilitating individual and group-based support tailored to the needs of different audiences, including autistic people, and parents or carers.
• Ability to self-manage and organise diverse workstreams.
• Sound knowledge of education, health and social service contexts across Scotland as they apply to autistic people and their families.
• Align with our organisational values.