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The voice of Scotland’s vibrant voluntary sector

Published by Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations

TFN is published by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, Mansfield Traquair Centre, 15 Mansfield Place, Edinburgh, EH3 6BB. The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Registration number SC003558.

ProjectScotland appoints new director

This news post is over 4 years old
 

Former Samaritans executive James Jopling will take on the role in September.

ProjectScotland has appointed former Samaritans executive James Jopling as its new director.

Jopling will take up the position with the volunteering charity in September, bringing a wealth of third sector experience to the role.

He has served as the Samaritans’ executive director for Scotland since 2015, and led award-winning campaigns and partnership activities at organisations including Breakthrough Breast Cancer and Shelter Scotland.

Jopling is also a trustee of the Scottish Refugee Council, was formerly a trustee of The Social Bite Fund, and is a passionate believer in the power of volunteering.

He said: “It is almost 25 years ago to the month since I started as a full-time volunteer at Oxfam in Scotland.

“I had little idea then what my life would hold. That experience was the foundation of everything I have done professionally and helped me become the person I am.

“I am hugely excited to join an organisation with such clear ambition to provide similar opportunities to young people right across the country. We want to help young people find a fulfilling place within the world of work and to deliver a variety of positive outcomes within the community. I can’t wait to get started.”

ProjectScotland empowers people to play an active role in their communities through volunteering and mentorship programmes, designed to provide structured opportunities to support people with barriers and challenges to engagement and employment.

Jopling, who will take up the post at the beginning of September, will report in his new role to ProjectScotland’s outgoing chief executive Paul Reddish, who is joining Volunteering Matters in an equivalent role.

In an innovative alignment between both charities that aims to widen access to volunteering opportunities in Scotland, the two organisations will build on their existing strategic partnership on a number of projects to provide services which support people to volunteer across the UK and Scotland.

Raymond O’Hare, chair of ProjectScotland said: “We are pleased that James is coming on board at Project Scotland to help our drive to open doors to young people to find rewarding volunteering opportunities and to support our partners and businesses in channelling them into rewarding, fulfilling roles.

“As an organisation, we believe he will strengthen our team and provide leadership as we grow internally and through our collaborations with Volunteering Matters.”