Our staff team are dedicated to supporting asylum seekers, refugees and migrants in Edinburgh.
We have a wide range of skills and experience, including language teaching, group facilitation and project management.
We are led by a Board of Directors, our Chief Executive Officer, Tesfu Gessesse and the Leadership Team.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Tesfu is responsible for providing the team with strategic direction and vision to achieve the organisation's mission. He collaborates with the Board of Directors to develop and implement strategic plans and ensures the organisation's effective functioning. As CEO, Tesfu is also responsible for the following five areas.
Leadership & Strategy:
Provide strategic direction and collaborate with the Board to achieve the organisation's mission.
Organisational Management:
Tesfu oversees operations financial management and fosters a collaborative culture.
Organisational Sustainability & Development:
Implement strategies to secure funding and build key stakeholder relationships.
Advocacy & External Relations:
Represent the organisation externally and advocate for mission-aligned policies.
Communication & Branding:
Manage communications and public relations and enhance organisational visibility.
Leadership Team
The Training and Employability Lead, a vital role in The Welcoming Association, is dedicated to enhancing the training and employability prospects of our New Scots service users. In her role, Sandra directly impacts these service users' lives, ensuring the quality and effectiveness of our training and employability programs.
These initiatives are not just about skills development but about empowering service users to reach their full potential, helping them to develop English language skills and access relevant work, volunteering, and training opportunities that align with their qualifications and interests.
Sandra's key responsibilities as the Training and Employability Lead include working closely with the CEO to develop and implement a strategic vision for our programs, managing a team of project coordinators, and directly supporting service users through coaching and workshops. Sandra’s role also extends to building partnerships with local agencies while ensuring effective monitoring and evaluation of all activities. Notably, Sandra's contribution to securing funding and reporting to funders is crucial for the sustainability and growth of our services.
Managing our finances and bookkeeping. Preparing budgets and management accounts. Reporting to the Board of Trustees, external stakeholders and funders.
Sophie is responsible for managing day-to-day operations in the office and acting as the first point of contact for new service users, volunteers and visitors.
Her varied role involves managing the team of reception volunteers, responding to enquiries, providing support to service users, overseeing Health and Safety and supporting the CEO with HR matters.
Development Workers and Coordinators
Coordinating our free English classes and courses for New Scots. Supporting our volunteer teachers to deliver classes. Supervising the delivery of activities with the CEC Resettlement Programme.
Facilitating online and face-to-face group activities for New Scots as part of the Befriending Programme. Supporting New Scots to make connections, develop friendships and feel at home in their new communities.
Jenni manages the website, social media and press relations for The Welcoming. Supporting the leadership team with planning campaigns and fundraising.
In her role, Jenni supports the team in creating relevant and engaging communications and marketing materials to showcase activities and achievements, as well as helping to organise events and workshops at The Welcoming.
Email for press enquiries and campaign collaborations.
Responsible for running The Welcoming’s Home Energy programme, providing free and impartial home energy advice and support to New Scots households in Edinburgh.
Coordinating The Welcoming’s Home Energy programme involves delivering one-to-one advice appointments and home energy visits, managing casework, producing funding reports, and keeping up-to-date with new developments in the home energy sector.
Laura organises and runs the Getting Ready for Opportunities and Work (GROW) course as part of the employability team. These courses support New Scots in preparing for work in Scotland and are run continuously throughout the year.
In her role, Laura offers support and guidance to New Scots on any issues around employment and helps to prepare them for the workplace.