Advertised from 22 April 2026

Role

Harmeny Education Trust is a charitable organisation providing therapeutic care and education to children who have experienced early years trauma through abuse, neglect and family disruption, referred from all over Scotland. We currently work with children and young people aged 5-18, both on a day and all-year-round residential basis. 

Our core service comprises:  

An education service, which includes an outdoor learning team. 

A care service, with five residential cottages. 

Support services, made up of Finance, Estates, Catering and Domestic, Fundraising, IT, HR, Learning and Development, and Admin teams. 

Children who come to Harmeny often have severe attachment disorders, have suffered some form of early years trauma leading to high levels of anxiety and difficulty in managing their behaviour, as well as a range of complex needs. Through highly therapeutic care and education programmes, we help children to gain the skills and resilience to lead healthy and happy adult lives. 

We are registered with the Scottish Social Services Council, General Teaching Council for Scotland, Care Inspectorate, Education Scotland, and The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR). 

Harmeny is situated in a beautiful 35-acre woodland estate, which includes a community garden, orchard, wildlife habitats, children’s play areas and a mountain bike track. Harmeny is located in Balerno on the outskirts of Edinburgh, at the foot of the Pentland Hills; we are easily accessible by bus and there is ample parking. 

We are seeking new Trustees to join the organisation and oversee its governance, and we are particularly keen to find candidates with knowledge and experience in any of the following: 

Education 

Local authorities/Social work 

Therapeutic practices 

Digital 

Corporate 

Finance and Treasury 

PR/Marketing/ Media 

Fundraising 

Health (ideally mental health/ neurodiversity) 

Trustees are expected to prepare for and attend four Board meetings per year. Meetings are ideally in-person, albeit we can accommodate remote attendance as required. Additional meetings may be held for urgent matters that do not fit with the set calendar of meetings. 

Trustees are also expected to be involved in other matters, for example to join a sub-committee relevant to their skill set or working group, take part in a recruitment panel, attend Harmeny events, attend meetings with the Senior Leadership Team to audit progress against objectives, or support Harmeny’s work externally. Sub-committees meet in advance of the main meetings for a shorter duration, and are generally conducted virtually. 

Harmeny is committed to equality of opportunity and the promotion of diversity, including in relation to its Board. We welcome applications from all parts of society, and we encourage applications from individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds and those who are care-experienced. 

This is an exciting opportunity to join a team of Trustees in a friendly organisation making a difference to the lives of some of Scotland’s most remarkable children. Support and mentoring can be provided to the successful candidate, particularly those who may be early in their career and/or lacking experience in acting as a board member. An induction programme will be provided. 

A fuller job description and person specification can be found using the link below. Harmeny is a values-led organisation and a good fit with our ethos is as important to us as having relevant experience. 

There is no remuneration attached to the role but out-of-pocket expenses will be reimbursed. 

If you would like to find out more about this rewarding opportunity, please contact Gavin Calder, Chief Executive on 0131 449 3938.

Application notes

To apply, please complete an application via our recruitment site at http://www.harmeny.org.uk/jobs. Alternatively, you can request an application pack by email at recruitment@harmeny.org.uk or by telephone on 0131 449 3938. 

Successful applicants will be interviewed, and anyone offered a post will be subject to criminal record and other background checks. 

Closing date: 8 May 2026

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