Looking to make a difference? STAND International take groups of volunteers/learners who are socially or economically disadvantaged who are living in Scotland along with mentors and provide short term volunteering opportunities abroad. STAND International provide Short term volunteering opportunities abroad for people who have experienced being socially or economically disadvantaged in Scotland, to travel overseas to in 2020. Enabling volunteers to become involved in a supported group of people, varying in size from 8 to 15 people and travelling from Scotland to a different country. Whilst abroad volunteers are supposed to assist in various opportunities from renovation and construction work, children's camps, camp's for kids and adults with disabilities or working with animals and environmental work. The majority of the costs to take part are covered by our funders however volunteers are expected to do some fundraising towards the trip. As well as full pre departure training. Volunteers may also receive 3 months support upon returning to Scotland to ensure they can harness their new found learning into either further training, employment or volunteering opportunities in Scotland. As well as short-term volunteer opportunities we have places available for mentors. Mentors provide support and assistance to volunteers while they take on the challenge of volunteering abroad as well as additional support for 3 months upon return to Scotland enabling volunteers to best utilise the experience gained. Mentor costs are covered although there is some expectation of securing some matched funding. There is an option for those who perhaps did not feel that they had the skills or experience to become mentors to join the team as a trainee mentor. This year we have opened non-funded places to volunteers who do not meet the funding requirements. This will enable volunteers who do not meet the funding criteria to take part in a trip to Belarus by funding their place. The changes regarding non-funded places have been in response to a number of enquiries and subsequence discussions with individuals and referring agencies that like STAND International wish to ensure that access to the opportunity to assist others in the wider global village is open to any person who wishes to take part. We have 6 trips planned for 2020, 2 trips to Belarus and 4 to Romania. The age range of volunteers to Belarus is 16 - 28 years and Romania is from 16 - 65 years old allowing for a greater number of people to participate. ROMANIA trips - March, May, August and October 2020 BELARUS trips - July & September 2020 If you are interested in any of the above and want to discuss any of this further or want to chat through possible referrals then please drop me an email or give me a call on 01315559102 or email morag.crichton@standinternational.org or steven.ferguson@standinternational.org

What does being a speaker involve? •Identifying and sourcing opportunities to deliver talks to groups, clubs and organisations in your local area. •Talks should be natural, enthusiastic and passionate about sharing our life changing stories, highlighting the difference GD continues to make to people’s lives who are living with sight loss. •Attending cheque presentations and corporate supporters of Guide Dogs when requested by the local Guide Dogs team in order to grow their support and passing on any donations received •Encouraging local organisations and groups to support and fundraise for Guide Dogs.

Running a successful Barnardo's store requires a great team of enthusiastic volunteers and you could be a part of it. Our retail assistants are trained to undertake a wide range of activities such as serving customers, taking receipt of stock donations from the public and merchandising stock to make our rails visually appealling and tidy. Volunteering with us in retail will provide a great opportunity to build upon your communication, team working and customer service skills. If you also have a particular skill or interest, our teams would be delighted to discuss how we could help you utilise your interests in store. Whatever your talents, please do share with us and pop into your local store to enquire about volunteering.

The Befriending Service runs a number of groups and activities for lonely or socially isolated adults in East Dunbartonshire. Drivers would assist by transporting clients, allowing them to get out and meet new friends. The befrienders role is to provide companionship and support to socially isolated adults, 18 years and over, resident in East Dunbartonshire. Services available include one to one befriending, group befriending, telephone services and a number of lunch clubs. In addition, there are regular social events throughout the year. Many people have difficulty in accessing public transport, so there is great need for volunteer drivers to assist people to attend these groups, activities and events. Assistance with transport would enable many more people to interact with others and remain part of their community. The purpose of the befriending relationship is to provide a social intervention to help reduce social isolation and to enhance the recipient’s quality of life. Drivers would welcome passengers, make them feel comfortable and provide transport to and from a required destination at an agreed time.

SSPCA are looking for volunteers to work alongside their Animal Care Assistants in providing a caring and enriching experience for the small animals in their care. The role will involve cleaning of animal cages, attending to the welfare needs of the animals & birds, including feeding, handling, weighing, exercising and enrichment activities.

By providing visitors with incredible wildlife moments for 60 years, the visitor centre at Loch Garten has built a strong reputation for an exceptional visitor experience and great customer care. Recently the centre has undergone a redevelopment funded by European Structural Funds, and we want to build on this to further ensure visitors to our refurbished facility have an enhanced and memorable visitor experience. As the faces of the Loch Garten Nature Centre, our visitor experience team are crucial - chatting to visitors, answering questions and sharing their passion for the amazing wildlife of Abernethy reserve. We need our visitors to be inspired and enthused so that they become lifelong supporters of our charitable conservation work through RSPB membership, one of the most important sources of income for the organisation. We need your help to be part of the team meeting and greeting our visitors from all walks of life and of all ages, by following the RSPB’s GREAT Welcome framework, leading to building support for our conservation work through making RSPB members. Offering inspiring communications about the Caledonian pineforest which surrounds the centre, including our breeding ospreys, and the conservation work we undertake on the wider reserve as part of the Cairngorms Connect partnership is what we do best! We run hands-on activities for children and families, as well as a programme of special events eg guided walks, themed weekends etc and your help in planning, promoting, organising and delivering these added extras will be encouraged. Due to its importance for habitats and species, RSPB Abernethy is one of the most heavily designated pieces of land in the UK, with international as well as domestic legal protection. We need to keep an active eye on the reserve and in particular the forest trails near the centre, interacting with our visitors and ensuring that they’re all behaving responsibly, in accordance with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, and you will be asked to take on this responsibility, along with the rest of the team. We have an active Facebook page (11,000+ followers) and a popular reserve blog and we need your contributions to build our online audience and encourage support. Loch Garten has a long history of involving volunteers and many people give up a week or two of their time to come and help us as short-term residential volunteers. We need you to take an active role in managing these volunteers, organising pick-ups and dropoffs, leading on their induction, organising the rota and ensuring they are kept busy and involved when they are with us. Finally, our visitor centre and its environs need to be kept in excellent working order; being vigilant about litter, restocking leaflets, undertaking daily checks on activities and signage, as well as working with the team to keep the facilities clean. You’ll be volunteering in one of the most beautiful nature reserves in Europe, among scarce and endangered wildlife and critically rare habitats. You’ll be part of a vibrant and dynamic team of staff and volunteers, some who have been part of Loch Garten for decades and some who are brand new. You’ll be able to share in their knowledge and build strong and significant relationships, many of which will last for life. By making RSPB members, you’ll be making a real and tangible difference to nature conservation. Your help will directly allow the RSPB to carry out meaningful change, both on Abernethy and across the UK. You’ll receive a full induction and training and will be supported by a dedicated line manager throughout your time in this role. You will be given training opportunities in many areas of visitor experience, including membership, managing volunteers, First Aid, Safeguarding, event planning and more. Our aim is to help you improve your skill-set via and to significantly improve your CV and enhance your employability. We also offer job application advice and coaching. You will get the chance to learn about and explore the incredible place that is RSPB Abernethy, meeting reserve staff and receiving insight into the wider work that goes on here. There will be opportunities to get involved in some of the conservation work on the wider reserve on your days off, should you desire to do so. This role comes with free, shared accommodation (though you get your own room) just 1.5 miles from the Nature Centre.

Support the planning and delivery of a safe, exciting and stimulating Balanced Programme for the Section taking into account the needs, interests and abilities of the Young People. Ensuring that every young person in the Section has the opportunity to attend at least one night’s away experience each year. Actively support and promote the achievement of badges and awards, in particular the Chief Scouts Award. Actively work with other adults in the Group to support and promote Group or multi-section activities and events. Agree how you can support the Section Leader to ensure regular opportunities are provided for young people to express their views on the programme and running on the Section, and that those views are taken into account (for example using Log Chews, Pack, Troop, Sixer or Patrol Leader forums, or any other method). Any other tasks as agreed with Section Leader or Group Scout Leader.

To place our iconic boxes locally as part of their daily life and every few months tally up the funds before paying them in to Guide Dogs. The time commitment for this role is flexible and would include spotting opportunities to place boxes during your daily activities. •Identifying and placing collection boxes in suitable locations •Talking to the shop owner, receptionist etc. at the location about how the boxes will help Guide Dogs and what we do •Emptying boxes every three to six months (as they get full) and banking the income through the paying in book provided. Give a receipt and letter of thanks to the hosts •Keeping a written record of the location of all boxes for your supervisor, the dates they are emptied and the dates/amounts banked •If boxes aren’t collecting much, you’ll decide to move them to a better location. Your supervisor may also ask you to remove boxes •Reporting any stolen boxes to the Local Mobility Team •Spotting the potential for further fundraising amongst the box holders for Community Fundraisers

SSPCA are looking for volunteers to work alongside their Animal Care Assistants in providing a caring and enriching experience for the rabbits in their care. The role will involve cleaning of rabbit kennels, attending to the welfare needs of the rabbits, including feeding, handling, weighing, exercising and grooming. They would also like you to help make enrichment toys for the rabbits and also to collect grass for feeding.

SSPCA are looking for volunteers to be the friendly face of their centre, meeting and greeting customers in person and on the phone and assisting with shop sales and general admin tasks. This is a huge help to their staff, and you'd be part of a fun, friendly team at Milton, dedicated to animal welfare.