Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) is a neurological condition caused by the premature loss of nerve cells in certain parts of the brain. Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD) is a degenerative brain disease that affects people from the age of 40. PSP and CBD are rare and little known. Education volunteers can help PSPA improve this situation. One of their aims is to make education and training available to as many health and social care professionals as possible, many of whom may have not come across PSP or CBD before. The education volunteer roole will increase the understanding of professionals about PSP and CBD, and will therefore improve their practice. The organisation also aims to have their volunteers raise awareness in local communities by offering informative talks to interested groups. The reward of being an education volunteer with PSPA include: the opportunity for self-development, the opportunity to meet new people and to be valued as part of a team. There is also the unique reward of making a difference to people living with PSP&CBD and their families.

Help build up the pace in Scotland by sharing badges and displaying posters across your local area; playing your part in the future of Scottish medical research and taking on heart disease. The Heart of Scotland Appeal is a fundraising campaign to raise and spend money in Scotland on vital medical research into the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease. 41 people die every day in Scotland from cardiovascular disease and the death rate from coronary heart disease is almost 50% higher than for the South East of England. This isn’t fair and we want to change this. You'll be given posters for you to display in your local shops, community centres, libraries, supermarkets, pharmacies and doctors’ surgeries to help reach as many people as possible. The Heart of Scotland Appeal is backed by internationally acclaimed Scottish fashion designer, Christopher Kane, who's designed 4 unique badges. You can be sent a box of badges to sell to friends, family and colleagues for donations, as well as asking local shops if they will have a box of badges on their counter (that the organisation can then send out to them). Let’s get everyone wearing a Heart of Scotland badge.

Scotlands social security system is being shaped by people with direct experience of the current benefits system, using Experience Panels. Experience Panels involve people with experience of the benefits that are being devolved to the Scottish Government, including: • most ill health and disability benefits including DLA, PIP, Attendance Allowance and Severe Disablement Allowance • Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit • Carers Allowance • Funeral Expenses Payment, Sure Start Maternity Grant, Cold Weather Payments and Winter Fuel Payments • Discretionary Housing Payments • Scottish Welfare Fund People who are acting as a parent/guardian, appointee or power of attorney for someone with experience of any of the above benefits are welcome to register to join the Panels. If you would like to register to become a panel member, you can complete the online registration form. Read more and apply online here https://www.gov.scot/publications/social-security-experience-panels-faqs/ Or call the freephone helpline to register over the phone 0800 029 4974. If you are participating in the Experience Panels it will not affect your benefits. Also, none of the information that you provide in any Experience Panels research will affect your benefits.

Care and Share Companionship supports older people living in isolation and loneliness within the Kirkcaldy area. Support is offered by our volunteers on a 1-1 basis. Their aim is to provide a service that helps improve health, well being to make people feel valued and part of their community. Volunteer Companions might take people out shopping, to appointments, hairdressers, places of interest such as library, local exhibitions, for a refreshment or simply have a cup of tea and chat at home. They can accompany their 'friend' to groups of interest to help build their confidence or return to a hobby they previously enjoyed. Occasionally there will be group events for 'friends' which volunteers can be part of e.g. lunch or theatre. Care and Share Companionship listens to what the person would like and tailor our support to their needs. They offer fixed term volunteer roles and welcome volunteers from 16 years upwards. They believe everyone has life experience and skills to bring to this role and welcome volunteers' suggestions and ideas.

How can you support victims and witnesses of crime? ***Please note: for this opportunity you will initially be based in the courts*** Victims of crime often feel a range of emotions in the aftermath of an offence. It is Victim Support Scotland’s role to provide victims and witnesses of crime emotional and practical support in person, online, and in court. Volunteers are supported by VSS staff who manage the service. How would you help? Our volunteers provide emotional support, practical help, information and guidance through the criminal justice system. We aim to empower people who have been impacted by crime, to move on with their lives. • Discuss service users’ needs by telephone, webchat, appointments and face-to-face contact, agreeing next steps at the end of each contact • Help service users feel more confident by arranging and conducting court familiarisation visits • Support service users in the court room and other appropriate locations on the day of the trial, liaising with court officials on behalf of the service users. • Feedback and agree follow-up actions with staff members • Provide administrative support in completing the service users journey • Be able to translate and converse in Farsi/Urdu/Polish/Kurdish. What benefits would I get? Volunteering with Victim Support Scotland can be challenging and also extremely rewarding. As a volunteer you will: • Support people when they most need it • Learn new skills and knowledge of the criminal justice sector • Gain access to a range of specialist training courses that are relevant to your volunteering role • Positively contribute to your community as a member of a team actively working to reduce the impact of crime • A chance to give something back • Receive support in your volunteering role to deliver services effectively • All reasonable expenses (e.g. travel) will be reimbursed What skills and experience do I need? We are looking for committed, reliable and empathetic volunteers who can work with people of all ages, backgrounds and life situations. Although we provide full training and support, knowledge of the criminal justice system and experience of supporting people is beneficial. As a Victim Support Scotland Volunteer you will need: • Effective communication skills • The ability to actively listen to service users and anyone affected by crime • An interest in learning about the criminal justice system and understand the service user’s journey • An awareness of confidentiality obligations and the responsibilities that come with upholding these obligations • Effective time management skills (and working under pressure) • Access to a car or ability to use public transport What is the time commitment? We know that our volunteers have busy lives, so we agree the time commitment with each individual volunteer. However, we ask for: • a minimum commitment of approximately one day per week, however this may vary depending upon the needs of the service. • a minimum commitment of at least 1 year so that they might get the most out of a volunteering role. How can I apply? The people we support come from all communities across Scotland, as do our volunteers. We welcome new volunteers from all backgrounds and languages. To ensure we provide the best possible service to people affected by crime, we take all our volunteer applications through our processes which involves: • Joining the Disclosure Scotland PVG scheme • Providing two satisfactory references • Completing our three day ‘Introduction to Victim Support Scotland’ training module • Signing and abiding by Victim Support Scotland’s Confidentiality agreement • Commitment to Data Protection • Volunteer Agreement

We currently have around 50 shops/ community hubs across Scotland. Our shops and hubs help us raise funds so we can provide our services to the people who need us. Every one of our stores relies on a team of volunteers to help run it and support our staff. Quite simply, we cannot provide our services or raise funds without the amazing support of our volunteers. The time, support and the work they do is vital to us and the people we help. By helping out in one of our stores, you can make a difference to people and their families in Scotland who are isolated, scared or anxious about their condition.

This role gives the opportunity to enable the Sporting Memories Foundation Scotland to provide weekly clubs with the aim of improving well-being and reducing isolation through the power of sport. Club members may feel lonely, have health issues or memory problems. They focus on sporting reminiscence and gentle physical activity and games such as Boccia (indoor bowls). The main function of the club facilitator is to plan a weekly programme lasting around 1.5 hours which ensures that club participants feel included and that their contributions are respected. Volunteers enjoy talking about their sporting interests and have fun talking to club members about their memories of sporting events. Full training and ongoing support is provided. A volunteer said, "it was rewarding watching group members develop confidence in contributing to the group," and another commented about feeling appreciated and seeing their work making a difference.

Be a Bikeability Instructor and train school children to cycle safely! Bikeability is today’s cycle training programme. It’s like cycling proficiency, but better! It’s about gaining practical skills over 3 levels, understanding how to cycle on today’s roads, giving the skills and confidence for all kinds of cycling. Levels 1, 2 and 3 take trainees from the basics of balance and control, all the way to planning and making an independent journey on busier roads. Volunteer with Fife Council (who support the Bikeability project) with support from the Bikeability co-coordinator. Training will be provided to enable volunteers to deliver levels 1, 2 and 3 Bikeability. You will have the opportunity to be alongside other volunteers who may be parents, teachers of members of the local community. Sessions can vary depending on the individual schools timetable e.g. could be 1 hour per week for 6-9 weeks or 3 block sessions per week of 3 hours in one week. This role would suit a person who is enthusiastic about cycling, volunteering with young people and being outdoors.

Oor Wee Cafe are seeking hard working, reliable team players to help run a comminty café. The role involves food preparation, cutting vegetables, cooking, setting up, service, cleaning (dishwashing and cleaning tabletops), and customer services. The café runs on Tuesdays. The volunteering starts at 9am, the cafe opens to the public from 12-2pm, and cleanup after is from 2pm-3pm. The café is operated on a "pay what you can afford" basis, and also sets up both a donated food table (end-of-day foods) and a clothes bank which runs alongside the café.

A Casework volunteer is someone who carries out welfare support tasks for the Royal Air Forces Association. Welfare support is about listening to an individual and assessing their needs to find out how the Association can provide help to them. Support can include anything from helping put a beneficiary with a disability in touch with social services, so they can apply for funding for a wet room, to something as simple as filling in a form to get a new fridge, for a beneficiary who cannot afford to replace their broken one. It could also be informing beneficiaries of the holiday breaks the Association offers, in one of its three Wings Break hotels. Casework volunteers may also need to gather complex information on beneficiaries to help with applications for care home fees or similar and this can involve providing clear and precise information on finances and correspondences. Beneficiaries are members of the RAF family.