Volunteer Scotland

Find opportunities

Project Volunteers

  • VO89877

Description

What if you could have fun with young people, be around horses and increase your experience and skills all at the same time?! Come and be a valued part of our friendly team!

Stable Life provides a safe, nurturing and learning experience using the horse and its environment to help young people in the Scottish Borders reach their full potential, and become healthier and happier with aspirations and dreams. And we need your help!

As a Stable Life Project Volunteer your role is to assist staff to ensure the young people feel welcomed and supported and are always kept safe. This may include:

  • Providing support to the young people whilst they are working around the horses and during the ridden part of the session
  • Leading horses with young people on
  • Help project workers with identified tasks
  • Provide guidance and encouragement to young people
  • Use own ideas and questions to appropriately encourage discussions in the cabin
  • Grooming, tacking & untacking horses
  • Assisting the young people with protective clothing
  • Lead the young people by example in behaviour, attitude and positive relationships

We will not ask you to do anything you are uncomfortable with, or not trained to do. However, we have lots of opportunities for learning and up-skilling and some of our volunteers even go on to become paid staff members!

We value our volunteers highly and you can expect benefits like access to free horse-riding (dependent upon number of hours volunteered), participation in volunteer award schemes and an annual volunteer celebration day.

Volunteering with the Project is an important role at Stable Life, as a charity we rely on your support. You help to keep our horses happy and healthy, enable our young people to feel welcomed and safe and support our hard-working staff. Thank you for taking the time to consider this position.

Skills/Experience required:

• Experience of working with young people
• Some experience with horses

Personal Attributes:
As a Volunteer Project Worker you will be leading and influencing our young people; they will be watching and learning from your actions, attitudes and relationships. As such, it is key that you:

  • Are responsible
  • Are friendly and welcoming
  • Keep confidentiality
  • Show commitment & attend sessions as agreed
  • Keep calm
  • Maintain safe working practises and health & safety
  • Be a good listener
  • Be respectful and non-judgemental
  • Represent kind, healthy and bounded relationships with staff, horses and young people

Organisation aims and objectives

Stable Life is a registered charity working with vulnerable young people between 10 and 18 years of age in the Scottish Borders who are experiencing personal challenges. We offer a safe, nurturing and learning experience using the horse and its surroundings to help young people reach their full potential and become healthier and happier.

Availability

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening

A minimum commitment of 2 hours per week. Our groups run for approximately 17 weeks and our young people really benefit from stability. Therefore, we ask that you are able to attend a minimum of 10 of these sessions, this is a minimum of 20 hours. We generally find that our volunteers love working with us and stay for years.

Frequency and commitment details

A minimum commitment of 2 hours per week. Our groups run for approximately 17 weeks and our young people really benefit from stability. Therefore, we ask that you are able to attend a minimum of 10 of these sessions, this is a minimum of 20 hours. We generally find that our volunteers love working with us and stay for years.

Restrictions

Experience required: • Experience of working with young people • Some experience with horses
Travel details: Dryden Farm, Ashkirk, Selkirk Scottish Borders
Minimum age: 18

Support

Training details: Trauma training, confidentiality training, styles of communication, health & safety, regular support and supervision, PVG, Child/Public Protection training Additional Benefits – Annual Volunteer Celebration Day & Access to free horse-riding (dependent on number of hours volunteered) & Access to Volunteer Award Schemes.
Support: Named Contact For Volunteer,
Wheelchair Access/Disabled Access Toilet

Report this opportunity
Find out more about Stable Life
Volunteer I want to volunteer
Favourite
Similar opportunities

Respected and Safe Project Volunteers

-WHO ARE WE? Cybersafe Scotland is an Aberdeen based social enterprise working to protect children online. Our current focus is reducing online abuse and harassment. Cybersafe works with schools, including classroom-based sessions working directly with children, as well as work with school staff, parents and carers. -WHY DO WE NEED VOLUNTEERS? During the school year from August 2024-June 2025 we have a programme of work in school including lessons delivered to classes P5 - P7. All these sessions are delivered by Cybersafe Scotland staff but we are look for volunteers to support their delivery, bringing extra support for the learners, and joy and care in keeping with our mission. -MAIN TASKS: • Assist Cybersafe staff in classroom sessions: • Setting up for lessons • Distributing handouts • Helping with practical demonstrations • Encouraging pupils in small group or individual work • Tidying up after lesson • Bringing joy -TIME Lessons will take place within school hours between 0900-1500 Monday to Friday. The classroom based sessions are about 1 hour for each class including set up and tidy up time but multiple lessons will be delivered in a school in any one day. The more lessons a volunteer can commit to the better as you will learn valuable knowledge and skills through each lesson. However as a minimum volunteers must be able to offer 21 hours, split over half day periods of 3 hours. Please indicate availability when applying. -QUALIFICATIONS No formal qualifications are required, however volunteers will have to successfully apply for a PVG certificate for working with children. An interest in working with children and young people and demonstrable experience in doing so will be required. An interest in the online world and knowledge and awareness of apps and games will be an advantage though this is not essential. -HOW TO APPLY This is a fantastic opportunity to help and all volunteers make a real difference and are greatly appreciated. For more information and to apply please email info@cybersafescotland.org
Find out more
Volunteer I want to volunteer
Favourite

Volunteers for Youth Project

Role involves being in the Youth Project between 6.30 and 10pm to assist the workers with between 20 and 60 youngsters dropping in on any evening. We are open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and any one night a week/fortnight or month would be really appreciated. Any skills that the volunteers have can be brought to play. (we have hair and beauty evenings, have taught some knitting and crafts or it may be music) but that element is not necessary. There is nothing compulsory in the Attic and the buzz comes from interaction, chat and activities chosen by the youngsters themselves. Manning the Cafe Bar, maybe playing some pool,darts or air hockey is all part of it. PVG check required. For further information contact Caroline Fife -carolinefife@southesk.co.uk
Find out more
Volunteer I want to volunteer
Favourite

Lead Scotland Project Volunteers

At Lead Scotland we believe in the power of learning. We believe that offering disabled people and carers the right supportive environment in which to learn and grow which enables the self-creation of positive futures in education, community involvement and work. We offer SCQF accredited formal learning and informal confidence building activities, focused on digital skills to disabled people throughout the north of Scotland, their carers and the organisations who support them so that they will be able to actively contribute to their own communities and improve their own lives. We will tailor support to individuals and groups as per their self-defined needs. This service is supported by volunteers who act as service deliverers and enablers and who can provide dedicated one–to–one input, supporting participants into learning, training and/or volunteering opportunities as appropriate to need. “Learning is more than just an experience, learning builds your future” A fantastic opportunity to help and make a difference. All volunteers are greatly appreciated and provided with excellent training and ongoing support. For more details please contact Fiona Fraser or Marie Law (Learning Coordinators at E Mail: ffraser@lead.org.uk or mlaw@lead.org.uk / tel: 07741742560 (for Fiona) or 07741899507 (for Marie)
Find out more
Volunteer I want to volunteer
Favourite

Mayfield Community and School Garden Project volunteers

"Large area of land needs cleared and made ready for planting for next year for use by both the school pupils and local families. Volunteers are required intially for 1 - 2 hours each week on a Tuesday afternoon from 2 - 4pm. They will be required to help with clearing the ground and raised beds to enable them to be refilled when ready. Funding applications are hopefully being put in place by the school to allow for new fencing around a huge polytunnel which needs recovered. Once money has been granted we may well need help covering the polytunnel and once complete to help with filling out beds and sowing seeds to grow a variety of fruits and vegetables. This area will require regular maintenance. A basic knowledge of plant care and use of gardening tools would be beneficial but not essential. Volunteers may be required to work in a group and alongside other community organisations as well as the school who will assist from time to time. Tools will be provided but if volunteers have their own that is great."
Find out more
Volunteer I want to volunteer
Favourite