ASA is a local charity and was founded in 1996. We provide an independent advocacy service for people living in Aberdeen City. We help people to have a voice, to gain information to help them make choices and to help them feel better prepared and able to engage with social care, health care and housing and educational professionals. Our values are at the core of the work we do together with those we support. Advocacy Service Aberdeen believes in: Independence; A Non-Judgemental approach; Inclusion; Respect; Person Centred; Confidentiality; Team work; Empowerment. If you have some spare time to offer and feel you have the skills and qualities to support the work we do, we would like to hear from you. The work we do is carried out Monday to Friday between 9:00am-5:00pm. There are many ways you can support our organisation, this includes : – *Gathering feedback and Service Evaluations - Contacting people who use the service to ask them about their experience of using the service. This could be carried out in person, by phone or via a video call. *Supporting our Collective Advocacy Groups - this would include meeting patients at Royal Cornhill Hospital; People who live in supported or shared accommodation; Expert by experience group who share their personal views and experiences of using Aberdeen City Health & Social Care provision. *Administrative/Clerical - Helping us with admin and clerical tasks. Supporting case work / referrals in the following areas: Carers, Domestic Abuse, Mental Health, Autism, Learning Disabilities, Older Adults (65+), Older Adults Mental Health, Self-Directed Support or Problematic Substance Use. If your values are aligned with ours and you have the time to give to support a local charity in your community, we would love to hear from you. Currently we are particularly interested in people who would be looking to volunteer in the following roles: - Domestic Abuse Service Volunteer - Administrator Volunteer To find out more about our volunteering opportunities please contact our Volunteer Coordinator Joanne Grant at email: asa@advocacy.org.uk or telephone 01224 332366. Further details are also available at https://www.advocacy.org.uk/volunteer/

Board members are responsible for the strategic management of each bureau, including oversight of planning, evaluation, staffing, managing finances and ensuring legal and regulatory compliance. Skills and experience are welcome, but training is provided. Interest in the community and bureau is most important.

The Partnership works to raise awareness of the challenges faced by people with disabilities and to break down barriers, overcome challenges and improve quality of life. The group comprises approximately 15 members of the public, working with five local councillors, and its vision is to: a) To bring about improvements to the lives of people in Aberdeen City who experience exclusion because of disability by promoting a rights-based approach to disability equality. b) To create a society where disabled people are valued, respected and included in the life of the City. c) To encourage and promote inclusion and equality. d) To create fair opportunity by identifying and removing the disabling barriers which disabled people face daily including prejudice, discrimination and negative attitudes. e) To provide a means of partnership, consultation and joint action with Aberdeen City Council Meetings are held at Aberdeen Town House (entrance from Queen Street, Aberdeen). There is also the option to join the meeting remotely if you choose to do so. The Disability Equity Partnership (DEP) has 6 meetings over the year. Examples of projects we have been working on include the City Centre Masterplan, Union Terrace Gardens, webpage and information accessibility to reduce barriers and improve access to information, goods and services. A fantastic opportunity to make a real difference and all volunteers are greatly appreciated. For further details please contact Baldeep McGarry, Equalities Officer at email: BMcGarry@aberdeencity.gov.uk or tel.: 07767353006.

Become a Trustee at VSA VSA is looking for Trustees to join its Board. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to a historic charity with a formidable reputation and to help the Board build a long-term plan. VSA has over 150 years’ experience of delivering social care in Aberdeen, to vulnerable people, adults and older people with learning difficulties and mental health needs. We have grown to be a major employer with an accredited Skills Qualification Centre. VSA has a strong corporate and community volunteering tradition. Today, VSA is of a medium sized company providing education, housing support and social care to young people and adults with complex needs. We particularly want to hear from people with a medical background, or current skills in the following: charity & company law, complex learning & behavioural education/social care and environmental/social governance. Key aspects of trustee roles at VSA are as follows: • To assist the Chair in providing Board leadership on specific areas of strategic direction • To act as an effective champion for VSA • To ensure that VSA has people with LD & MH at the heart of decision making • To oversee and ensure the implementation of VSA policies, with responsibility for occasional decisions on individual recipient cases • To ensure effective corporate governance, risk management and financial management of VSA • To ensure public accountability for the funds for which VSA receives from central and local government and raises independently • To uphold the highest ethical standards of integrity and probity and comply with the Board’s Code of Conduct You will be interested in joining VSA’s Board if you have a personal commitment to supporting vulnerable children, young adults and older people with learning disabilities and/or mental health needs to lead the best of life alongside current practices in the above field. This role is not remunerated but all reasonable expenses, for example childcare, travel etc will be covered. The time commitment is approx 8 to 10 days per year. This is likely to include attendance at Board or Committee meetings, reading and preparation time, and other meetings such as Strategy or Stakeholder. If you are interested please contact the Chair of Trustees, Kevin Shand via Ally Panton at the email address below. To express your interest in becoming a Trustee and to arrange an initial informal discussion, please email ally.panton@vsa.org.uk