Put your skills to use, learn new ones and play an active role in your community. Volunteering is easier than you think. with full support and training, you can volunteer on a flexible basis. Give young people the skills they need to succeed in life and discover how being part of the Scouting family can be as rewarding for you as it is for them. What do volunteers do? Week by week, our volunteers empower thousands of young people to learn new skills, make new friends and stand on their own two feet. They’re our everyday heroes. They shape young people’s lives for the better, and find out a whole lot about themselves in the process, too. That’s where you come in. You don’t need to be Bear Grylls to join us. You don’t need to have been a Beaver or Scout when you were younger. You don’t even need to know how to put up a tent. Our door is open to people of all ages, genders, races and backgrounds, and we’re only able to change lives because people like you lend a hand. We’re talking about tea makers, tidy-uppers and skill sharers. We’re talking about minibus drivers and first aiders. We’re talking about students who want to boost their CV, and parents who volunteer so they can spend more time together as a family. Whatever your skillset, lend a hand for as little or as much time as you can spare, and we promise you’ll get more out than you put in. We provide the training. All of our adult volunteers receive full induction and ongoing training and support. Our training has been recognised with a National Training Award by UK Skills and over 90% of our volunteers believe that the skills and experiences they have gained have been of relevance to their working or personal lives. You show up, get stuck in, and make memories for life. As long as you're over 18, you can help out as a Beaver leader. There is no upper age limit for adult volunteers. Sounds fun? Worthwhile? It is.

Food and Fun was introduced by the Council as a pilot to deliver free meals and activities to children in key areas of Aberdeen during school holiday periods and has been rolled out on a permanent basis. Over Christmas, as an extension of the project, special events were hosted for young people to enjoy the festivities – from ice skating and crafts to a disco and visit to Santa. For everyone involved in Food and Fun there’s a busy period ahead. The main aim is to ensure children continue to be fed, recognising the importance of school meals during term time for a large number of families, and also to provide the opportunity to take part in physical activity in a nurturing environment. The initiative has been recognised with awards – but the reward and motivation for the many people who have put their heart and soul into developing the programme is in the positive impact there is on children, families and communities. When we talk about our purpose – about caring for our city and our people – we think Food and Fun is a shining example that we can all be incredibly proud of. Many participants obtain great life skills which has assisted them in securing other opportunities as well as the personal development and satisfaction that this also brings. All help makes a difference and is greatly appreciated. To volunteer / for more information please contact Martin Smith, Locality Inclusion Manager at E Mail: martinsmith@aberdeencity.gov.uk or Tel.: 01224 788538.

We're looking for an adult volunteer who will provide a supportive friendship for a socially isolated young person aged between 8 and 18 who lives in South Ayrshire. Ideally this will involve meeting with their young person every couple of weeks for a few hours, spending time together accessing local activities. This includes: • Be matched on a 1:1 basis with a young person. • Go on regular outings and activities with the young person. • Have the opportunity to participate in group outings/activities and also volunteer support sessions. • Keeping in touch with the Project about the young person’s achievements / growth and activities, and to receive ongoing support from the Bfriend team. • Open minded as we work with young people from a wide variety of backgrounds. • Following training, to be able to have empathy and understanding of some of the issues encountered by young people referred to the team. • Continuous focus on the needs of the young person who you are matched with. • Willing to participate in a broad range of activities mutually agreed with the young person. • To be a positive adult role model for the young person and, very importantly, to have FUN! • Have an awareness of and be able to adhere to Bfriend’s policies and procedures.

Sea Cadets is the UK’s leading maritime charity and provides a head start in life for young people through nautical adventure and fun. Our Junior Cadets enjoy all the exciting activities on the water that Sea Cadets offer as well as taking part in a variety of other activities through the Junior Training Programme. Introductions to first aid, knot tying, navigation and food safety are just some of the areas that our juniors cover. Our volunteers work, both directly with young people and behind the scenes, to help make a positive difference to teenagers who are often struggling in today’s world and their communities. Bridge of Don Sea Cadets, based at Gordon Barracks on Ellon road, is currently looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join their team as Junior Sea Cadet Instructors. A long-established Sea Cadet unit that has provided life-changing opportunities for many young people, we currently have 16 Junior Cadets, 20 Senior Cadets and 8 Royal Marines Cadets who come from all over the North Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire areas. There are free training courses available for you to develop new skills, boost your CV and support you in this role. These tasks can also be divided between volunteers, so why not come along with a friend and share the experience? Whether you opt to be a uniformed leader, or wear your own clothes, you can be hands-on, teaching junior cadets. You'll run lessons, activities, games, projects and events that help cadets progress through the Cadet Experience, gaining qualifications and confidence as they go. Whatever your experience and skills, they could be utilised to help young people flourish – catering, archery, meteorology, navigation, orienteering, first aid, engineering, photography, marketing, football coaching, IT, social media, finance, driving - there is no limit. Whatever your interest, you could bring it to the unit. You could also share your skills out on the water with the next generation, through the opportunity to teach water sports such as kayaking, sailing, powerboating, canoeing, rowing and windsurfing. If you don’t have any water sport qualifications, we’ll provide you with all the equipment, training and the opportunity to gain national qualifications with the Royal Yachting Association for example. All you need is lots of enthusiasm! The tasks of an Instructor include but are not restricted to the following: • Promoting and safeguarding the welfare of Children and Young People for whom they are responsible. • Delivering instruction and training to junior cadets. • Attending Parade Nights or being able to commit to a particular night each week or month. For more information please contact Malcolm Garrington, Commanding Officer, Bridge of Don Sea Cadets at email: bodscc@hotmail.com or telephone: 01224 547561.