To lead safe and enjoyable walking sessions for people of all ages and abilities particularly those who are or have been inactive. To promote the health benefits of walking and motivate people to take up walking as a form of physical recreation. To help people tailor health walking to meet their individual needs.

Volunteers are the most integral part of a Health & Social Walk. From offering a friendly welcome at the start of the walk, to providing a safe, supportive and welcoming space for participants of all abilities to enjoy low-level activity, to meet new people, make friends and enjoy paths, routes and greenspaces within their local area. As a Volunteer you will also experience all the benefits of the walk from Physical Health to Social, Mental Wellbeing and personal development as a trained walk leader developing new skills. A Health & Social Walk Leader isn’t the only role you can explore, the range of volunteer opportunities can include: Health Walk Leader – become a trained Walk Leader in your area to support the delivery of Health Walks. Health Walk Leader assistant – help the Walk Leader with some of the tasks on local walks. Route Planner & Checker – find, research and check new routes that are safe and suitable for your local Health Walk. Welcomer and Buddy – a more informal role which helps ensure all new participants to a Health Walk have someone to talk to on their first visit. Publicity Volunteer – put up posters, distribute leaflets and help with the promotion of your Health Walk to encourage new walkers to join. Before you become a Walk Leader you will be encouraged to join a walk and chat to other Volunteer Health Walk leaders before your training so that you have an idea of how it works on the ground. Volunteer walk leaders receive on-going support from the Health Walk coordinator. WDCVS VISA employability scheme is where volunteers who are actively looking for work can brush up on the skills that employers are looking for, the VISA certificate highlights the skills that the volunteer has achieved in their volunteer role, the certificate can be created and sent to them as a PDF.

We are looking for welcoming and enthusiastic volunteer(s) to lead short health walks in Moray -- currently these gentle walks are based in Forres, Fochabers, Hopeman, Elgin, Cullen, Buckie, Lossiemouth, Dufftown, Rothes and Keith. It's sociable, relaxed, fun and flexible -- and there is great support for our volunteers. Becoming a volunteer walk leader requires you to commit around an hour or so of your time weekly (but there is room for flexible dates!) and to sometimes complete a small amount of preparation & paper work for the walk. Health walks encourage people who have not exercised for a while, find walking boring, or lack confidence to join a walking group because they think they will not be able to keep up. Walks are free, short, low intensity, safe and social and are usually followed by a cup of tea or coffee and a chat! Over the next year we plan to build upon our network of gentle exercise activities across the Moray region. To help us achieve this we are looking for friendly and supportive volunteers who enjoy walking, meeting new folk sharing the wide ranging health and well- being benefits of gentle physical activity. Volunteers all receive Paths for All Walk Leader training to give them the skills and confidence to lead walks in your community. You will be encouraged to join a Health Walk and chat to a Health Walk leader before your training so that you have an idea of how it works on the ground. Volunteer walk leaders receive on-going support from the local Health Walk co-ordinator, too

Team Jak provides practical and emotional support to children and young people with cancer and related illnesses, their family and friends and those bereaved. Team Jak Ambassadors can have different roles including family support and fundraising, including - raising awareness and fundraising opportunities such as bag packs, helping at a merchandise stand and collection buckets in supermarkets, schools, colleges, shopping centres and concerts. We will be hosting a number of larger fundraising events in Aberdeen throughout the year with the aim to raise £70,000 to open our Jak’s Den in Aberdeen. Family support roles can be rewarding and involve anything from playing with the children during our activity days and at our child and teenage groups, to making tea and coffee at our support sessions, talking with parents, sorting out merchandise bags and delivering to our newly diagnosed warriors in hospital, and preparing items for events. Volunteers receive initial induction training, ongoing support and any further relevant training opportunities. Team Jak have an Awards scheme and we hold a yearly event dedicated to thanking our volunteers and celebrating their success. All volunteers make a real difference and are greatly appreciated. For more details please contact: Caitlin Stewart (Children, Young Person and Family Coordinator) at email caitlin@teamjak.org.uk or phone.: 07852 877157/ 01506 412302