Shetland Women's Aid are looking for women to join us in promoting the safety and wellbeing of women and children in Shetland who are affected by domestic abuse and gender-based violence. SWA is a registered charity funded by local and national grant aid to provide safety planning, counselling, refuge, advice and guidance about housing, finance and legal issues to women. There is also a children and young person's service focused on offering therapy and support to children and young people. The aim for Shetland Women's Aid is 'An equitable society in which women, children and young people are valued participants, able to determine their own future and are free from all forms of abuse.' As a trustee you will be instrumental in helping us realise our vision and mission. Part of your role will be to ensure that our day to day operation fulfils our strategic vision. If you decide to join Shetland Women's Aid, you can make a real difference to the women and children who experience domestic and sexual abuse.

*PLEASE NOTE: We are only looking for volunteers that are a reasonable distance from Aberdeen only* *DUE TO COVID-19 ALL RECRUITMENT AND INDUCTION TRAINING WILL BE COMPLETED ONLINE* -How can you support victims and witnesses of crime? 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 -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) • Undertake all relevant training and refresher training • 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 (Victim Support Scotland registers volunteers for this and there is no cost either) • 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 For further information please contact Ewan McPherson at Email: ewan.mcpherson@victimsupportsco.org.uk

The Mission of Time to Heal is to provide holistic support and, to relieve the needs of persons affected by domestic violence primarily, but not exclusively, women and children from minority ethnic groups. We are currently seeking volunteers to help at our Empowerment Centre in Bon Accord House, Riverside Drive, Aberdeen. Tasks include: ● See that the Reception area is kept tidy and looks professional at all times. ● Ensure procedures for signing in, identifying, escorting, and signing out are adhered to at all times. ● Welcome visitors in a pleasant, courteous manner ● Distribute incoming mails and deliveries to the appropriate personnel/function. ● Maintain the door entry system, ensuring there is an adequate supply of key fobs. ● Provide training on the duties and responsibilities of Reception to the appropriate personnel. ● Supervise the labelling of keys, ensuring they are stored in the Key Safe. ● Produce and maintain Operating Procedures for the Reception Rota. ● Answer calls in a timeous, courteous and effective manner. A fantastic opportunity to help. All help is greatly appreciated. For more details please contact Abiola Crown, Manager at E Mail: abiola.crown@ttoheal.org or tel.: 07796511319.

Can you give support to someone by becoming an independent advocate? Many people in Dundee need a bit of support to speak up for themselves. These are often people with no one to take a personal interest in their lives. They could be people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, dementia or mental health issues or be a person over the age of 65. Citizen Advocates give their time and energy to support a vulnerable person on a one to one long term basis, listening to their point of view, respecting their wishes and helping them to speak up for themselves. We are looking for ordinary people who have the ability to listen and understand; a wish to make a difference; a friendly manner and a liking for people. This opportunity will assist you in gaining the following skills: • Interpersonal/Confidence • Problem solving/Creativity • Planning/Organising