Volunteer Officer – Assisting with Volunteering Activities for Adults (Voluntary position, training and travel expenses covered – 6 months) Place: Stirling Why TCV need you: The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) connects people to the green spaces that form a vital part of any healthy, happy community. From urban to rural, local parks and community gardens to Local Nature Reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest; from school grounds and hospital grounds to waterways, wetlands, and woodlands. By taking part in TCV activities people improve their health and wellbeing, develop new skills, build stronger communities and have a real impact on the environment. TCV are seeking enthusiastic individuals with a passion for conservation and enthusing others who are looking to develop their skills and gain experience in the sector. By giving your time to become a TCV Volunteer Officer you’ll be helping TCV to reach even more people and improve even more greenspaces for people and nature. Benefits to you: Volunteer Officers (VOs) take on roles with real responsibility – including leading projects and supporting groups of volunteers. Being a VO gives you the opportunity to build skills, knowledge and practical experience and enhance your employability. Some elements of the induction may be online and you will need access to a computer to complete some of the training. We will also organise some practical workdays for all new VOs to give you an introduction to some of the practical conservation activities TCV deliver. You will be supported by a nominated Senior Project Officer who oversees your training and development. You will receive a First Aid training qualification and the opportunity to attend courses on Project Leadership, Safeguarding, Risk Assessment and other training relevant to the specific role. What you need: TCV are looking for enthusiastic individuals with a passion for conservation and helping other to engage with the natural environment. You will be reliable, organised and punctual to ensure workdays run smoothly. Volunteers value the social aspect of our activities so it is important that you are able to interact with volunteers in a friendly manner to enhance their volunteering experience. No past experience of working or volunteering in conservation or with volunteers but you will have to demonstrate why you are interested in volunteering with TCV and how your personality and personal interests make you suitable for the VO role. No qualifications are required but a driving license is desirable. How much time: TCV are looking for a minimum commitment of 1 day a week for 6 months. It can be flexible in terms of which day it is or if it changes week to week. You can be VO for more than one day a week, which greatly improves the level of experience gained and increases the number of opportunities open to you. Indicate your availability in the applicationwhich can be discussed later. People are able to be a VO commitments around work, studies and other commitments. For further details please contact Rebecca Strofton on 07739447964. Please email r.strofton@tcv.org.uk for an application form and submit your application by 5pm on Wednesday the 30th of June. You will be supported in your role by experienced staff through regular meetings where issues can be resolved and guidance provided.

The Ayrshire Coastal Path is managed and maintained by volunteers, we have no paid staff. The Management Board, which looks after all elements of path management, currently has 10 members. We then have a bank of around 50 Pathminders who come out if and when available to help with a variety of maintenance tasks. Last but not least, we have around 20 Path Wardens who each have responsibility for inspecting a specific section of the ACP a few times each year and reporting back any work required to be carried out. All Path Wardens automatically register on the bank of Pathminders as well, and it is up to you all whether, or how frequently you join in any of the maintenance days. More details on those below! Availability for maintenance days: While some of our Pathminders are freely available most weeks, others have work commitments, hobbies, children/grandchildren, or other commitments on certain days, and can only manage out occasionally. If we can get 2-4 out on one call-out we’re quite happy, as this usually allows most tasks to be done. But with over 50 members, we are now able to muster 8-12 for major projects requiring a lot of manpower. Appropriate Clothing: Wear heavy boots/wellies, heavy gloves, warm layers of old clothes, old waterproof/windproof jacket and trousers as appropriate. Frequency: Our Pathminders try to get out on weekdays (Mon-Fri) once a week, to deal with routine maintenance work, or sort out emergency problems as the need rises. We may also concentrate for several weeks/months on a major path improvement project. From time to time we have work parties at weekends. Path Wardens are required to inspect their section at least twice a year (ideally in spring and autumn) and also after any heavy storms that might have caused damage to paths, steps or bridges. Work Effort: We find that three hours' work is usually long enough, though we can push it to four to get something finished if necessary. Tend to have an 0830-0930 start to allow for travel time, and finish by 1230. Occasionally, with long travel-distance projects, this might be a mid-afternoon finish. Bring a drink and snack as we do stop for a break. Type of Work: In April, jointly with Ayr Rotary Club, we have our big Annual Beach Clean (from Girvan to Troon) during which we involve a lot of public volunteers from the local communities on a one-morning basis. In spring and summer, we concentrate on grass strimming, and lopping of brambles and small branches, etc; plus dealing with any urgent maintenance problems like fence or gate repairs that may arise. In late summer/early autumn, we spend a lot of time deadheading sea radish, thistles, dockens, burdock and nettles, to reduce spread of seedling plants the next year. In late autumn/winter, we turn our attention to heavier work - lopping back overhanging branches and scrub; completing big improvement projects like bridge building, the replacement of over 90 steps, and whin chip re-surfacing the path at Fisherton Gully and repairing any storm damage to our coastal dune paths, etc. Horses for Courses: While many of our volunteers are fit and keen to tackle any job (The Heavy Mob), we have a number who may not be physically able to do this, and enjoy the lighter tasks of lopping and cutting back seed-heads, or using a strimmer, (once trained!) in the spring and summer months (The Light Brigade). It can be a bonus to have some groups available for light work, leaving others free to get on with the heavier tasks. But don’t feel restricted in choice, since even during bigger projects, there are also light jobs, pruning, fetching and carrying, litter picking, etc, that can be done by members of The Light Brigade – which helps those doing the heavy work. Callout Procedure: A group email is usually sent out to all registered Pathminders at the weekend with a choice of work dates (weather dependent) and detailing work plans - and take the biggest number of members available for the best weather choice of days. We don’t work in the rain if we can help it! Whether you're registering as a Pathminder, a Path Warden or both, thanks for volunteering. It's great fun - in great company!

South Ayrshire Council Ranger Service are offering the opportunity for young persons aged between 13 to 18 to learn new, or develop existing skills in practical outdoor work. These sessions will introduce essential environmental conservation skills like basic bushcraft, use of manual hand tools and invasive non-native species control. The programme will run once a month on a Sunday, from 10am to 12pm. Booking is essential so to book a place or for more information, please feel free to contact the ranger service via ranger.service@south-ayrshire.gov.uk The sessions are held with the collaboration of the Friends of Fullarton Woods - a small charity concerned with the restoration and care of the ancient woodlands of Troon. In operation since 2015, raising funds for improvements and planting. We host regular volunteer work parties, tackling jobs such as invasive species control, tree planting and repairing paths. Together with the South Ayrshire Ranger Service and Scottish Wildlife Trust, Ayrshire, we regularly involve schools and community groups in woodland activities. No experience or tools required. We have tasks to suit all abilities.

At Key we support disabled people of all ages throughout Scotland. We believe that good support is essential for a good life and we work alongside each person we support, and their family, to help them live life to the full. People we support are actively involved in everything we do through our strong partnership with TAG (The Advisory Group) - a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation run by disabled people. TAG supports people to play a central role, alongside our Board of Directors, in shaping the strategic direction of the organisation and ensuring the quality of our services. We are looking to develop our range of group and workshop activities within in our central Ayr hub and our supported accommodation project. We are looking to recruit volunteers who are willing to share their skills, knowledge and talents with the people who use our services. Main duties: Together we will identify the skills and interests of volunteer group facilitators; to develop a programme of activities for people we support; so they can benefit from volunteer led group sessions to try/ find out more about/develop new skills and activities, build confidence and reduce social isolation. Group sessions will be co facilitated by volunteer(s) and a member of staff.