Searchlight Scotland is involved in managing more than 200 asylum seekers from around the world, currently residing at a facility in Aberdeen. We provide people with support and have a range of activities during the day. We are recruiting volunteers to help us during the daytime mainly in running outdoor and sport activities. Our volunteers help by: • Creating and running different activities (sport, DIY, craft, walks around Aberdeen city, art lessons etc.). • Drive clients to their appointments or to outdoor activities. Our amazing volunteers provide us with their time, passion and energy, helping us to continue supporting the vulnerable people we serve in our community. In return, our volunteers have been able to: · gain new skills and confidence · enhance their CV and employability · meet new people · get training and support · make a difference If you wish to volunteer or for any further details please contact Eva D’ Amico, Volunteer Coordinator at email: eva.d'amico@searchlightscotland.org or telephone.: 07927371717. More details are also available at our website: https://www.searchlightscotland.org/volunteer

Knitting patterns available for groups to copy and use for knitting groups

A childrens charity for children with a parent serving or ex service personnel in the Royal Navy, Royal Marines Reserves or Royal Fleet Auxilliary. Many children experience long time separation from their parent(s). The charity has developed story books to help younger children understand and manage their emotions. The book is sent to children along side 2 knitted rabbits/penguin with faces on their tummies smile/frown to help them express how they are feeling.

*NEW YEAR, NEW CHALLENGE? PUSHING OUT THE BOAT MAGAZINE IS LOOKING FOR A VOLUNTEER TREASURER* Pushing Out the Boat magazine (North-east Scotland’s Biennial Magazine of New Writing and the Visual Arts) is looking for a new treasurer to join our team of unpaid volunteers. We are a small registered charity (SCIO No SC044919). We get our main income from selling our magazine and holding events. Our main costs are printing the magazine and administration. Your duties would include: 1. Management of our receipts and payments through our bank and PayPal accounts and in cash 2. Using Excel spreadsheets to keep our financial records and prepare our annual accounts. The Treasurer is also a member of our management committee. Whilst the basic skills required to perform the duties described above are essential, we will provide help and support on other aspects of the role. A general interest in the arts would be an asset but is not essential. We are a friendly group of volunteers whose meetings and occasional events are held in or near Aberdeen. Please browse our website at https://www.pushingouttheboat.co.uk/ to get a feel for what we do. Contact us at info@pushingouttheboat.co.uk to discuss this opportunity. If you’re interested and qualified, we’ll invite you to meet a small group of trustees to confirm that we’re suited for each other.

Across the UK, our 270 local groups play a vital part in supporting people affected by MS. They provide sense of belonging, unity and friendship. And they deliver services and support for their local MS community. We are looking to recruit an Activities Organiser for the Wider Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Group. As our local group Activities Organiser you’ll play a crucial role in developing and planning activities and events with your local group. You’ll be responsible for creating and coordinating an annual calendar of events and making sure they’re run safely and effectively to make the most impact. You’ll take a lead role at events on the day and inspire your fellow volunteers to get involved. In this role you’ll be able to develop your organisation, communication, administration and negotiation skills. To find out more about what services this group currently offer please go to https://volunteers.mssociety.org.uk/activities-organiser Time commitment We estimate this role will need around 2 hours a week. Our roles are flexible and aim to fit around you. Time commitments for this role may vary depending on your activities. This is an ongoing role. This is a great opportunity to gain experience within a large charity and develop your existing skills and learn new ones. We need you to get involved and help make positive changes to the lives of people affected by MS. About you You’ll have an interest in the MS Society and the work that we do, as well as the enthusiasm to represent both us and our values locally. You will understand the needs of people affected by MS in your area and be sympathetic to the needs and motivations of volunteers. You’ll be confident using Microsoft Office, the internet and email. You’ll be able to apply disability, equality and inclusion practices and understand and apply our risk management system. Ideally you’ll understand the local area and organisations that provide local services. You will be reliable and easy to contact and you need to live in or near the local area the group to carry out this role. Apply 1. Read through the role description carefully 2. Apply online The MS Society is committed to promoting diversity. We can only offer roles to over 18s.

Creative people needed! to help out at regular after school art classes, plus there will be opportunity to helping out at events, stalls and other classes if desired. We need two helpers for our after school classes which take place at the Selkirk Cricket Club, Philiphaugh. We have a 1 hour class for primary age and another afterwards for secondary age on Mondays in term time. Your role will be to support children with their creativity while they are in the classes, and assisting with all aspects of managing the class delivery. You will help to help set up before and clear away after the classes. You may also be helping to supervise children to stay safe during our short outings. The class is relaxed and fun and the children will be working with a wide variety of art materials and processes. Therefore it is a chance for the volunteer to gain creative skills as well as youth work skills. We also deliver other classes in the holidays and at weekends so there are further opportunities to get involved if desired.

Creative people needed! You will be able to help manufacture & develop craft kits & handmade items, plus helping out at events and stalls. We are a small start up social enterprise and would love to offer volunteering and training opportunities to young people who are keen on art & creativity. The role will involve helping make up craft kits as well as testing out kits and helping to develop the ideas for kits further. We use a variety of materials and processes to make parts which then need assembled into kits. We also are developing a range of finished products that are handmade which we need help with making. This could involve working with wool, wood, metal and more. We also need help with making video content for social media about the kits. We will be attending market stalls and could be selling the kits/products in other settings so volunteers would be ideally able to come and help at times at stalls and events. The role could also be extended in the future to supervising younger volunteers at evening sessions if desired however this would require a PVG in addition.

Come and join our Summer Film Project 2022! As a volunteer, working with VCB’s Youth Development Officer, alongside a local film maker, you will take the lead creating, starring, directing and using filming equipment to create a film all about volunteering and the huge array of benefits it can bring to young people. ALL costs are covered – transport, food etc. We are hoping this will take place in Hawick and it is open to young people aged 10 - 16 Borders wide. The project will take place either on a Saturday/Sunday morning or the evenings during the summer holidays. We are hoping for 4 sessions at 2.5 hours each

Newbie and experienced knitters – we need you! Bonding squares make the world of difference for poorly babies and their parents. 🥰 Parent and baby swap these squares back and fore, so each can breathe in the comforting smell of the other. The next best thing when physical cuddles are not possible. 💕 Bonding squares also help stimulate milk production for mums expressing all-important breast milk for their tiny babies. Bonding Squares need to be around 15-20cm squares. Crochet squares are also welcomed and below is a suggested pattern, but please feel free to go wild! 🤩 Example pattern - https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baby-bonding-squares Please send any bonding squares you make to – The ARCHIE Foundation Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital Westburn Road Aberdeen AB25 2ZG ⭐ We are still looking for a Knitting Coordinator to help us organise all of the beautiful items we receive for babies in the Neonatal Unit and ensure our Worry Monsters also get to all the hospitals we support in the north of Scotland. 🥰 If you have some time on your hands and are interested in finding out more information please email – hello@archie.org

Newbie and experienced knitters – we need you! Bonding squares make the world of difference for poorly babies and their parents. 🥰 Parent and baby swap these squares back and fore, so each can breathe in the comforting smell of the other. The next best thing when physical cuddles are not possible. 💕 Bonding squares also help stimulate milk production for mums expressing all-important breast milk for their tiny babies. Bonding Squares need to be around 15-20cm squares. Crochet squares are also welcomed and below is a suggested pattern, but please feel free to go wild! 🤩 Example pattern - https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baby-bonding-squares Please send any bonding squares you make to – The ARCHIE Foundation Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital Westburn Road Aberdeen AB25 2ZG ⭐ We are still looking for a Knitting Coordinator to help us organise all of the beautiful items we receive for babies in the Neonatal Unit and ensure our Worry Monsters also get to all the hospitals we support in the north of Scotland. 🥰 If you have some time on your hands and are interested in finding out more information please email – hello@archie.org