Give a Dog a Bone are all about Companionship in the Community - through offering a safe space for retired people to make new friends, learn new skills and mix with dogs. Can you support Give a Dog a Bone by helping in their local Community Space in Alloa? Are you confident and friendly with good listening skills? Are you dependable and trustworthy? Are you a real team player who can ‘think on your feet’? Do you make a mean cuppa? If yes all/some of the above and can spare 3 to 4 hours a few times a month then Give a Dog a Bone might have the perfect opportunity for you (and your well-behaved dog too, if you have one!) Volunteers can expect to be: - Welcoming visitors and their dogs to the Community Space, engaging with them and make them feel at ease. - Confidently and accurately promoting the aims and objectives of the charity. - Maintaining high levels of cleanliness and tidiness at all times, ensuring that the Community Space presents no risks to visitors, dogs, staff or volunteers. - Dealing with any donations handed via the Community Space for the charity as instructed by the Management Team. - To attend any additional training necessary for the volunteer role. Benefits of the role include: - Full training will be provided – in your local community space with a member of staff or experienced volunteer. It is a hands-on role and you will be well supported throughout. - Increased confidence and sense of purpose. - Meeting new people and building new relationships. - Giving something back within your local community. - If you have a well-behaved dog, they can volunteer with you as a Companionship Dog! - It’s a win/win! The volunteer can expect to be given a named contact within the charity to help and support you and your dog throughout your volunteer journey! If you need any more information or would like to apply, please register your interest on our website www.giveadogabone.net or contact us at hello@giveadogabone.net

Kingdom Companions is a short-term (16 weeks) service for vulnerable adults who need support to achieve something for themselves such as getting back into the community, travelling independently, or becoming involved in volunteering themselves. Volunteers are asked to provide friendly, relaxed, practical, and emotional support to the adult on a one-to-one, regular basis, within the adult's own home or in the community. There are roles all over Fife for befrienders who have a couple of hours a week/fortnight to help someone with this. Could this be you? Befriending can be a terrific way to build confidence and skills for jobs such as social care or customer service, as well as helping you to get out, feel good about helping others and even go to new places. Your travel and other out-of-pocket expenses will be reimbursed. FVA aim to match you with someone who lives in your local area. FVA provide detailed training, as well as ongoing support. Get in touch now.

Mentoring Young Talent (MYT) is seeking new volunteer mentors… MYT works with young people between the age of 12-26yrs, supporting them 1-1 to gain confidence, explore their strengths, help make future plans to either increase their educational attainment or secure a destination like work, training or further education. Our younger project (12-16yrs) provides mentors to care experienced school attendees while our project for 16-26 year olds aims to support young people locally who may be unemployed, struggling to identify their next steps, need to strengthen their skills and gain from the interaction with a positive role model. Everyone is welcome to apply to be a mentor, it’s a great way to give back, support local young people and share your knowledge and experience. We provide training, support and fund some great activities to take part in alongside your matched young person. This volunteer opportunity is also a great career development opportunity, increasing your own employability skills as a result. During Covid 19 we have seen many young people’s future plans dashed, unemployment rise and increased insecurity for this age group. Mentoring provides a positive way to help this generation, If you can manage between 1-2 hours a week please get in touch. We are seeking volunteers of all ages and life experience and have young people waiting.

North East Sensory Services' social groups are looking to return to full capacity in Moray, but need some friendly, welcoming volunteers to help them. NESS delivers a 'Community Inclusion Project' that aims to reduce social isolation and loneliness in people over the age of 65 who have a significant sight or hearing impairment. They do this by supporting social groups in Forres, Elgin, Keith and Buckie, which provide their service users with the opportunity for friendship, activity and support. Transport to attend community groups is often an issue for members so they provide drivers too! ( and would welcome new volunteer drivers as well!) As a group volunteer volunteer, you might be needed to guide someone on an outing, to describe the cake selection, or assist someone to take part in a game of floor curling: every session is different. Induction training will be provided, so no previous experience of groups or of sight/hearing loss is required. A PVG check will be required for this role and a 6 month commitment would be ideal. Some main tasks can include: • support the group to achieve what they wish to do • assist group members with refreshments • assist group to plan and organise activities/speakers • assist group members to find seats and negotiate the room • interact with group members and develop positive relationships • encourage the group to interact with one another Volunteers are well supported and find their experience rewarding, uplifting and fun, often forming fulfilling long-term friendships with our service users. Roles solely based on driving or escorting on bus transport may also be available. Full induction and Sensory Awareness training is provided, as well as the opportunity to get more involved with the charity in other ways if desired. Out-of-pocket expenses are reimbursed monthly.

Many of our clients who engage with the CARDS Service become curious about or wish to engage in recovery or with dedicated recovery services. In response to feedback from clients and volunteers we now have dedicated Peer Volunteers who themselves are in recovery and have lived experience of that journey and can provide our clients with hope and belief that they can make a positive change.

Human contact is vital. As we are all finding out, without it, life changes. Community Alcohol Related Damages Service is a befriending service run by Rowan Alba. Health care specialists, GP’s, hospitals and mental health services refer individuals to our service. These people, for various reasons have been living the way we experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of them for most of their lives. We need to recruit and train volunteers now so we can respond to those that have been referred to us during this time.

You will be involved in finding out what activities our residents would like to do then help to plan, organize and make it happen for them. You will be running one to one activities with residents but also put on group events. Our aim is to encourage and support our residents to pursue what they enjoy, reduce isolation and hopefully in turn reduce their drinking by engaging them in meaningful activities.

Would you like to volunteer helping older people get out and about for a monthly group outing? We are looking for volunteers who could give a day once a month to support our service users on an outing to a local place of interest. Examples of outings we have already done are: Tea Dances, Smith Museum, Pantomime and Dobbies. If you are friendly and helpful and would like to help older people who feel lonely and isolated, then this is an opportunity for you!

U-Turn is a Peer Education service for young people (12 – 18 years old) across South Lanarkshire. The service is provided by Glasgow Council on Alcohol (GCA) on behalf of South Lanarkshire Alcohol and Drugs Partnership. Peer Educators will be supported to deliver inputs across South Lanarkshire to other young people to incorporate a harm reduction approach as well as addressing stigma/language around drug and alcohol use. Peer Educators are will work alongside the Peer Education Workers & Peer Education Team Leader. As a Peer Educator, you will: • Attend training related to Peer Education role • Work as part of a team to achieve a common goal • Support delivery of Harm Reduction • Work towards a qualification • Attend Personal Development Planning Responsibilities • Participating in weekly workshops

The aim of ‘Friends’ is to help improve the quality of life for our customers and address loneliness and social isolation. We are looking for friendly, outgoing and organised volunteers who will provide a safe, consistent and reliable support service to help customers experience companionship/social interaction on a regular basis either on the telephone, in customers homes or on group outings. You will spend time with your befriendee and simply chat, listen and discuss various topics of interest making the service fun and interesting. You will also have to provide project staff with information on how the time spent with befriendee is going and attend volunteer meetings. Timings - by arrangement. Please enquire.