We rely on the help of the many volunteers who give their time and their talents to us freely. We always need dedicated and reliable volunteers that can help out and new volunteers are always welcome. There are many volunteering opportunities including working directly with our dogs, manual and maintenance, fostering, becoming a home checker, fundraising and helping at our events. Yet for safety reasons, we ask you to start off as a general volunteer with us and once you have gained the trust of our rescues, then you can start to volunteer directly with our dogs. Volunteering not only benefits our dogs but also provides lots of benefits for our volunteers too including: - Meeting like-minded people who are passionate about animal welfare - Gaining new skills or developing existing ones - Gaining a sense of achievement by doing something rewarding - Putting something back into the community - Developing personal skills and confidence Please note that if you wish to volunteer at the centre, it does involve physical work and due to our location your own transport is essential. For on-site roles you will be invited to attend an induction course with our team when you will be asked to show ID and full proof of address before you can take up a volunteering role with us. On site sessions will currently be at our principle site in Ayr. The different types of sessions are as follows: CORE session – daytime, on site including poop picking, kennel cleaning and water checks. SUPPORT sessions – other on-site activities which may include any of the activities listed below as required by SRS at the time. SORT session – on site (or may be at home) sorting and preparing donations (daytime or evening). BARTER session – offsite (with on-site collection – requires transport) supporting with bartering deals made, collecting donations and may also include help with taking washing to the large wash centres. EVENT sessions – preparing and running events such as car boot sales, tabletop sales etc. Other activities you can help with? Just get in touch with us and we'll find the perfect role for you. THANK YOU!

The Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland Growchapel project based in Drumchapel, is a Glasgow City Council initiative aimed at improving health and wellbeing through the benefits of creating and managing a wellbeing garden. Growchapel is a welcoming, inclusive site for the people of Drumchapel to enjoy, relax, and grow within. It is a place where everyone is included, where diversity and creativity are valued, encouraged, and always respected. It is a kind space, which supports wellbeing for us, our families, and the environment. Being a Wellbeing Garden Volunteer, you will support the delivery of the Growchapel project and work in partnership with the CHSS Health Defence team to manage the wellness garden. You will get to meet new people in your community and have the satisfaction of knowing you are making a valuable contribution to the awareness of CHSS.

Working with teams at Crombie, Forfar Loch, Monikie Park or Angus Glens countryside activities which include conservation work, environmental education, site maintenance and preparing for event and activities.

Volunteering as a garden buddy within the Ninewells Community Garden can involve a number of activities. In general the role will involve: • Assisting with the regular (weekly) volunteer sessions, by providing support to the sessional facilitator. • Supporting and encouraging other volunteers who require extra assistance by working alongside them. This may mean assisting with practical tasks, and/or creating a friendly environment through listening and conversing. • Assisting in the practical aspects of garden maintenance and development by working independently as required. For example outside of regular facilitated sessions. • Being a friendly face and welcoming people coming to participate in or visit the garden. • Working cooperatively with other volunteers, visitors and residents from the neighbouring communities. • Communicating with the facilitator and/or board of trustees about needs or concerns to ensure a safe, accessible and enjoyable environment. • Being familiar with and following defined health and safety protocols to enable safe working with tools and equipment to allow for safe gardening practice. • Assisting with household duties (washing, cleaning etc.) in the Leaf Room to ensure a healthy and safe indoor environment. • Attending regular garden planning meetings. • Supporting the greater objectives of the community garden and be an ambassador of the garden. We offer additional opportunities to share your skills, interests and ideas such as landscaping, planning and design; specific horticultural expertise; wildlife and nature surveys; other supporting skills such as administration, marketing, art & design, events, education etc. Please speak to the garden facilitators about these opportunities.

Do you value your local park and green space? Do you want to see improvements there, and more people using it? Do you want to volunteer in your local community? If so, why not get together with your community to form a local friends group? ‘Friends of Parks’ groups work with local groups and our Council to create better open spaces. Each group helps care for a specific park or green space in the region. Through the partnership, park users get a greater say in what goes on in their local parks. We are looking to form a Friends of Popeye’s Park group to help look after and care for Popeye’s Park in Lincluden. If you interested in being involved in this group, please get in touch!

The purpose of this role is to help with light maintenance of the grounds and facilities at the Community Centre. Duties may include anything from cutting grass, maintaining flowerpots to cleaning up leaves in the car park. As well as some light maintenance jobs within the buildings, such as changing door locks, or moving items around for events. This role could be for as little as just an hour or two a week and can be flexible, to suit the volunteer’s availability.

Windsor Park School for deaf students are looking for a Garden Buddy to help in the process of redesigning their garden and help teach their community tips for growing food sustainably.

Forth Valley Sensory Centre are looking for folk to help with both the maintenance of their kitchen and sensory gardens. This is a great opportunity to upskill your gardening knowledge, whilst being a member of a close knit community at the centre.

Youth Panel Volunteer Do you care about your local wildlife and want to inspire others to take action? We’re looking for young people aged 16-25 from across the Species on the Edge project areas to join our Leading Edge Youth Panel. With your creativity and innovative voice, you’ll work alongside the wider Species on the Edge team to drive forward our engagement work across the programme. Why we want your help? Species on the Edge is a partnership of NatureScot and seven conservation charities dedicated to improving the future of 37 of the rarest and most threatened species on Scotland’s coasts and islands. We know we can’t do this alone, and people are the heart of this programme. We want to include everyone in the fight to save nature and we need the knowledge, experiences, and innovation that the youth voice can bring. How can you help us? You’ll meet the other panel members through virtual online meetings, with a chance to join a spring residential. You’ll be supported in the development of your own local projects to help more young people to connect to nature. The skills we need: • An interest in Scotland wildlife. • Good listening and communication skills. • Commitment to support the needs of diverse communities and a commitment to equality of opportunity. • Willingness to learn new skills. • Commitment to join at least 4 virtual meetings a year and a spring residential, dates to be planned with the panel members. • Commitment to planning your own connection to nature project, with budget and staff support from the Species on the Edge team. What will you gain from this experience? This role offers a fantastic opportunity to develop your volunteering in the conservation sector. This role offers you: • Chance to meet new people and learn from people’s expertise within the conservation sector. • Opportunity to develop your own project to support other young people to connect with nature. • Opportunities for training to support your personal development. The programme will cover all travel, accommodation and reasonable expenses associated with the Leading Edge Youth Panel. The programme seeks to remove barriers to participation, and you are encouraged to inform us of any additional requirements when you apply.