Sunflower Garden works with children and young people aged 5 to 18 based in Edinburgh who are affected by drug and/or alcohol use within their family. We understand that the support we provide needs to be specific to the needs of each child/young person and so we offer a range of tailored therapeutic support such as: Counselling (including art and play therapy), 1-to-1 therapeutic support and group work. We are looking for volunteer counsellors to join our team.

CLAN Cancer Support offers clients a range of practical and emotional support at our Support & Wellbeing Centres across the North East, including Moray, Orkney and Shetland. Support volunteers currently help a wide range of people affected by cancer, including clients, carers and other family members, by offering a listening ear or by working alongside them to address support or wellbeing concerns. CLAN Support Volunteers are a key point of contact for clients accessing CLAN services ensuring that the needs of our clients are met through our range of support services. Support Volunteers also offer clients an opportunity to talk with someone who can listen and provide emotional and wellbeing support. Support is given either in person or on the telephone. Some locations also run group support sessions where support volunteers are required to support the running of the groups and provide support to participants. Volunteers are asked to make a minimum 3 hour per week commitment. Times are flexible and sessions are available in -- Forres, Buckie, Lossie and Elgin. As ambassadors for CLAN, our volunteers can also help with the promotion of our services by attending awareness events and doing talks to a variety of groups internally and externally.

The volunteer will join about 150 other Samaritans in the Branch which operates round the clock - 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The volunteer will support people in crisis, either on the phone, in person at the Samaritan Centre, or by email. Each year we expect to receive about 25,000 phone calls, 300 personal visits, and over 2,000 emails from all over the world. There are also opportunities to take part in running the Branch and in our growing outreach programme.

We are seeking new Trustees to become actively involved in the strategic direction, governance and decision making of the charity, a role that is both rewarding and satisfying as well as providing opportunities for personal development and growth. As a Trustee you will join a dynamic team that is committed to making a difference to peoples’ health and wellbeing, with an experienced Chair who encourages a supportive environment both on the board and throughout the organisation.

Rape Crisis Grampian is a fully inclusive service which provides free, confidential support to survivors of rape and sexual violence aged of 13 years and over. To enable us to provide a consistent service, Survivors are supported by Volunteer Support Workers. We currently have a pool of eleven Volunteers who offer face to face, email or telephone support. Support Volunteers undertake a comprehensive selection and training process and will be registered with the PVG – Protection of Vulnerable Groups scheme. We are looking for individuals who are: *Empathetic, non-judgemental and good listeners *Able to commit to volunteering for at least 12 months and a minimum of three hours per week *Able to maintain confidentiality and anonymity *Open to gaining an understanding about rape and sexual violence and its impacts on individuals. Excellent training and support is provided to all volunteers. Including sixty hours of training. The training is comprehensive and ensures all Volunteers are equipped with the skills necessary to support Survivors. Debriefing is provided after each support session and volunteers are further supported via quarterly group Supervision as an additional means of support. If you would like more information or to apply please contact our Volunteer Coordinator on: 01224 590932 or email: volunteercoordinator@rapecrisisgrampian.co.uk

Information on these opportunities is available from the Bruce Tait Associates website. Three Sixty is looking to recruit a new Chair and two Directors (Trustees) to join their board. The charity is looking for people who are passionate in their belief of recovery, mental health and empowerment. They are looking for a resilient and self-aware Chair with similar previous experience (either as a Chair or Chief Executive). The incoming Chair should be comfortable taking a hands on role as and when required with the ability to manage competing demands and prioritise decisions with timely action. The Chair will be an assertive and compassionate leader, able to hear and allow people to be heard alongside the ability to read people and situations. Committed to collaboration whilst able to deal with conflict and make decisions in the best interests of the Charity. Three Sixty are looking for two Directors with previous board experience and a strong understanding of good governance, strong communication skills and a commitment to positive social change.

We're looking for an adult volunteer who will provide a supportive friendship for a socially isolated young person aged between 8 and 18 who lives in South Ayrshire. Ideally this will involve meeting with their young person every couple of weeks for a few hours, spending time together accessing local activities. This includes: • Be matched on a 1:1 basis with a young person. • Go on regular outings and activities with the young person. • Have the opportunity to participate in group outings/activities and also volunteer support sessions. • Keeping in touch with the Project about the young person’s achievements / growth and activities, and to receive ongoing support from the Project. • Open minded as the Project works with young people from a wide variety of backgrounds. • Following training, to be able to have empathy and understanding of some of the issues encountered by young people referred to the Project. • Continuous focus on the needs of the young person who you are matched with. • Willing to participate in a broad range of activities mutually agreed with the young person. • To be a positive adult role model for the young person and, very importantly, to have FUN! • Have an awareness of and be able to adhere to the Project’s policies and procedures.

Shetland Bereavement Support Service (SBSS) are looking to recruit volunteer Support Workers. A Support Worker will provide one to one counselling to anyone struggling to cope following a bereavement.

Help People at Difficult Times Listening volunteers are there for anyone who needs someone, and provide confidential emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which may lead to suicide. Every seven seconds someone contacts us. Every seven seconds we can help someone turn their life around. As a listening volunteer you get the chance to make a real difference to someone’s future. You can offer support on the phone, email or text. Volunteers typically volunteer a minimum of a 4 hour duty per week, as well as a 4 hour night duty at monthly intervals. There are no qualifications required and you’ll receive full training to prepare you for the kinds of conversations you’ll have. And when you start out, you’ll have a mentor with you, to give you confidence you’re doing the right thing. You can also apply to help with administration or other non-listening support. Let us know how you would like to help.

Childline is a vital service available 365 days a year to support children and young people, whatever their worry or concern. A ChildLine counsellor provides an essential service to children and young people who contact the helpline by telephone or via the ChildLine website. As a trained volunteer, Childline Volunteer Counsellors are able to respond to children and young people in a variety of ways that meet their needs at the time they contact. Full training is provided and ChildLine Supervisors always work alongside counselling volunteers giving support, advice and any direction required. A great opportunity to help make a real difference for the lives of children. For further details regarding this and other volunteer opportunities at our Aberdeen base or to apply to be a volunteer please: apply online via: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-you-can-do/volunteering-nspcc-childline or email: kerri.stewart@nspcc.org.uk / phone:01224 973030.