Early Intervention is a neurodivergent safe space for neuro divergent children and their families. A non-judgmental environment where you can be your true authentic self. Managed by volunteers we offer specialist support - Speech and Language therapy, Music Therapy, Pet therapy, and opportunities for children up to 9 years old to socialise with their neurokin whilst empowering them to embrace their identity, we also offer opportunities for semi structured play, arts and crafts and sensory messy play. Looking for friendly volunteers to help us support families at sessions, no experience necessary but would especially love to hear from those with lived experience - neurodivergent adults and or people with a close connection to neurodiversity or ASN for example an autistic family member. Although no experience is necessary, we would love to hear from any practicing/retired or student Speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, play therapists, teachers, or those with experience in social care and early years childcare. Early Intervention is a volunteer-led organisation which has been providing services to neurodivergent children and their families since February 2022. This is an exciting time to get involved with us as we are seeking to develop the services we offer and to look at making the transition to becoming a Scottish Charity. A fantastic opportunity to help and make a real difference. All volunteer assistance is greatly appreciated. For more details please contact Linda Lumsden, Early Intervention Founder/Volunteer at email: info@earlyintervention.org.uk or telephone: 07867 524150.

EASE Online is delivered via the open-learning platform Module and the video-conferencing software Zoom over four weeks. There are four modules – for each module, you have a week to work through reading, films and activities in your own time, before meeting your fellow participants via Zoom for a facilitated group discussion. We estimate a time commitment of up to 3 hours per week. You can find out more information HERE. The course starts with an online Welcome Session via Zoom. You’ll then have a week to work through each module with the weekly Zoom discussions on the following four dates: Thursday 20th April 6-7pm Thursday 27th April 6-8pm Thursdays 4th, 11th, 18th May 6-8pm. All course participants are expected to have worked through the course materials and contributed to the online discussion forums before each weekly Zoom discussion.

Can you be a good listener? Could you help someone explore what they are going through? The Community Listening Service helps people (re)discover hope and inner strength in times of “illness, change and loss”. Community Listening Service Listeners do not offer counselling, but they offer the person a space to talk, to tell their story in their own time, for their own wellbeing, with the knowledge that the listener is there to listen. Volunteers can play a vital role supporting the work of the Department of Spiritual Care within NHS Grampian/CLS. Listening to people’s concerns can help them feel less isolated and anxious while helping them feel more hopeful and valued in a confidential and non-judgemental way. There is no requirement for volunteers or service users to be a member of a faith or belief group, just be able to provide a service that has patients at the heart, where they can feel safe, seen and heard, allowing them the space to reflect on their own personal situations. A fantastic opportunity help. All help makes a real difference and is greatly appreciated. For further details please contact us at email gram.listening@nhs.scot or telephone: 07584 217 192 or 01224 553316.

*Help with soup making and/or serving, supporting and socializing at our fantastic Y Knot Drop- in Lunch Club* You would be joining a team of volunteers, helping to provide a safe, welcoming space where visitors can relax and enjoy a friendly chat and a variety of activities, such as cards, dominoes and occasionaly crafts. Our visitors are people from all walks of life who need support to deal with challenges to their mental health. Volunteers can choose from a variety of options: >9.30am to 2.30pm Making soup, serving, joining in activities or >12noon to 2.30pm Serving, helping to clear up, joining in activities. (Everyone has lunch together) A monthly rota ensures that volunteers can tailor their volunteering times to fit in with other commitments. Some work once a month, others every week or once a fortnight. We would be happy to discuss details with you should you decide to apply-and we're hoping that you will. Preliminary visits would be very welcome. Training and support is also provided and all volunteers are greatly appreciated. Contact us by phone or e-mail at e-mail: maggie.whyte@churchofscotland.org.uk or tel.: 01224 635694 to arrange to “drop in” one Thursday.

Fledgling Arts Collective Central provide a platform both online and offline for those who struggle with mental health, addiction or who feel like they don't quite 'fit',or feel estranged to this world : to express themselves through art as catharsis. We encourage being CathARTic! We are currently recruiting new volunteers to a range of exciting roles to help us in our vital work. Volunteering opportunities include: *Fledgling Wings Moderator *General Senior Manager *Online Co-manager of Outreach *Outreach Manager *Outreach online volunteer position *Treasurer *Volunteer social media promoter *Volunteer website designer. These are fantastic opportunities to help volunteering-all help makes a real difference and is greatly appreciated. For further details please contact: Jewels Johnson at email: jewels-founder-fledgling@outlook.com

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

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.

Clan’s Listening and Support volunteers are the key points of contact for clients accessing our range of free practical services and emotional support at our Wellbeing Centres across the North East, including Moray. Listening & Support Volunteers currently help a wide range of people affected by cancer, including those with a cancer diagnosis, carers, colleagues, family members and friends by offering an impartial, confidential listening ear. Support can be given either in person or on the telephone. Clan is in urgent need of volunteers in Elgin and the surrounding areas of Lossiemouth and Forres. If you are caring, compassionate, an effective listener and available to volunteer for 4 hours at a time (on week days) either weekly, fortnightly or monthly for a minimum of 12 months, we’d love to hear from you! Find out more about how you could make a difference to local people affected by cancer by visiting www.clancancersupport.org, or by calling 01224 647 000 and asking to speak with our Volunteer Manager.

Cruse Scotland provides a range of specialist support to bereaved people across Scotland. Our counselling and listening volunteer team have a wide range of skills and expertise working with people to help them overcome obstacles to wellbeing and find ways forward through the challenges that life can bring when dealing with a bereavement. Like so many support organisations, we are seeing an increasing demand of our services and we are looking for qualified counsellors to join our therapeutic team. This is a unique opportunity to provide specialist intervention to support people to gain an insight and understanding into their grief. We work within a time limited model of support and ask that all volunteers work with a minimum of two clients at any given time We are looking for trained counsellors who are supportive and non-judgemental, proactive, motivated, and open to change and demonstrate an understanding of the importance and scope of confidentiality. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills are also essential. You must be a registered member of COSCA or the BACP and hold a recognised Diploma in Counselling. We provide individual clinical supervision, with optional group supervision, frequent and varied CPD opportunities and management and administrative support from our local client teams. Due to the pandemic, we are currently delivering our services by telephone and online but will begin to offer to face to face support again when public health advice allows. We can offer training to those who are new to phone or online counselling If you are interested in applying for this volunteer role please visit our website at Current Volunteer Opportunities : Cruse Bereavement Care (crusescotland.org.uk)

-Could you be there for children? At Childline, our free counselling service for children, a child contacts us every 25 seconds. And thanks to our dedicated volunteers, who do a shift each week, we can offer support when it’s needed most. To make sure it stays that way, we’re looking for more brilliant people who want to make a difference. After you get trained and set up in your local base, you’ll be helping children and young people who need someone to talk to. Listening to them at first and then offering support, information, or practical advice. -Interested? Then get ready to take a life-changing step forward – for you and for 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 for further information/details.