Dunbar Day Centre is a thriving charity located in the centre of Dunbar which, on a weekly basis, supports up to 70 people from the local district either at the centre or in their own home. “We are looking for people who can form a refreshed team of up to 12 trustees. We have a need for skills that will enable us to manage finances, comply with regulatory bodies including the Care Inspectorate and to ensure that we do all that we can to support our incredible staff. We are determined that Dunbar Day Centre’s reputation for excellent local support will grow – not only in the work we do within the centre but also in our plans for community outreach”.

Grampian Autistic Society are undertaking a new strategic plan for 2022 – 2027 and we want you to help us shape the future of our organisation! We are looking for several groups of individuals to help us co-produce our strategic plan including those with an ASC and those with a family member with an ASC. -Q: Who can take part? -A: Anyone over the age of 12 living in Grampian (Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, and Moray) -Q: How long do I need to take part for? -A: We are looking for a minimum 3 month commitment from October- December however we hope that these groups will continue to inform the strategic plan. -Q: How many people will be in each Focus Group? -A: Between 8 – 12 individuals -Q: What are the 4 focus groups? 1.Ages 12 – 26 with an ASC 2.Family members (e.g. brothers, sisters, parents, children) aged 12 – 16 of those with an ASC 3.Aged 27 and over with an ASC 4.Family members (e.g. brothers, sisters, parents, children) aged 27 and over of those with an ASC. -Q: What will we be doing? -A: Helping co-produce the strategic plan for 2022 – 2027 for Grampian Autistic Society, and shaping the future of the society. A fantastic opportunity to help. For more details please contact Megan Linklater, Engagement, Events & Volunteer Officer at E Mail: megan.linklater@grampianautisticsociety.org.uk or tel.: : 01224 277900.

Talkable offers a talkline to anyone affected by panic or anxiety. We currently have a range of ways that you can help as a volunteer as we continue to grow and provide ever more vital support to people. Opportunities to join our team of volunteers include: *Phoneline Volunteers – you will be required to provide anxiety relief over the phone to our service users. *Phoneline Team Leader – you will be required to manage the phoneline volunteers as well as be available on the phone. *Message Line Volunteers – you will be required to provide anxiety relief to our service users over our Facebook page, full training will be given. *Promotion Volunteers – you will be required to create social media posts and reach out to companies to make our services known more. *Funding Volunteers – you will be required to help come up with funding ideas to support our vital services. *Policy Assistance Volunteers - we are also looking for a volunteer(s) who can help us with policy work. Excellent support and any relevant training is provided to all volunteers. All help makes a difference and is greatly appreciated. For more information about any of these volunteer roles or any other ways you wish to help us as a volunteer please contact Chelsea Birkett at E Mail: recruitment@talkable.online or tel: 07999 453655.

Grampian Autistic Society are working to ensure that people in the North East of Scotland living with an Autism Spectrum Condition are enabled to fulfil their potential within their community and society. To assist in this we are seeking volunteers for the following roles: >Reception, Enquiries and Events Support Volunteers: We a currently looking for a team of volunteers to help us at our offices at 33-35 Carnie Drive, Aberdeen, AB25 3AN (free parking/public transport access) with reception duties and/or at events. We require some support from volunteers to help person our phone in the office, support initial and general enquiries and be a friendly, supportive voice and face to those who call and attend at our office. >Strategic Planning Support and Focus Group Volunteers: Grampian Autistic Society are undertaking a new strategic plan for 2022 – 2027 and we want you to help us shape the future of our organisation! We are looking for several groups of individuals to help us co-produce our strategic plan including those with an ASC and those with a family member with an ASC. -Q: Who can take part? -A: Anyone over the age of 12 living in Grampian (Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, and Moray) -Q: How long do I need to take part for? -A: We are looking for a minimum 3 month commitment from October- December however we hope that these groups will continue to inform the strategic plan. -Q: How many people will be in each Focus Group? -A: Between 8 – 12 individuals -Q: What are the 4 focus groups? 1.Ages 12 – 26 with an ASC 2.Family members (e.g. brothers, sisters, parents, children) aged 12 – 16 of those with an ASC 3.Aged 27 and over with an ASC 4.Family members (e.g. brothers, sisters, parents, children) aged 27 and over of those with an ASC. -Q: What will we be doing? -A: Helping co-produce the strategic plan for 2022 – 2027 for Grampian Autistic Society, and shaping the future of the society. Whatever amount of time you can provide is massively welcomed. Excellent support and relevant training is provided to all volunteers and all help makes a real difference and is greatly appreciated. For further details about any of these volunteer roles or other ways you can support us in our important work please contact Megan Linklater, Engagement Officer at E Mail: megan.linklater@grampianautisticsociety.org.uk or tel.: 01224 277900.

Do you have an interest in sustainable transport? Are you knowledgeable in transport policy, public finance and/or economic appraisal? Do you have good communication skills? If it’s a ‘yes’ to all of the above, then you could be the perfect person to join Transform Scotland’s Policy Forum! Our Policy Forum members volunteer their time to help influence transport policy in Scotland. BENEFITS TO YOU!: Opportunity to create lasting change and influence debate in sustainable transport. Meet with like-minded individuals. Have your voice heard. Be part of Scotland’s national alliance for sustainable transport. Find out who we are and what we do here www.transform.scot/who-we-are/our-team/

SDF trains people who have had substance use problems to interview people who currently have substance use problems about their experience or about the services they use. They know they are being understood and listened to by someone who has had similar experiences. Full training and support is provided by SDF staff to give you the skills and confidence to carry out the role. You learn at your own pace and work on areas that interest you. Volunteering as a peer researcher can involve: Running focus groups, designing questionnaires, Reviewing services, Interviewing service users. SDF volunteers tell us they volunteer to: Attend a variety of events and meet new people, Access other SDF training and volunteer opportunities, Gain knowledge and skills on how to support research projects, Help improve services for people who use them, Eventually move on to other volunteering, education or employment.

If you want to give back to your community this is a great way to do it. The Moray Firth Credit Union is seeking people who are interested in the exciting opportunity to serve on their Board. Some longstanding Board members shielded and subsequently retired during ‘lockdown’ in March 2020. The Credit Union has a long history of serving the local community. Formerly the Forres Area Credit Union until 2020) it was set up in 1995 as a response to high unemployment in the Forres area when a nearby Fabrication Yard closed. Today, the main office of the ‘Savings & Loans Co-operative’ is located at 53 High Street Forres, though plans are in the works to to expand and set up ‘satellite’ collection points in other places in Moray as this social enterprise develops. During COVID, the Credit union has remained open for business to support those people who use the credit union as thier bank and have hosted 'zooms' every fortnight with current Board members to keep abreast of new developments. If you have an interest in people, community or even if you want to learn more about the unique role a credit union plays in the lives of the people and communities they serve, (and have some spare time) the Moray Firth Credit Union would be delighted to hear from you. For a Board of Directors Pack please call 01309 676735 or email maggie@morayfirthcreditunion.co.uk for further information and an application. All volunteers are asked to join the Credit Union if they are not already a member.

Research enquiries sent in by members of the public using the archive material available, provide an appropriate, well thought out answer to the enquiry, file answered queries.

Aberdeen Climate Action is an organisation run by volunteers passionate about raising awareness of climate change, its causes and encouraging positive action to reduce carbon emissions and create a sustainable lifestyle. We are looking for others to join our organisation and help us with our valuable work in the North East. We organise Climate Week, North East, which is a week of events put on by a collaboration of organisations throughout the city and shire. We need help organising this and our regular climate conversation café’s, and one off events, talks etc. We need people with all sorts of different talents – the most important aspect is the fact that you are willing to muck in and ‘do’. Good support is provided to all new volunteers e.g.: volunteers will have a mentor, who will be on hand to give support, advice and assistance, as needed. If you’re interested just come along to our meetings and you can meet us all and see for yourself. A fantastic opportunity to help and make a real difference. For more details please contact: Alison Stuart (Director and Chair) email: alison@aberdeenclimateaction.org / Tel: 07779279583

Aberdeen in Recovery (AiR) was granted Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) charitable status in March this year. We are now looking to find talented, passionate and skilled people to fill some vacant seats on our Board of Trustees to help us grow and develop our innovative and solution focused new charity. This is a unique opportunity to help lay the foundations to ensure AiR has a long-term future as a charity with solid processes in place to ensure it meets its mission of: “To be a bridge from ‘dependence’ to ‘independence’ for the individual seeking to recover from problematic substance use and addictive behaviours”. This is such an exciting and invigorating prospect for individuals to get involved and be participant in the tsunami of change which is now gaining momentum and being driven by “Experts by Experience” and the vibrant Lived Experienced Communities which are blossoming, not only locally but are now established as a national phenomena. Since its conception, AiR and its members have worked tirelessly to establish and build collaborative relationships with professional services and third sector support agencies. We have consistently driven the message that individuals who have personal lived/living experience of active substance use, including Family members who have been affected by the addictive behaviours of a loved one, and the Recovery Communities they represent have something valid, essential and extremely beneficial to bring to described Recovery Orientated Systems of Care (ROSC). We can provide existing services and clinical structural systems with resources, skills and capabilities that they, no matter how much effort, time and money they invest, will never be able to offer or provide. So, it gives the greatest of pleasure to see this is now recognised on the highest levels that “Recoverists” can productively contribute to the design, development and delivery of truly person-centred ROSC. This being evidenced by the vision, philosophy and content of the Scottish Governments “Rights, Respect and Recovery” Drug and Alcohol Strategy. We also believe it is reaffirmed by the recent success in being granted funding from the Government’s National Development Fund, with our principle partner Alcohol and Drugs Action (ADA), for our ‘Recovery Peer Pathway’ joint two-year project. This collaborative venture will build on three years of pilot work to further establish and build proactive and productive Developmental Pathways within ADA and their Volunteer network while in synergy with AiR membership for individuals who desire to initiate change in their behaviours and outlook as they progress on their recovery journeys within, and imperatively out-with, statutory and formal support services. We believe that the blue sky thinking behind this project categorically and emphatically fits with the expectations, outcomes and concepts of the above Government policy. So, if you have lived experience, or a stakeholder interest, and a passion for recovery and are willing to give of yourself that another may learn, you will not find a better opportunity to indulge your appetite than from within Aberdeen in Recovery. For more information please contact Dermot Craig, Recovery Community Development Manager at E Mail: dermot@aberdeeninrecovery.org or tel.: 01224 638342 / Mobile: 07751 213108.