Everyone can feel lonely and isolated at times, especially if experiencing hardship. In response to the effects of loneliness and isolation on peoples wellbeing (physical, emotional, social and mental health), that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated, TLC have responded to this need and further developed our befriending service to combat the loneliness and isolation felt by many in our city. Our expertly trained and compassionate volunteers not only provide a lifeline to people, in the form of friendship, but also a helping hand to reconnect to the community, bringing joy and passion back into people’s lives. If you would like to be a beacon of hope to someone in need, please do apply to join our fantastic team of volunteers. For further information please email us at recruitment@tlc.org.uk

**All our volunteering activities are outdoors and managed carefully with covid in mind** Are you passionate about cycling? Do you have an interest in bike maintenance? Volunteer with I Bike! I Bike is a really fun and rewarding project to volunteer with that offers plenty of opportunities to get outdoors for cycling-related activities, boost the CV, gain experience of work with children and young people, meet new people and learn new skills. In Aberdeen, we're particularly looking for people who are interested in bike maintenance. Maybe you want to improve your existing skills, get some practice alongside others or put your expertise to good use! Training and support is provided for all levels. I Bike is a schools programme which aims to help children and young people become more active through taking part in cycling and walking activities. You would be volunteering alongside a dedicated I Bike Officer in schools. Our maintenance sessions are called Dr Bike where we set up a workshop in the school grounds to fix children's bikes. But there are plenty of other activities we run for children such as learn to cycle, playground cycle skills, led bike rides, led walks and much more! Hear from some of our fantastic volunteers via our website at https://ibike.sustrans.org.uk/home/volunteers/ We advocate for volunteering for all - please talk to us if you have any accessibility requirements or other specific requirements. A fantastic opportunity to help. All volunteers make a real difference and are greatly appreciated. For further details please contact Anna Whealing, Project Officer, I Bike Volunteering, Sustrans Scotland at email: Anna.Whealing@sustrans.org.uk

**All our volunteering activities are outdoors and managed carefully with covid in mind** Are you passionate about cycling and walking? Could you inspire young people in Aberdeen to cycle or walk more? Volunteer with I Bike! I Bike is a really fun and rewarding project to volunteer with that offers plenty of opportunities to get outdoors for cycling-related activities, boost the CV, gain experience of work with children and young people, meet new people and learn new skills. Good training and support is provided to all volunteers including an online Welcome Session, Child Protection Training, Cycling Skills and Bike Repairs. For most activities you don't have to own a bike to join in - bikes and helmets can be provided depending on availability. I Bike aims to help children and young people become more active through taking part in cycling and walking activities. You would be volunteering alongside a dedicated I Bike Officer in schools, supporting activities for children such as learn to cycle, playground cycle skills, led bike rides, led walks, bike maintenance and much more! What could be better than helping children to ride their bike without stabilisers for the first time? Hear from some of our fantastic volunteers via our website link at https://ibike.sustrans.org.uk/home/volunteers/ We advocate for volunteering for all - please talk to us if you have any accessibility requirements or other specific requirements. A fantastic opportunity to help. All volunteers make a real difference and are greatly appreciated. For further details please contact Anna Whealing, Project Officer, I Bike Volunteering, Sustrans Scotland at email: Anna.Whealing@sustrans.org.uk

Aberdeen Women's Alliance are a small, local, charity that was set up in 2004. Our aim is to enable Aberdeen womens' voices to be better heard by decision-makers. Since 2013 we have also run a successful local women's history project. Most recently during the pandemic, we have worked with our partners to make sure some disadvantaged women are having their basic needs met. We are keen to recruit some women to become new members of the Lead Group. Our Lead Group oversees our governance much like a Board or Management Committee. If you're interested in finding out more, please in the first instance email awainfo@btinternet.com

The Boys’ Brigade is the oldest uniformed youth organisation in the country. We promote habits which leads young people to be good all round citizens, through an extensive programme. It is rewarding and an honour to watch 5 year old shy children grown into confident young adults, ready to play their part in society. With Covid-19 rules many Companies are looking for additional volunteers to help run the different Sections separately. Helping out in a BB group with children and young people can make all the difference to young lives – meaning happier young people, happier communities and a society that values the contribution that we can all make; young, old or in-between. We call our volunteers “leaders” because they guide a course for children and young people. *What do volunteers do? There are lots of different ways that you can help. We work with boys and girls from all backgrounds and of all faiths, and with those with no faith. Most of our volunteers come along for a couple of hours a week in the evening and get involved with one or more of our four age sections: Anchors, Juniors, Company, Seniors. We need volunteers to help children with activities, games, sport, arts and crafts, hobbies, music etc. Whatever you can help with is greatly valued. We also want volunteers who will be able to relate to young people and over time, become adults they can trust and talk to. *I can't help every week, do you still want me? Yes! The beauty of volunteering with the BB is that you can be flexible, and if you can only help out once a month, or even once a year at the annual camp then we are happy to welcome you. *What is the age limit? You can volunteer from 14+ as a Young Leader, with a wider range of roles for those aged 18+. There’s no upper age limit. We really do welcome applications from all ages. *Do I have to be Christian? Some churches where BB groups are based like leaders to be members of that church, but are happy that certain roles are performed by people who are in sympathy with the Christian basis of the BB. Other than that, we welcome volunteers from all backgrounds and cultures. There are BB groups in and around Aberdeen, looking for volunteers, from Cove to Balmedie, Powis, Northfield, Woodside and the Bridge of Don, and everywhere in between. There will be a group near you who will welcome and greatly appreciate your help. A fantastic opportunity to help and make a real difference for people and communities. For further information please contact Andy Cowie at email: acowie999@btinternet.com or tel.: 01224 7903248 / 07715279478.

Aberdeen Multicultural Centre (AMC) is an outcome driven, user led charity, committed to making a positive impact on the lives of wider communities in Aberdeen. AMC encourages co-operation and integration amongst diverse community groups. AMC’s vibrant aims are to support communities from social, economic, welfare & environmental perspectives. AMC has run Climate Change projects for the last five years aimed at awareness raising and changing behaviours in relation to home energy efficiency, active travel, food waste, recycling and home gardening amongst diverse communities in Aberdeen. AMC has become cultural hub of communities in Aberdeen. AMC has been organising different cultural events such as International Mother Language Day, Aberdeen Mela- One World Day, Multicultural Burns Night etc. AMC also involved in different sports & physical activities such as Multicultural Football Festival, Multicultural Bike Rally, Wellbeing & Mindfulness Meditation Sessions, Relaxation & Chair base exercises for BAME older people etc. Post Covid-19 recovery stage we are looking to go back to our normal operations and activities. Planning ahead we need a grant proposal writing volunteer’s support to our team. A fantastic and exciting opportunity to assist in the continued successful development of Aberdeen Multicultural Centre and make a real difference for people and communities. All help is greatly appreciated. For further information please contact Ahashan Habib, Centre Manager at E Mail: a.habib@abmc.org.uk or tel. 01224 561992.

Altens and Cove Community Association Centre is a local independent charity, run by volunteer Trustees and a small staff team from Altens Community Centre. Serving Altens and Cove, the centre offers a wide range of community activities, along with private hires of our meeting rooms, sports hall and community rooms, and a café. Our highly recommended Fishies Playgroup operates within Altens Community Centre on weekday mornings during term time. As we emerge from pandemic restrictions, we are looking for new trustees to join our friendly group of staff and trustees. In particular, we are seeking a treasurer to manage the association’s accounts in conjunction with the centre manager and other members of the board of trustees. The Centre provides a vibrant atmosphere and essential support for the community of Cove and Altens, and we would be pleased to welcome additional volunteers to our team. For further information please contact Rob Sim, Chair of Board of Trustees at E Mail: altensccchair@gmail.com or tel.: 07801683011. Details about activities and volunteering at the Centre is also available at our Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/altencc/

Are you a good listener, non-judgemental and empathetic with an ability to relate to traumatic life experiences that some of the children/young people referred to us may have faced? Befriend a Child is a local charity that provides 1:1 befriending and mentoring services for school aged children and young people. We recruit caring adults who act as role models for school-aged children who face some kind of disadvantage. They spend time together on a 1:1 basis, talking, sharing and having fun. Could that be you? If you are reliable and fun-loving, with a positive disposition and you can commit to sparing a few hours each month, you could make a huge difference in a young person’s life. Excellent training and support is provided and all our volunteer roles adhere to COVID-19 safety guidelines and restrictions. For more information/to register your interest please visit https://www.befriendachild.org.uk/get-involved/befriending/ and/or email us at volunteer@befriendachild.org.uk

We are looking for individuals to take up an exciting opportunity to support the delivery of the vaccination programme for COVID-19 and Flu vaccines in Aberdeen city. Working with the team at the Aberdeen City Vaccination Centre in the former John Lewis site in the city centre, you will be an integral part of the team supporting the flow of patients through the centre and providing help to the public where required. Duties will include greeting patients as they attend the centre, assisting those with mobility issues as they move through the centre, and escorting patients to other areas (i.e. toilet facilities) where required. You may also be asked to help with restocking of supplies, assist with queue management, and support the team with other tasks where required. All help makes a difference and is greatly appreciated. For more information please contact Ali Macaulay, Support Manager at email: alison.macaulay@nhs.scot or tel.: 07790 713260.

ProjectScotland supports young people to reach their potential through tailored support, the opportunity to experience the benefits of a volunteering placement themselves and the support of volunteer mentors. This is a national programme which we have recently secured funding to deliver in the Aberdeen area. As a guide -6-month commitment – 1 hour weekly although this will be flexible and may fluctuate to meet mentor and mentee availability, this meeting would ideally be face to face however given the COVID situation many matches are virtual using email/telephone/video chat/WhatsApp. In the role you may be assisting a young person to identify personal goals and aims and support them to work towards these in a planned and thought through way. e.g building self-esteem, feeling more confident in social situations, expressing themselves effectively, recognising personal strengths. In other matches you might be working on softer outcomes such as helping them to develop life skills, routine, planning for the day, managing their time effectively and in many cases just checking in to make sure all is well and they are doing alright. For further information please contact Emma Hanlon, Mentor Manager at email: emma.hanlon@volunteeringmatters.org.uk or tel.: 07746938237.