Our fundraising groups are the local face of MDUK, raising vital funds and consistently raising the profile of the charity in order to reach more people and their families affected by a muscle wasting condition. Role Description : What you’ll get out of the role: • Meeting and working with new and inspiring people. • Developing your communications, fundraising, PR and organisational skills. • More experience to add to your CV. • Developing your leadership skills. • Making a difference to your local community by raising funds and the profile of MDUK in your community. • Having fun, sharing your enthusiasm and doing something new. • Guidance on fundraising, finance and health and safety. What you’ll be doing: • Planning, organising and promoting fundraising events and collections with other group/committee members. • Collecting funds on behalf of the charity and servicing collection tins. • Attending group meetings. • Acting as an ambassador for MDUK through building community networks and in talking enthusiastically about the work of the charity. • Giving presentations to community organisations / schools. • Distributing promotional leaflets for MDUK. • Collecting and delivering MDUK merchandise to local supporters. • Liaising with your local Regional Development Manager to keep up-to-date with MDUK local and national events and our future direction as well as sharing our successes. • Complying with legal requirements e.g. health & safety legislation for fundraising events and MDUK’s internal policies. • If you have an interest in finance or accounts: using these skills in keeping records of the group’s financial activities and overseeing the submission of monies and year end accounts in line with MDUK guidelines and keeping with the Charities Act. How we will support you: • Support from your local Regional Development Manager with guidance on fundraising, event organising, planning and finance. • Fundraising merchandise/materials supplied as appropriate. • Opportunities to meet and network with staff and fellow volunteers during the year. • Updates on the success of the team as well as MDUK’s campaigns, events, achievements and future direction. • We will provide any relevant training to give you confidence in presenting on behalf of MDUK, e.g. guidance on media work and press releases, photography of events and in written communications and thanking supporters. Skills and Experience required: • Organisational, communication and time management skills so you can work effectively with a wide range of people. • The ability to work well with staff and other volunteers as part of a team but also able to work on your own initiative. • Honesty, reliability, passion and enthusiasm. • An interest in muscle-wasting conditions and the services that MDUK provides and able to represent MDUK to members of the public. • Possible managing finances – numeric skills, book keeping skills and attention to detail. • Ability to respond proactively to new opportunities. • A welcoming, friendly manner. • Enthusiasm and commitment to supporting the work of MDUK. • To maintain and uphold the reputation and good name of the charity. • To listen to, and work co-operatively with paid members of staff and other volunteers – treating all with courtesy and respect. • To take reasonable care of your own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions. • To support the charity’s equal opportunities and diversity policy – helping to promote this to all our supporters. • To provide us with feedback on how we can improve your volunteering experience with the charity. • To inform us if your commitment to us, for any reason, can no longer continue.

An opportunity to make a difference to the Community, to provide vision and input to development plans, working with other like minded people for the benefit of the Community Centre and its users as well as the wider community of Kelso. We are looking for a chairperson and a secretary to take an active role on the management committee. The committee meets a number of times a year and is responsible for the letting of the community centre to user groups and individuals. Income is reinvested back into the community centre and the wider community in line with specific outcomes. The Committee is governed by its Constitution. This is a development opportunity for someone wishing to gain experience of working on a committee. Abbey Row is a busy Community Centre and the existing committee would welcome new members and new ideas. Timing: The committee meets 5 times a year in the evening.

Give some of your time to support someone in Hawick to build their confidence to get out and about a bit more. Borders Buddies is a project funded by National Lottery Improving Lives Fund. It was begun because we were hearing from people who were feeling increasingly isolated and disconnected during Lockdown. Some of them had lost touch with friends or groups, some had lost some physical ability. Others had just lost confidence about rejoining groups or getting back to previous activities. We are looking for ‘Buddies’ in the Hawick area to befriend people to support them to get back to doing what they would like to do. In some cases this may just involve going round for a chat every so often. It could also involve chumming someone to a group or activity, or to a cafe or shops. You can read a blog here about the experience: https://otbds.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Borders-Buddies-Case-Study.pdf You would be fully supported by our relevant policies and risk assessments, with PVG as necessary, and reasonable expenses would be reimbursed. Dates and times to be confirmed. You can meet a person first to see if you get on; after that a regular commitment would be good, we understand that volunteers may need to take a break at times or circumstances may change, which is fine too.

Enjoy being around horses? Want a safe, supportive place to learn new skills? Come and be a valued part of our friendly team! Expect to have lots of fun, make new friends and get outdoors! Stable Life provides a safe, nurturing and learning experience using the horse and its environment to help young people in the Scottish Borders reach their full potential, and become healthier and happier with aspirations and dreams. And we need your help! As a Stable Life Yard Volunteer your role would be to carry out general yard duties associated with the care, welfare and exercise of the horses. This may include: - Providing food and water - Replacing bedding - Exercising horses - Cleaning and maintaining tack and equipment - Grooming of horses - Mucking out stables - Maintaining cleanliness and tidiness of yard and fields - Creating an appropriate environment for our young people - Assisting staff with practical duties - Tacking and untacking horses - Any other appropriate duties as directed by the Yard Manager. We will not ask you to do anything you are uncomfortable with, or not trained to do. However, we have lots of opportunities for learning and up-skilling and some of our volunteers even go on to become paid staff members! We value our volunteers highly and you can expect benefits like access to free horse-riding (dependent upon number of hours volunteered), participation in volunteer award schemes (e.g. Saltire) and an annual volunteer celebration day. Our volunteer co-ordinator can also help you with job applications and personal statements for college/university. Volunteering on the yard is an important role at Stable Life, as a charity we rely on your support. You help to keep our horses happy and healthy, enable our young people to feel welcomed and safe and support our hard-working staff. Thank you for taking the time to consider this position.

Could you be the face of your local British Heart Foundation shop? If you want to gain cashier and sales experience in a friendly environment, this is a great way to get a taste of a career in retail while helping raise live-saving funds. With support around you, you will be processing sales through the till as a cashier, talking to customers and thanking every donor - helping us beat heartbreak forever. Typical tasks include: · Engaging with customers and serving them in a helpful and friendly way. · Communicating with fellow volunteers about what has sold and needs re-stocking. · Honing your retail and cashier skills behind the till and taking payments. · Helping with administration and reception duties around the till area. · Promoting Gift Aid and sales campaigns, and chatting to customers. · Acting as an ambassador for the British Heart Foundation.

OPAL aims to maintain or increase the independence and well-being of older Eildon tenants in the Borders. Our dedicated, trained volunteers offer encouragement, companionship and support to engage in social, leisure and community activities. Role Description : We support Eildon tenants aged 60+ who are looking to re-connect socially either on a one-to-one basis or in a group setting. Overview: Providing support to deliver group activity for Eildon tenants aged 60+ experiencing loneliness and isolation. Reporting to: Service Coordinator Key Tasks: • Assistance in the setting up and tidying away pre and post group/event • Chatting to group members • Helping to support activities • In some cases taking the lead with activity delivery Benefit to volunteer: • Help older people in your community to stay connected and to be less socially isolated • Help older adults in your community to remain active and independent and reduce their social isolation • Personal development • Making new friends • Experience for work/college • Contribute to the work of Eildon and Cyrenians Time Commitment: Minimum 3 hours per month. Disclosure: All volunteers require membership to the Disclosure Scotland PVG Scheme, this will be organised by Eildon (no fee).

Helping run a peer support group in your local community: By giving your time, you will help us to reach the thousands of people living with sight loss in your area and provide life-changing support. Why we need you: The Macular Society is the UK’s leading charity determined to beat the fear and isolation of macular disease with world-class research, and the best advice and support Our groups provide information, support and new friendships to those with macular disease, along with their family and friends. Whether you can spare a few hours or a couple of days a week, you’ll be doing something great to help people with macular disease. Rewarding and enjoyable roles Everyone has a reason for volunteering. Perhaps you know someone who has macular disease, are currently supporting a loved one, or want to give something back to support your community. If you want to gain experience or develop new skills, we are sure we have something for you too. Will it suit me? You will be working as part of a team to ensure the smooth running of the group. No one person is responsible, which helps to lighten the load. Select the task(s) that feel right for you. Tasks shared by volunteers may include: • Meet and greet – welcoming members and guests, sharing information, wrapping things up at the end. • Group programme – organising guest speakers and suggesting social activities. • Keeping in touch with group members. • Maintaining a list of members and sharing updates with head office. • Collecting meeting subs. • Organising and/or serving tea and coffee. • Setting out the chairs. Time commitment Most of our groups meet monthly. The Galashiels Macular Support Group will be meeting at a central venue in Galashiels. Two to three hours is all we need each month, with flexibility if things change for you. Offering your help If you see yourself in this role, get in touch to have a chat. If it isn’t for you, then we would still love to hear from you. We have other exciting volunteer opportunities that may be a better fit for your time and talents.

A great chance to join a friendly team as a Befriender. Are you a Parent? Would you like to help other parents? Can you spare a couple of hours each week? Come and join us! At ParentSpace, we believe parenting is the hardest and most important job in the world and all parents want to do the best possible job we can. We also believe that, just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to raise a parent. That’s where our Parent Befrienders come in. As a Parent Befriender, you will be a crucial part of the village we all need. The role includes: • Meeting with your befriendee(s) at a regular time which suits you both, either at their home or a mutually agreed place, online or by phone. • Offering unconditional, non judgemental support through active listening • Maintaining confidential notes • Attending monthly supervision, usually online • Attending ongoing training We offer a 6 week training package, covering all aspects of the role, such as communication and active listening, confidentiality, parental wellbeing and mental health, looking after our wellbeing as befrienders, boundaries and safeguarding. After this, we ask that you are available for 1-2 hours per week for the minimum of 12 months. Skills/Experience Required To be a ParentSpace Befriender, you need to be: • A parent yourself • Friendly, good at listening and able to offer non judgemental support • Available 1-2 hours per week plus additional time for ongoing training and supervision • Transport is helpful but not essential • Access to Internet to attend online training, supervision and complete notes We welcome parents with lived experience of the many challenges parenting can bring, such as postnatal depression, anxiety, bereavement, parenting children with additional needs… These are examples of some of the difficulties your befriendees may be dealing with and it can help to form a rapport if you have a similar experience. This what one of our current Befrienders says about the role: 'I started my training with Parentspace last autumn and was matched with a parent by December. I honestly wasn't expecting to meet so many lovely people. The training was thoughtful and thorough. The trainers were so encouraging and naturally the other trainees were friendly! I was relieved that I didn't have to have all the answers or be a perfect parent myself; my own struggles have shown me the difference this kind of support can make and they also make it easier to form a connection. The support from my supervisor and the ParentSpace team means I never feel isolated and has helped me build my confidence. Personally, I look forward to the befriending sessions and have had a lot of fun since I joined up.'

As part of the RAF Association, our Connections Volunteers offer the vital connection and support our beneficiaries need. In this role, you will make a real difference by helping support a lonely individual via regular telephone calls. Our Connections for Life service entails friendship telephone calls from volunteers to beneficiaries within the RAF community who maybe experiencing loneliness, adapting to life after service or just looking for a general chat. We will provide you with all the necessary training so you can rest assured that you will have all the skills you need. As a Connections Volunteer, you will have the support of a dedicated coordinator as your point of contact.

A Caseworker is someone who carries out work for the Royal Air Force Association on a voluntary basis by gathering information, asking questions and completing necessary forms. The RAF Association is a member-led, welfare charity that exists to ensure that all members of the RAF community are supported, when they require it. The caseworker’s role is at the heart of this charity objective and volunteers undertaking this role will be helping us to deliver this support to the RAF community. The role is about supporting and listening to an individual and assessing their needs - this can include anything from helping them to complete a form, applying for funding for a wet-room or new white goods. Caseworkers may also need to gather complex information and ask questions regarding finances and health conditions. You would be required to provide clear and precise information on these topics. A RAF or forces background is not essential, and we welcome applications from all areas of the community.