*Do you enjoy meeting people? *Are you a good listener? *Advocacy offers a great opportunity to make a real difference to people’s lives. Our volunteers help people to take control over their lives and make their voices heard. All volunteers are fully trained in the skills needed to become an advocate. This is a great opportunity to help make a positive difference. If you think you might be interested please call or email and come in and have a chat to find out more. Please contact Joanne Grant at email joannegrant@advocacy.org.uk or tel 01224 332314 / 01224 332366.

MCR Pathways has been partnering with schools since 2007 so we know just how amazing the young people of Scotland are. However, sometimes due to situations out of their control, young people face challenges that make it more difficult for them to succeed. That’s why providing the simple support of a mentor is so important and has been proven to make a life-changing difference. This is where you can help... MCR recruits and trains volunteer mentors who are matched with a young person that shares similar interests, hobbies or career aspirations. Mentors meet with their young person at their school for just one hour per week and the difference this makes is transformational. The mentoring relationship is unique as young people establish a friendship with someone who’s there, just for them and is not a teacher, parent, guardian or counsellor. The impact on their life is huge. Recent ScotCen research shows 81.6% of mentored care-experienced pupils left school for college, university or a job, compared with 56.3% of those young people not being mentored. We are hoping to help even more young people in the area reach their potential and are looking for over 150 mentors from Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire In Aberdeen St Machar Academy has been part of the programme since August 2018 and, in 2020 was joined by Northfield, Hazlehead, Dyce, Harlaw and Lochside Academies. Aberdeenshire schools participating in the programme are Banff, Fraserburgh, Inverurie, Peterhead and The Gordons Schools Huntly The only qualification you need to be a mentor is the desire to help. All young people are different and have different needs, so it’s important that our mentors come from all walks of life. Volunteer mentors are asked to commit just one hour a week for a minimum of one year and will be fully trained and PVG checked before being matched with a young person from an Aberdeen or Aberdeenshire school. The building of the relationship with a young person is facilitated by our fantastic MCR Pathways Coordinators who are based in each school and work with our young people on a daily basis. We’re asking you to #BeTheBridge between a young person’s talent and life possibilities. For only one hour per week, you can change a life. This year, why not do something to make a difference that lasts a lifetime. Register online at https://mcrpathways.org/become-a-mentor/ For any further details please contact Heidi Bisset, Programme and Schools Manager- Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire at email: mentor.services@mcrpathways.org or tel: 07587104597

*Help us make important decisions with and for infants, children and young people in Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire. Become a Children’s Panel Member Volunteer. Find out more: www.chscotland.gov.uk * The qualities you use every day are exactly what Scotland’s infants, children and young people look for in a Panel Member. Children’s Hearings Scotland is looking for people who care about making a difference in the lives of children attending hearings in Scotland. A Panel Member’s role is to listen and make legal decisions with and for infants, children and young people, and to ensure that the young person is at the heart of every decision taken. There’s no one type of person or background that makes the ideal Children’s Panel Member. What you do need are certain qualities, such as being a good listener, caring, compassionate, and reliable. You will receive extensive training so that you are fully capable, and comfortable, making decisions at a hearing in the best interest of a child or young person. Children’s Hearings Scotland is dedicated to recruiting a Children’s Panel that represents Scotland’s communities, and so to ensure a balanced panel they are looking for more applicants 18 – 30 years old, as well as more male Panel Members. If you are passionate about driving positive change in your local community, then this is a volunteering role for you! Find out more and apply at: www.chscotland.gov.uk *(closing date for applications is midnight 15 February 2021.)

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 support children aged 8 and over, and their families, who have worries about their emotional health and wellbeing. By promoting positive relationships, we empower families to understand and improve their emotional wellbeing. We tailor our support to meet the needs of individual families. What will I be doing? Usually our volunteering is face to face but currently this is difficult to achieve in most circumstances, so contact may be online initially. Volunteers build relationships with families in different ways including; Family Wellbeing – helping to establish and support family play and activities or offering support and encouragement to help a parent or carer maintain their relationship with their child/ren. Befriending – developing a 1 to 1 supportive, reliable, social relationship with a child, young person or adult by arranging weekly opportunities to experience new activities and develop interests. Befriending relationships can help build self-esteem and confidence and supports personal and social development. Group Work – working with groups of young people, parents and children; supporting the work of Children 1st staff within group sessions.

The North Lanarkshire Befriending Project help support vulnerable and isolated young people aged 8-18 in the local area. With social isolation, inequality and child poverty on the rise, the need for befrienders to support young people to increase their confidence, achieve personal goals and make links in their local community, is more important than ever. If you are passionate about the wellbeing of children and young people and could spend time with a young person sharing a hobby or activity on a fortnightly basis, then become a befriender in North Lanarkshire today! Once trained and matched to a young person with similar interests, the befriender and young person meet every fortnight to take part in an activity. For example, you could meet for a hot chocolate, nature walks, a gym class, bowling or the cinema. There may be particular activities that the young person would like to take part in but we also encourage volunteer befrienders to introduce ideas for new activities when appropriate. Befrienders will give a young person a positive role model in their life by passing on their skills and experience, enabling them to try new experiences and simply providing them with a few hours of fun. By committing to just a couple of hours every fortnight, you could make a real difference where it is needed the most. Volunteer requirements • Must commit to contact with young person at least once every 2 weeks for 12 months • Attend training, delivered in 3 x 3 hour blocks • Must apply to the PVG scheme (handled and paid for by the project) • Interest and enthusiasm in working with young people • Must be at least 18 years of age As a volunteer, you would have the satisfaction of helping a young person in need, increasing your own confidence, enhancing your skills and experience and having fun! For further information or to apply for this role, please email mandy.burrell@volunteeringmatters.org.uk or call 07746938237.

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.

*Caring for a child with a life-shortening condition is a full time job. Our families need help with activities and practical tasks. As a CHAS Home Support volunteer you will be matched to one family to support them with whatever tasks will help them most.* -What activities will I be involved in? The tasks will vary according to the family’s needs but will mainly be: • Sibling support – which can include help with homework, activity and play, drop off and pick up from clubs or groups • Practical tasks for the family - such as cleaning, ironing, shopping and/or dog walking • Emotional support – providing companionship, listening to concerns and building a relationship with the family. -What skills and abilities will I need to have? • Compassionate nature • A desire to support families in their own home • Ability to be flexible and reliable • Good listening skills • Shared values with CHAS: respect, care, honesty, accountability • Access to reliable public transport or a clean and current driving licence and access to a vehicle is required, as visits will take place within the families own homes therefore travel will be required -How much time should I offer? We are currently looking for individuals aged 18 or over who can visit families within their own homes, once a week for a minimum of 2-4 hours. Visits take place during the day, as well at evenings and weekends, so Home Support volunteers need to be able to be flexible and potentially available 7 days per week. Travel time will also need to be considered but we will try to keep this to a minimum where possible. -Where is the Opportunity based? We are looking for volunteers in the North East of Scotland, covering Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray. -What ongoing learning/support/guidance will I receive? It is important to us that you feel happy, safe and confident in your role. As a CHAS Home Support volunteer you will be thoroughly trained and supported throughout your volunteering journey with us. Before you start your role you will receive an induction to CHAS, along with an assessed learning package which will consist of 4 x 3 hour weekly sessions which is tailored to your role (these sessions will take place via Zoom due to the current Covid-19 restrictions). Along with this, you will also receive regular support and supervision. We are always developing new opportunities for volunteers to learn and offer a range of options for volunteers including ongoing training and volunteer meet ups. -What are the benefits to me? • Learning new skills • Making a real difference to the families of children with a life-shortening condition. • Adding to your CV which can open up employment and studying opportunities • Meeting new people • Increased self-esteem and confidence -What else should I know? Home Support volunteers must be aged 18 or older. We will pay your out of pocket expenses in line with the CHAS volunteer expenses policy. All our Home Support volunteers require membership of the PVG scheme, CHAS will cover all costs associated with this. -What’s the next step? If you’re interested in the role you can apply online at https://www.chas.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer/volunteer-application-form If you have any questions please contact the Volunteering Team on volunteering@chas.org.uk or 0141 779 6195.

Volunteering with Action Tutoring is an easy and rewarding way to make a difference to the lives of young people. By volunteering and tutoring for just one hour a week, you will be able to directly support disadvantaged young people to build their confidence and help ensure they leave school with the grades needed to build a bright future, as well as developing your own skills. And now you can volunteer with us as an online tutor to support pupils to reach their potential. Online tutoring is a great option for anyone on a busy schedule or those continuing to keep their distance from groups of people. For our online programmes, tutors work remotely and support pupils in English or maths in a virtual classroom. For further details please contact Jack Chesterman Volunteer Marketing and Onboarding Manager at email: jack@actiontutoring.org.uk

Volunteering Matters Overview At Volunteering Matters we believe everyone in the UK should have the opportunity to thrive, so we bring people together to overcome some of society’s most complex issues through the power of volunteering. We partner with communities to overcome adversity, tackling social isolation and loneliness, improving health, developing skills and opportunities. And because we’re a national charity, we do this at scale, sharing our expertise and building partnerships to make an even bigger impact. We turn local knowledge and energy into action and progress, building stronger communities and a better future for all. Project Overview Our Volunteers Supporting Families in Edinburgh project offers practical and emotional support to families across the South East and South West localities of Edinburgh, empowering them to face a range of life challenges. We recruit, train and match dedicated, local volunteers to help families every step of the way, spending 1-1 time together on a personalised set of goals chosen by the family, for the family. We can help in many ways, such as improved living standards, budgeting, healthier eating, better school life and behaviour, access to health and wellbeing aid, as well as introducing parents to community resources, to name a few. So far, thousands of families across the UK have benefitted from our service and we are now delighted to extend the programmes reach to families in Edinburgh. Who can volunteer with us? Our volunteers are locally based people with an understanding of the challenges that families are facing. Aged 18+, each volunteer brings different life experiences and skills that they can use to help the family they are matched to, offering support on a weekly basis, usually for 6-9 months at a time that suits everyone. They build a strong relationship based on trust and mutual respect, acting as a friendly face who listens and cares about the family. All volunteers are interviewed, trained to the highest standards and undergo disclosure checks before being matched with a family. What can we offer volunteers? As well as the sense of achievement that comes through supporting a family, our volunteers will have the opportunity to learn and develop new skills, attend social events with other volunteers and enhance their employability. Certificates are provided upon completion of induction training and at the end of the commitment, with project staff happy to provide references for future studies or employment.