Do you want to help support children and young people aged 5-18 years with additional support needs living in Angus? Angus Special Playscheme provides holiday playschemes for children and young people aged 5-18 years with additional support needs living in Angus. Our volunteers play a valued role in the work of the organisation. Our main opportunity is as a Playscheme Volunteer which can be summed up as "supporting the children who attend our schemes to ensure they are safe and enjoy their time there", Duties are varied but may include: • To ensure the children you are matched with are safe. • To complete at the end of the day a ‘my day sheet’ with the guidance of the Playleader as necessary for each child you were matched with that day. • To report to the Playleader/Depute Playleader any issues with the children or any negative behaviours. • To ensure first aid treatment is sought as needed for the children you are matched with. • To work in accordance with the National Care Standards, Early Education and Childcare up to the age of 16 • Encourage and support individual children to participate in the planned programme of activities • Assist the Playleader in being responsible for and ensuring that adequate precautions are taken to safeguard children and minimise risks • Develop a stable friendly and trusting relationship with the children • Ensure high standards of cleanliness and hygiene are maintained by yourself and the children at all times • Ensure all aspects of play promote equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practices • Work as part of a team The Playschemes run during the Easter, Summer and Autumn holidays but there may be opportunities to volunteer outside of these times and within different roles.

We are a not for profit community interest organisation supporting young people and children's mental health and wellbeing. We are currently seeking volunteers to provide support during the week at our mum and child sessions. These sessions are provided to help families connect and support one another. Your main role would be set up room, hosting and speaking to parents and tidying the room. If you have small children they can also be there whilst you volunteer. A fantastic opportunity to help and make a real difference. For more information please contact Zara Grant at email: yourloveraracic@yahoo.com or telephone: 01358 741874.

Grandmentors is an award-winning, inter-generational mentoring programme, operating in various locations across the UK. We are currently looking for new Volunteer Mentors to join our programme in Perth and Kinross which launched in 2023. It is widely recognised that care-experienced young people are some of the most disadvantaged in society. Many are in care because they have experienced, or are at risk of, neglect and/or abuse. Security and stability are often missing from their lives. We recruit, train and support volunteer mentors (normally but not exclusively aged 50+) who draw on their wealth of professional and personal life experience and skills to support young people (aged 16-26) through life transitions on their pathway to independence. Grandmentors is all about empowering and positive relationships, aligning to “The Promise” that Scotland made to its care experienced population. Young people are listened to, heard, and responded to. They benefit from safe, consistent loving relationships, and access to meaningful support to boost mental & physical wellbeing, resilience, and confidence. Grandmentors facilitate conversations around keeping well, coping strategies, self-care, and self-management. Each young person alongside their Grandmentor co-produces a bespoke support plan and set goals based on their needs. They explore and review the young person’s challenges, and priorities. These range from enhancing mental & physical health and wellbeing, dealing with stress and conflict, support to access sustainable and appropriate housing, career, and education goals, budget planning and more.

We currently need support during the week on our mum and child sessions, these sessions are provided to help families connect and support one another. Your main role would be set up room, hosting and speaking to parents and tidying the room if you have small children than can be there whilst you volunteer

Would you like to go on fun adventures, explore and laugh with friends? At Girlguiding we do everything from camping to campaigning! We’re all about girls and young women laughing, learning and having adventures. Why not join the fun? Meetings usually run on weekday evenings for about an hour, and you can choose how much or how little you can help out! Our different sections cover ages 4-18, so there’s something for everyone. Youth volunteering with Girlguiding Scotland looks great on a CV, and can improve skills like teamwork, leadership, communication, creativity and IT. It’s great experience if you want a career in youthwork or education. You can get extra training like First Aid, the disclosure check for working with children is paid for by us and we’ll help you every step of the way. There are loads of meetings happening all over Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire, so you can join one close to you. Our volunteers are what makes Girlguiding amazing, and we welcome people of all backgrounds and walks of life. Come have a chat with us, you won’t regret it! We have units across Aberdeen looking for volunteers. To find out where your nearest unit is, register online or get in touch to have a chat please visit https://www.girlguidingscotland.org.uk/become-a-volunteer/ or email: acclc@girlguidingaberdeenshetland.org.uk

Advocacy Service Aberdeen is a registered charity providing independent advocacy support to a wide range of people living in Aberdeen City. Independent advocacy is about helping people and groups have a stronger voice, addressing imbalances of power and ensuring people’s rights are recognised, respected and secured. We have advocacy services for: • People with a mental disorder, including a learning disability • Victims of domestic abuse • Carers • Older adults • Self-directed support • Children and Young people • Substance use We are looking for people to join our Board of trustees who are passionate about the rights and inclusion of people in decisions which matter to them. The Board is responsible for setting the strategy and policies of the charity and overseeing the running of the organisation. We are open to applicants from a diverse range of experiences and background and would also be interested in hearing from people who have the following experiences: • Finance/accounting • Fundraising • Experience of supporting/caring for people in the above service areas • Law • Human Resources Board meetings are held on Mondays every 6 weeks 5pm to 7pm, either remotely via Microsoft Teams or in-person. To find out more please contact us at tel: 01224 332314 / email: asa@advocacy.org.uk or visit https://www.advocacy.org.uk/ and https://www.advocacy.org.uk/our-board/

A Young Carer is someone up to the age of 18 who provides unpaid support to a relative, friend or neighbour who due to illness or disability cannot manage to live independently without the carer’s help. Responsibilities may include practical support such as personal care, cooking, housework, or emotional support. Aberdeen Young Carers are looking for volunteers to spend some quality time with a child or young person between the ages of 5-18 on a regular basis, getting to know them, and building up a positive relationship by being reliable and non-judgemental when listening to them. A befriender volunteer will support the Young Carer to enjoy activities and experiences within the Aberdeen community to reduce isolation, and promoting self-esteem and confidence. This is a flexible opportunity and you can commit to meeting with a Young Carer for a few hours on a fortnightly or monthly basis depending on what time you have available. This would take place out with school hours, predominately over evenings or weekends. To be a befriender volunteer we ask for a minimum time commitment of six months, so that the child or young person benefits from consistent visits and has time to build a professional relationship with the volunteer. To apply, please visit: https://volunteer.barnardos.org.uk/opportunities/16050-befriender-aberdeen-young-carers-2020-11-24 or contact the Volunteer Coordinator below: Andrew McGettigan E-Mail: andrew.mcgettigan@barnardos.org.uk Phone: 07724287057

A Young Carer is someone up to the age of 18 who provides unpaid support to a relative, friend or neighbour who due to illness or disability cannot manage to live independently without the carer’s help. Responsibilities may include practical support such as personal care, cooking, housework, or emotional support. A group volunteer with Aberdeen Young Carers will assist staff members in delivering any planned activities e.g. arts and crafts, baking, sport activities etc. They will actively participate with the activity, encourage young people to join in and have fun and build up positive relationships with the Young Carers by being friendly and non-judgemental. They will also have the opportunity to lead groups in a topic they are confident in, if they wish to. At present, we are looking for volunteers to support with our monthly groups, in-school sports groups, school holiday programmes, on an ad-hoc basis or at events. Further opportunities are available to assist in raising awareness of Young Carers rights within Aberdeen. We ask for a once-a-month commitment from group volunteers to ensure enough cover is in place for groups. Our groups can be held on evenings, weekends and during holiday periods. To apply, please visit: https://volunteer.barnardos.org.uk/opportunities/16049-children-s-activity-support-group-helper-aberdeen-young-carers-2020-11-24 or contact the Volunteer Coordinator below: Andrew McGettigan E-Mail: andrew.mcgettigan@barnardos.org.uk Phone: 07724287057

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. There are a number of fantastic benefits to becoming a volunteer with Befriend a Child such as: • Access to training and upskilling opportunities • The chance to play an active role in shaping the future of a child or young person • Ongoing support from our expert team • The opportunity to build transferable skills for your future and career • The chance to expand your horizons and try new activities • Being part of an amazing volunteer community All help makes a real difference and is greatly appreciated. For more information/to register your interest please visit https://www.befriendachild.org.uk/Listing/Category/volunteer-with-us and/or email us at volunteer@befriendachild.org.uk

HALLA-Harlaw Area Lifelong Learning Association 's free Breakfast Club, generously funded by NHS Grampian, is a heartwarming initiative hosted at the Kaimhill Learning Centre in Garthdee. Taking place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, from 8:15am - 8:45am this program ensures that children living in Garthdee start their day with a nutritious breakfast, setting a positive tone for their educational journey. The club not only addresses food insecurity but also creates a supportive community environment including activities such as reading a story together and mental health activities. To sustain and expand this impactful endeavour, HALLA is actively seeking dedicated volunteers to contribute their time and efforts by giving just 1hr per week (8am - 9am) during term-time. Your involvement can make a significant difference in the lives of these children, fostering a brighter and healthier future for our community. Join us in this meaningful cause and be a part of nourishing both bodies and minds. For further information please contact John Amalanand, HALLA Development Worker at email hallaprojects@gmail.com or telephone 07378777996.