Victim Support Scotland needs volunteers to support victims of crime and witnesses attending court in West Dunbartonshire. Volunteers may be involved in a range of activities, including making contact with victims/witnesses by phone, supporting witnesses attending court and visiting victims in their own homes to offer practical and emotional support in the aftermath of crime.

Adult Volunteers are essential to the success of our two local PSYV groups and we are looking for people who would love to help us mentor our young recruits whilst supporting the local community. PSYV is affiliated with Police Service of Scotland where we provide young and adult recruits, the chance to learn more about policing whilst actively getting involved in local community projects and activities. To date, we have donated a number of benches to local health centres, whilst supporting charities such as the West Dunbartonshire Community Food share program. We fully intend to support more community projects such as Men Shed Clydebank, The Leamy Foundation, local primary schools and Keep Safe Scotland. We have also built up a strong and positive relationship with local council teams such as Greenspace, Your Community and WDCVS. In addition, we may be asked to volunteer at local events such as community fayres, Kiltwalk, run events and local family days. These plus events further afield such as highland games, music festival, national sporting events and so much more. We need volunteers who are energetic, chatty, friendly and willing to commit a few hours a week to mentor and safeguard our young recruits. This will include; • Support and mentor our young recruits who come from a wide range of backgrounds, to be the best that they be. • Support and volunteer our local community with a wide range of personal skills, whilst safeguarding our young volunteers. • Work with a group of like-minded adult volunteers to identify, prepare and produce a range of activities for our young people. • Volunteer, when available and within agreed hours whilst following best practice guidelines. This is a great opportunity for those who love a challenge and want to support our next generation to find their feet in the world whilst building confidence and the chance to learn new skills.

A unique opportunity for you to make a positive difference to the lives of victims and witnesses affected by crime. We are looking for people to join our team of volunteers who provide information,guidance, emotional support and practical assistance to help anyone affected by crime, including victims, witnesses their friends and family. The role involves: Discuss service users needs by telephone, web chat, appointments and face to face contact,agreeing next steps at the end of each contact. Support service users in the court room and other appropriate locations on the day of trial, liaising with court officials on behalf of service users. Help service users feel more confident by arranging/conducting court familiarisation visits. Feedback and agree follow up actions with staff members. Provide administrative support in completing the service users journey.

Victim Support Scotland Volunteer How can you support victims and witnesses of crime? Victims of crime often feel a range of emotions in the aftermath of an offence. It is Victim Support Scotland’s role to provide victims and witnesses of crime emotional and practical support in person, online, and in court. Volunteers are supported by VSS staff who manage the service. How would you help? Our volunteers provide emotional support, practical help, information and guidance through the criminal justice system. We aim to empower people who have been impacted by crime, to move on with their lives. • Discuss service users’ needs by telephone, webchat, appointments and face-to-face contact, agreeing next steps at the end of each contact • Help service users feel more confident by arranging and conducting court familiarisation visits • Support service users in the court room and other appropriate locations on the day of the trial, liaising with court officials on behalf of the service users. • Feedback and agree follow-up actions with staff members • Provide administrative support in completing the service users journey What benefits would I get? Volunteering with Victim Support Scotland can be challenging and also extremely rewarding. As a volunteer you will: • Support people when they most need it • Learn new skills and knowledge of the criminal justice sector • Gain access to a range of specialist training courses that are relevant to your volunteering role • Positively contribute to your community as a member of a team actively working to reduce the impact of crime • A chance to give something back • Receive support in your volunteering role to deliver services effectively • All reasonable expenses (e.g. travel) will be reimbursed What is the time commitment? We know that our volunteers have busy lives, so we agree the time commitment with each individual volunteer. However, we ask for: • a minimum commitment of approximately one day per week, however this may vary depending upon the needs of the service. • a minimum commitment of at least 1 year so that they might get the most out of a volunteering role. How can I apply? The people we support come from all communities across Scotland, as do our volunteers. We welcome new volunteers from all backgrounds and languages. To ensure we provide the best possible service to people affected by crime, we ask all volunteers to follow our processes. This will involve: • Joining the Disclosure Scotland PVG scheme • Providing two satisfactory references • Completing our three day ‘Introduction to Victim Support Scotland’ training module • Signing and abiding by Victim Support Scotland’s Confidentiality agreement • Commitment to Data Protection • Volunteer Agreement

Rape Crisis Grampian is a fully inclusive service which provides free, confidential support to survivors of rape and sexual violence aged 13 years and over. Survivors are supported by Support Volunteers who provide face to face, email or telephone support. Support Volunteers undertake a comprehensive selection and training process and are registered with the PVG – Protection of Vulnerable Groups scheme. We are looking for individuals who are: *Empathetic, non-judgemental and good listeners *Able to commit to volunteering for at least 12 months and a minimum of three hours per week *Able to maintain confidentiality and anonymity *Open to gaining an understanding about rape and sexual violence and its impacts on individuals. Excellent training and support is provided to all volunteers. Including sixty hours of training. The training is comprehensive and ensures all Volunteers are equipped with the skills necessary to support Survivors. Debriefing is provided after each support session and volunteers are further supported via quarterly group Supervision as an additional means of support. If you would like more information or to apply please contact our Volunteer Coordinator at email: info@rcgrampian.co.uk

If you have a passion for helping others, this opportunity is perfect for you! You will have the chance to educate the children in your community on health and safety matters such as mental well-being, cyber security, water safety, railway safety, and more. You will help give the children the skills they need to navigate everyday risks, as well as help them build character and resilience. So, if saving lives as a part of a dedicated team is something you like the sound of, go ahead and give us an email or call – please contact Charley Pirie, School Co-ordinator at email: charley@absafe.org.uk or telephone 07376302532.

Putting yourself forward to assist any organisation / group or association is to the benefit and promotion of their objectives and what they stand for within the communities they operate. Police Scotland Special Constables contribute a competent and professional support backup to the organisation as a whole. As a Special Constable you will have received training, be assessed and achieved a competent level of Police Legislation knowledge to work alongside your fellow Regular colleagues. A small range and example of the duties you could be involved in are from Missing person enquiries, Working on wildlife crime investigations, Anti-disorder patrols to deal with hotspots, Driving Police vehicles / Crewing patrol vehicles to Major incident door to door enquiries. Each Police Scotland Division have a Special Constable Coordinator to look after the deployment and development of their Special Constables. After initial training a Special Constable will deploy within their chosen area and develop their skill base with the assistance of their Coordinator and their respective Local Policing team. Example of comments from current Special Constables: -“I felt I could contribute to the community I live in and would have opportunities to meet and work with other people while doing a job I had always considered.” -“Serving the community is an integral part of a Special Constables duties, working as part of the local team and often with other agencies to provide essential services to those who require assistance in their time of need” -“Volunteering my time to my community has become something that I find extremely rewarding.” -“I have received a tremendous amount of encouragement, nurturing and support from all my colleagues, from the front office staff to my fellow Special Constables, Constables, Sergeants, Inspector and Chief Inspector. This makes volunteering for duties an easy decision, who would not want to be part of such an amazing team! “ *Interested in Police Scotland Special Constables please contact your Local Special Constable Coordinator or Police Scotland Recruitment at email Policerecruitmentaberdeen@scotland.pnn.police.uk (for Aberdeen) or email: aberdeenshiremorayspecialconstablescoordinator@scotland.pnn.police.uk (for Aberdeenshire and Moray). *Further information is also available at https://www.scotland.police.uk/recruitment/special-constables/

The 70/30 Campaign is aiming to reduce child abuse and neglect by 70% by 2030. As a 70/30 Ambassador you will be empowering your local community to protect our children by spreading awareness and gaining support to prevent child abuse and neglect from happening in the first place. You will gain new skills, and be part of a large network of volunteers and professionals, while making a real difference in your local community and across the UK. The role is very flexible and depends on your skills and on the needs in your local area, but you can take part in a range of activities, such as: spreading awareness with people you know and on social media; fundraising; organising events; engaging with MPs, MSPs, AMs and councillors; engaging with local press; expanding your local 70/30 group. Ambassadors will take part in a training session with a member of the team and are invited to join the bi-monthly national conference call with other ambassadors across the country. Ambassadors usually give 2 or more hours of their time a week, but get in touch if you are interested and don't have much time available as there is always some way you can help! Please visit our website and complete the form to become an ambassador today at www.wavetrust.org/7030 or contact Alex Williamson at email: awilliamson@wavetrust.org.

The Partnership works to raise awareness of the challenges faced by people with disabilities and to break down barriers, overcome challenges and improve quality of life. The group comprises approximately 15 members of the public, working with five local councillors, and its vision is to: a) To bring about improvements to the lives of people in Aberdeen City who experience exclusion because of disability by promoting a rights-based approach to disability equality. b) To create a society where disabled people are valued, respected and included in the life of the City. c) To encourage and promote inclusion and equality. d) To create fair opportunity by identifying and removing the disabling barriers which disabled people face daily including prejudice, discrimination and negative attitudes. e) To provide a means of partnership, consultation and joint action with Aberdeen City Council Meetings are held at Aberdeen Town House (entrance from Queen Street, Aberdeen). There is also the option to join the meeting remotely if you choose to do so. The Disability Equity Partnership (DEP) has 6 meetings over the year. Examples of projects we have been working on include the City Centre Masterplan, Union Terrace Gardens, webpage and information accessibility to reduce barriers and improve access to information, goods and services. A fantastic opportunity to make a real difference and all volunteers are greatly appreciated. For further details please contact Baldeep McGarry, Equalities Officer at email: BMcGarry@aberdeencity.gov.uk or tel.: 07767353006.

Absafe is a unique safety education charity dedicated to saving lives and reducing harm by instilling a positive safety culture in our communities and inspiring a passion for safety through education and engagement. No one else does what we do locally! Our vision is for a safer future; free from life-changing unintentional injury and harm, with protective communities inspired by a passion for safety, so that no one has to learn by accident. We are passionate about the power of educating in a participative and engaging environment, using fun to create lasting change in children’s lives and in the communities in which they live. We believe in the transformative impact that a positive safety culture can have on the health and prosperity of future generations. Absafe provides health, safety and well-being education and risk awareness. Protecting people and places from harm, helping communities thrive by building a strong positive safety culture, and giving individuals the confidence, skills and attitudes to create a safer future. We deliver a range of unique projects and interactive training programmes designed to inform, instruct and engage to reduce vulnerability to unintentional injury and harm, and support positive decision-making in relation to harmful behaviour. We are looking for a Volunteer Treasurer to join our Board of Trustees, so we are able to continue to deliver education to the children and young people of Aberdeen, we would like you to have an interest in Education, health, safety risk management, and also health and wellbeing. We are a small Charity and every member is important, joining Absafe means that you will be making a real difference to the children and young people of Aberdeen. For more information please contact Louise Richardson, CEO at email: Louise@absafe.org.uk or tel.: 07748654105.