Victim Support Scotland is a national charity which has been supporting victims and witnesses of crime for over 35 years. We support anyone who has been affected by crime regardless of whether the crime has been reported to the police or not. We are a volunteer led organisation, with a support provided in both a court and community setting. We provide emotional support and practical advice as well as practical advice on navigating the Criminal Justice System and signposting to other specialist support service if required.

We meet usually every last Monday of the month (except July and December). Some examples of our involvement are monthly meetings involving locally elected councillors, Police and guest speakers. We regularly review local planning applications, local news/ concerns and organise community events such as beach cleans, seasonal town decorations/ events such as the summer bunting and Christmas Lights display/ switch on. We also support to facilitate local projects such as most recently the creation of our Carnoustie Butterfly and supporting creation of the town heritage trail as well as collaborating with organisations to distribute community funds, such as the recent Seagreen Community Funding. There is opportunity to become involved in such a wide variety of projects/ groups dependant on your availability of time. N.B We are due for official re-election in October 2022, new members can be co-opted onto the Community Council prior to this and if enjoyable, can stand for re-election in October

Volunteers will provide witnesses with support and information to assist them with the practical and emotional impact of attending court and giving evidence. This may specifically involve providing basic information on court procedures and layout; undertake court familiarisation visits; listen/ empathise with concerns/ anxieties; liaise with appropriate personnel and assess witnesses’ needs for post-trial support and referral as required. Volunteers should be reliable, sensitive and non-judgemental and have confidence to offer help to distressed or vulnerable service users and have respect for the formality of the Court and the Court users.

We are looking for enthusiastic and committed people from all backgrounds from across South Ayrshire. While qualifications and experience are good to have, what’s more important to us is to have a ‘can do’ attitude and are committed to providing compassionate and informative services to people who have been affected by crime. You could be a student or recent graduate who is keen to build their CV; or you could be a mid-career professional who is looking to take their life in a different direction. We are open to applications from people from all walks of life. Victims of crime often feel a range of emotions such as anxiety, confusion and anger, while witnesses may feel confused, anxious and overwhelmed by the court system. As a support volunteer, you will provide help and support in both local communities and within the court environment, ensuring people receive the high-quality support and care they need to move forward after crime. As a support volunteer, you will make personal contact with people affected by crime, providing them with support at a time when they need it most. You will: • Discuss service users’ needs by telephone, face-to-face visits or other means, agreeing next steps at the end of each contact • Help witnesses feel more confident at court by arranging and conducting court familiarisation visits • Support service users in the court room and other appropriate locations on the day of a trial, liaising with court officials on behalf of service users • Give feedback and agree follow-up actions with staff members • Provide administrative support in completing service users’ journeys Benefits to volunteering with VSS As a support volunteer you will gain many benefits, such as: • Supporting people when they most need it, helping them to recover from what can be a very distressing time in their life and empowering them to move forward • Learning new skills and gaining experience of working within the criminal justice sector • Gaining access to a range of training courses that are relevant to your volunteering role • Positively affecting your community as a member of a team actively working to reduce the impact of crime

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.

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.

An exciting opportunity has arisen to become part of our board of volunteer trustees responsible for the effective governance and strategic direction of Grampian Women’s Aid. Grampian Women’s Aid offer refuge accommodation for 10 families, 1:1 support, group work, information, crisis intervention and advocacy to women and their children who experience domestic abuse. Our work also includes participation with external agencies, communities and individuals for prevention, training and awareness raising. We are currently based in Aberdeen, although we provide support services across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. We are committed to diversifying our Board so women representing all sections of the community are welcome. We are keen to add to existing skills and knowledge to our current trustee skillset, so we particularly want to hear from women with the following professional backgrounds: human resources/employment law, organisational development and change management, finance/charity accounting, fundraising, IT and women from a legal background. We also strongly encourage women who have personal experience of domestic abuse to offer us their personal insight into accessing and using the range of services offered by women’s aid and partners. The Board currently meet 6 weekly via Zoom. The frequency and the method of meeting will continue to be reviewed regularly to meet the needs of the organisation. It is important that prospective trustees recognise that they will also be, at times, responsible for progressing pieces of work in between meetings, either on an individual basis on behalf of the Board or as part of a sub-group of the Board. There is also an expectation that new trustees will fully participate in a comprehensive induction, as well as ongoing training and support. The role of the trustee is highly rewarding but unpaid, although any expenses incurred will be reimbursed. Grampian Women’s Aid strives to be an Equal Opportunities Employer. Women only need apply under Schedule 9 (Part 1) of the Equality Act 2010. This role may be subject to Adult PVG scheme membership. If you are interested and would like an application pack, please contact: Email: aileen.forbes@grampianwomensaid.com Tel: 01224 593381

We’d love for you to join our busy, diverse and fun team at Stella’s Voice, Aberdeen Charity Shop. If you’ve got a “can do” attitude, are excited about charity retail and keen to gain new skills, we are looking for volunteers to help with sorting through donations, price items, dress windows and assist customers. No previous experience is needed, all training will be provided. We ask for a minimum of 2 hours commitment a week. A fantastic opportunity to help. All assistance helps in the vital work of Stella’s Voice charity in protecting the world’s most vulnerable people from human traffickers. It's also a great way to meet new people and make new friends. For more details please contact hr@stellasvoice.org or call 01224 611840.

Rape Crisis Grampian is a fully inclusive service which provides free, confidential support to survivors of rape and sexual violence aged of 13 years and over. To enable us to provide a consistent service, Survivors are supported by Volunteer Support Workers. We currently have a pool of eleven Volunteers who offer face to face, email or telephone support. Support Volunteers undertake a comprehensive selection and training process and will be 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 on: 01224 590932 or email: volunteercoordinator@rapecrisisgrampian.co.uk