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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 Family Supporters in Edinburgh project offers practical and emotional support to families across the city 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 for an hour or so each week, 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. We also encourage and welcome volunteers who have the ability to speak multiple languages join our team!
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.
LGBT Youth Scotland is currently recruiting new volunteers to join our team across The Scottish Borders (Selkirk), Dumfries and East Dunbartonshire (Kirkintilloch).
We are Scotland’s national charity for LGBTQ+ young people, working with 13–25 year olds across the country. Our goal is to make Scotland the best place for LGBTQ+ young people to flourish and thrive. We play a leading role in the provision of quality youth work to LGBTQ+ young people that promotes their health and wellbeing.
Our youth groups meet weekly and your role would be to assist in planning and delivering youth group sessions and providing support for the young people who attend as part of the local team.
Under One Rainbow is a new LGBTQIA+ charity based in Forfar. It was set up to provide support, information and a safe space online for young LGBTQIA+ people aged 25 and under, our service is also available to people who have a friend/family member who are LGBTQIA+
We are looking for volunteers to help us achieve our goals and build a community. We value our volunteers and want to help them accomplish their goals and will do our best to find work for you to build on your own personal goals.
DENNY AND DUNIPACE CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU ARE SEEKING TO RECRUIT 10 VOLUNTEERS.
To help provide effective and efficient advice to members of the public, carry out admin duties and develop the bureau.
Main Duties include:
•Interviewing clients – listen to the client and let the client explain the problem. Help the client to clarify the issues by exploring the problem and asking questions
•Giving information - Use Advisernet and other reference materials to find the relevant information, communicate that information to clients
•Giving advice – explain the information to the client and the choices that the client has, so they can decide what to do
•Give practical help – Fill in forms on paper or online, do benefit checks using appropriate calculation tools, speak to or contact other agencies on behalf of the client, with the client’s consent.
•Complete clear case records
•Recognise the root cause of problems and participate in taking action
•Carry out admin duties.
•Carry out reception duties.
Denny and Dunipace CAB run a comprehensive training programme for Trainee Advisers which provides support and mentoring with an experienced Adviser. In return, your travel expenses will be reimbursed by the Bureau and there is access to external training once all initial training is completed.
Many Advisers have gained useful experience and qualifications whilst volunteering for Denny and Dunipace CAB which have helped them gain employment.
Our successful #AndSheCycles campaign in Scotland aims to address what prevents teenage girls and young women from cycling. We are now looking to help reach an even wider audience.
We worked with a creative agency, Heehaw, to develop a creative campaign that will help encourage more girls and young women to cycle.
One of our main aims is to increase visibility of girls cycling. You can help with this by joining our team of creative people to spread the word and images on social media.
Become an advocate for sustainable travel and help share the benefits of cycling to girls and young women in Scotland. You will help:
- create and share social media posts regularly
- keep an eye on posts and comment on these
- try to improve our reach and widen our audience, particularly on Instagram
- run specific campaigns or competitions
- engage with other social media pages.
- You can also join #AndSheCycles cycle rides across Scotland to engage with the project, if interested.
We are open to your input on how you would like to help and what you specifically want to get out of it. We would love to hear your creative input. We can have a chat about it together.
Our team will support you with creating social media content, provide direction on what to post and how to manage the account(s). You will also receive a specific social media training course and continued support for your further development.
Our campaign is aimed specifically at young women and girls. We encourage people of all genders to join; role models and allies are also important to this campaign.
Your volunteering can be formalised through the Saltire Award or count towards your Duke of Edinburgh award too.
Does this sound like you?
You…
- are interested in encouraging more girls and young women to cycle in your area
- like being creative and would enjoy putting content for social media together
- may be looking to develop your creative, communication and social media skills for future employment
- can carry out tasks independently and / or with a diverse group of people
- share our values and mission to get more people cycling, walking and wheeling in your community.
Then let us know your interest in helping with our creative media activities for the #AndSheCycles campaign.
Time commitment:
We are flexible on how much time you can help each week or month. Let us know what suits you.
Volunteering for everyone with Sustrans:
We are committed to representing the diverse communities we work with, and we welcome people from all backgrounds to volunteer with us. We commit to equity and an inclusive culture, so volunteering is for everyone.
We believe that a diverse and inclusive organisation brings with it a diversity of ideas and ways of working, which strengthens everything we do.
Please have a look at the website above and our Volunteering agreement before you join. Then you know what we all expect from each other when volunteering.
Your accessibility:
Please let us know in the application form, if you need any support or adjustments to make our first chat together and volunteering a positive experience for you.
Any expenses for helping with these activities, which have been agreed, will be paid back to you. This can include for tools and public transport on the day of volunteering.
If you don’t have an email address, or for any other reason aren’t able to fill in our online form, not to worry. Reach out to your local Volunteer Coordinator (find here), and they can fill in the details for you.
**We will ask you for the contact details of a person, who you have known for more than 6 months (1 reference). ** Please have these ready when filling in the application form. If you need support identifying a reference, please let us know.
We're looking for people interested in volunteering as editors at our non-profit citizen journalism publication. You will need to have a good command of the English language and be willing to adapt to our house style. If you have pre-existing experience, that's great. If not, we will train you. You can do this job from your home and how much you choose to take on is up to you. As a member of our team, you will have the opportunity to develop new skills, take training courses, access our library of educational materials and build up your network, as well as helping to support ethical journalism in Scotland and bring people news they would otherwise miss. We are committed to levelling the media playing field, so applicants from minority backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply.
Neil's Hugs Foundation is a well-established charity in West Lothian and are expanding into the Clackmannanshire area. The group are developing a safe, compassionate and confidential space where support groups can meet for:
• Anyone who are experiencing poor mental health
• To support people who have lost loved ones to suicide
• Families who are supporting a loved one who attempted suicide.
The Foundation seeks to provide a safe place to talk and listen and support each other. They aim to reduce loneliness and isolation people with poor mental health experience.
Neil's Hugs are developing a one-to-one, 12 week Befriending Service to aid people who are experiencing anxiety and poor mental health to build confidence and skills. Volunteers can help in offering this one-to-one support by becoming Befriender, which will:
• Aid in achieving people's desired outcomes
• Help people become more active in their local community.
Volunteers can help in facilitating groups. Often people find it difficult to talk to people they know, so Neil's Hugs have also established a number of groups. The Support Groups are designed around providing a safe space for people to talk. The groups allow members the space and time while offering a compassionate, listening ear. The Foundation also utilises activities such as art therapy:
- Listening Ear Service which is a phone or video service (Zoom) where volunteers support individuals who are experiencing poor mental health by giving them space on a weekly basis to talk. The volunteer’s listen and give support to those who just need someone to talk to.
- People who have lost loved ones to suicide can attend a weekly Support Group that provides peer-support for families and friends who have lost a loved one to suicide. This too is a safe place to talk about loved one and to have peers involved in people's grief and loss.
- The Gardening Group is among the newest developments at The Foundation. They have now linked in with the Wimpy Park's Garden who have offered an area for volunteers and those grieving to develop into a reflection garden.
Volunteers can:
If the above roles are not suitable, there are always extra help needed in raising awareness of suicide in communities and raising funds to help keep these vital projects going.
The Cats Whiskers is a small local charity set up in 2018 and has since gone from strength to strength, leading to the opening of the new rehoming shelter in late 2022. Their charity relies on the support of their many volunteers who freely give their time and talents. The group operate based solely on fundraising, donations and volunteers to continue to look after the cats in their care and always need dedicated, reliable volunteers that can help out and of course, new volunteers are always welcome. They are a passionate team who want the best for their feline friends and nothing gives them more pleasure than to see them happy in their ‘forever’ homes.
They need volunteers to support the shop's operations. They will be serving the public, maintaining stock on shop floor, sorting donations handed into us at shop, keeping shop clean and neat at all times,
The team do an induction at the shop with every volunteer, find suitable buddy for them, show how to sort donations ie separate, store and trash. They, if needed, will also be taught to operate the till.
The shop is open from 11-3pm Tuesday to Saturday.
Able to work with other people, Pleasant, friendly and confident attitude would be advantageous for serving the public and being first point of contact for the charity.
Due to handling money and serving public we would ask for the volunteers to be over 18. Due to size of premises at the moment we can’t take someone in a wheelchair.
Resonate Together is a local charity which has been running for over 13 years. Resonate run various groups dependant on the skills individuals bring, from various art groups to chess club & gardening. They also provide meeting rooms for outside organisations.
They have grown not only in size, resulting in a larger premises, but also their model of working. Many who come to Resonate Together start by saying they do not have any skills. This can be for so many reasons, and one of the core challenges being personal confidence. Over the last decade, they have listened, learned and experienced the incredible development of so many people - they know that ‘skills’ can be learned and we know that every individual that comes to Resonate Together has inner qualities that will benefit our community.
Resonate Together's Customer Service Volunteer role includes meeting members, new and old. Based at the Coffee & Tea area you would not only be welcoming members but inviting them to have a cuppa, and quite often in Resonate, a piece of cake! This gives you a chance to get to know the members in a relaxed informal setting. 1-1 support & training is provided. Minimum of 3 hours per week. Wednesday and/or Thursday Morning & Afternoon. They are expanding into Friday, & Saturday sessions too.
As the Customer Service Volunteer, you may be the first person new members meet as they come through the door. They would therefore like you to be welcoming, friendly, and positive. As Resonate welcomes people from all walks of life discrimination is not tolerated. Good listening skills are a must, as well as of course, knowing your way round a kettle!
As with any member of Resonate we welcome adults from all walks of life, as long as you have the skills and/or the experience (through work, volunteering or life) to take on the role. References will be taken. During your time with Resonate you may be interested in taking on a role requiring a PVG. Please do not hesitate to ask for further information on police checks.
The Kincorth Community Centre Hub has great volunteer opportunities to assist with a range of activities at the Hub.
Volunteer roles include supporting our busy community cafe, which has rapidly taken off, we currently open 9.30 -2.30, but our aim is to run a breakfast and supper club, as well as have the cafe open for activities in the evening.
We have a diverse community that has a lot to offer e.g.: art classes/exercise group/dance class/music lessons and we are always open to new ideas-we are more or less a blank canvass.
Excellent support and relevant guidance is provided to all volunteers. Level 2 Hygiene Certificate will be offered to those who want to volunteer/cook in the café. Any other training would be reviewed and provided if proved relevant.
A fantastic, enjoyable opportunity to volunteer and help make a real difference for people and the community. All volunteers are greatly appreciated.
For further information please contact Andrea Stewart at email gingerstewart@btinternet.com or telephone: 07985 600037.