As a volunteer you will meet new people, who you will train with. You will become a valued member of the team, developing the skills you already have and learn new ones, eg your confidence, so you feel ready to talk to other young people in schools or in other Youth Groups. You will help them learn new skills like budgeting their money, getting on with neighbours and filling in forms. You might be doing workshops with 14/15 year olds in schools, talking to people who are homeless or who have just got a tenancy. You may want to help make up useful information leaflets, or videos or even developing an information website.

Dundee Survival Group is an organisation which provides accommodation and support for homeless people. Volunteers would be working with the Engagement project, aimed at improving our service, building our service users skills and confidence. The project is run as a drop in. Volunteers will help with the daily running tasks and supporting service users. The project also runs a programme of workshops, discussions, events and outings. Volunteers are encouraged to develop this programme along side staff and service users. Peer learning is highly valued and so any skills or interests volunteers hold, we would encourage them to utilise. This may be in art or other creative fields, writing, music, sport, computer skills, cooking e.t.c. Other tasks may be assisting with funding, fund-raising, light admin tasks, outreach and liaising with similar organisations. Support and on the job training will be provided.

Shelter Scotland helps over half a million people a year struggling with bad housing or homelessness – and we campaign to prevent it in the first place. We’re here so no-one has to fight bad housing or homelessness on their own. The Shelter Charity Shop raises vital funds towards Shelters work offering confidential advice and support to anyone affected by homelessness/housing issues. We currently have important and exciting opportunities for volunteer leaders. The role will provide support to the shop manager and provide volunteer leadership. The role will include aspects such as opening the shop, till procedures including refunds and voids, sorting donations, preparing items for sale, stock replenishment, displays, some computer work, gift aid process and cashing up. No experience is needed as we provide full training and good support to all volunteers. This is ongoing until you are confident in the role and you will also receive further training on any new procedures which arise. It is an enjoyable place to volunteer where you make a real difference. It also looks very impressive on a cv, is an excellent opportunity to gain positive and valuable experience in retail while supporting the vital work of Shelter. All help is greatly appreciated. For more details please contact: Wendy McEwan, Shop Manager on abergeorgeshop@shelter.org.uk / tel.: 01224 639818 or pop in past the shop on 179 George Street, Aberdeen, AB25 1HX. Looking forward to meeting you.

Volunteer to assist making teas, coffees, soup etc and to serve these to clients. Volunteers will become more aware of the difficulties faced by the clients such as poverty, homelessness. Volunteer should call this organisation directly.

Home Basics (Hawick) needs volunteers to assist our van driver with collections and deliveries of furniture from our warehouse at Hawick. Home Basics is a Borders-based charity providing second-user furniture to individuals and families throughout the area.

South Ayrshire Escape from Homeless, known as SeAscape is a charity tackling homelessness, poverty and isolation. Clients come from a diverse range of backgrounds with a varied range of needs. The role will involve collecting donations across South Ayrshire from various sources and subsequent delivery of donated items to our clients. Items can vary from beds, storage furniture and white goods to sofas and soft furnishings. All Items are fully checked prior to distribution to our clients homes. Volunteers for this role would have to be physically fit and have undergone manual handling training or prepared to undergo the training.

We need help with setting up displays, pricing and labelling, assisting customers with queries and providing general help in the sales area. Training can be given to volunteers who would like to try this type of work with a view to pursuing a career in retail. We are also interested in help from volunteers who have experience in using cash registers.

AILN provides information, advice and support to people living in North, South and East Ayrshire who have been assessed by their Local Authority and eligible for Self-directed Support. We provide services to people who opt for Option 1 of the 4 Options available and who would like to take greater control in organising and managing their own support. AILN also provides a budget management and payroll service to assist people to manage the payment of Personal Assistants they may choose to recruit and/or the agencies they may choose to provide their support. AILN has a staff team who provide the services day to day and they are managed by our Board of Directors who are all volunteers. We are currently seeking to recruit a small number of new Directors to join our existing Board. We are interested in hearing from people with the skills and experience we need to help us take our organisation through to the next stage in its exciting development. To join our Board you must live within Ayrshire and either: • Have experience of using social care services and or through self-directed support and organising and managing your own support. You could be using these services yourself or could be a parent or carer. • Experience gained through working in, or managing health or social care services.

Role Summary Volunteers can perform a variety of roles dependent on the issues their advocacy ‘partner’ is experiencing. Sometimes this means working with a person to explore options and make decisions, sometimes it means speaking on a person’s behalf. Whatever the role all volunteers with Equal Say will be fully prepared and supported throughout their volunteer experience.There are some common features to every advocacy partnership we support; volunteers will mostly work with one person at a time, this 1:1 relationship is designed to promote loyalty to only one person and ensure the volunteer advocate has no other conflicts of interest. All the people we advocate for have an issue to resolve in their lives, this may be that their support package has been cut, they are at threat of homelessness or are being bullied by their neighbours, it may be something completely different but these examples will give you a flavour of our work. All the adults we work with have some degree of learning disability and are at a disadvantage because their rights are being denied or they are being ignored by others who should help. All volunteers must complete a 15 hr training course which is designed to prepare them for their role. Because of the nature of this role, we require 2 references and volunteers are required to become members of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups scheme in respect of work with protected adults, which Equal Say will process at no cost to the volunteer.

Home Basics has a small Board of Directors who assist in overseeing the work of this local charity. Our aim is to support families and people on low incomes furnish their homes or set up their first home by providing affordable furniture, household items and electrical goods. There are always further opportunities to become more directly involved with the charity in a practical hands-on basis providing the Director with a feel for the day to day operation of the business. Providing knowledge and expertise in an area of benefit to the charity. Experience in business, marketing and financial management is particularly beneficial and advantageous to Home Basics. Attending regular evening meetings (six weekly). Taking on specific responsibilities in which you have a personal interest or knowledge.