Everyone can feel lonely and isolated at times, especially if experiencing hardship. This year, in response to the crippling effects of loneliness and isolation on peoples physical, emotional and mental health, that the pandemic has only exacerbated, TLC are setting up a befriending service to combat loneliness and isolation in Aberdeen. Our aim is that our expertly trained and compassionate volunteers will not only provide a lifeline to people, in the form of friendship, but also a helping hand to reconnect to the community, bringing joy and passion back into people’s lives. Due to Covid-19 government restrictions, the project will run differently than usual with the use of video conferencing or by phone, however, once restrictions are eased and it is safe to meet in person, befriending sessions will operate face-to-face in people’s homes or in the community. If you would like to be a beacon of hope for someone in need, please apply to become a TLC Befriender. For further information please contact Jonny Astill, Development Manager at EMail: jonny@tlc.org.uk

Food Train Connects provides a one to one grocery shopping services for older people who are no longer able to manage independently, through age, ill health, frailty or disability. Becoming a Food Train Connects Shopping Friend is rewarding and it makes a huge difference to people’s lives. It’s amazing the impact that regular support with grocery shopping can have on someone who is isolated or lonely. If you want to make sure that an older person is able to live well in their own home this is a great opportunity to do so. The Role: • Contact the older person you are matched with on a regular basis, usually weekly, to obtain their shopping list, carry out their shopping and then deliver to their home, putting away if necessary. • Submit brief records, receipts for payment and to report any matters of concern to staff • Keep within the boundaries of the role • To inform Food Train Connects Staff of any accidents, incidents or complaints • To maintain confidentiality • To represent Food Train in a professional manner to our members and the wider community All help makes a real difference and is greatly appreciated. If you are interested in volunteering with us/for more information please visit https://www.foodtrainconnects.org.uk or email connects@foodtrainconnects.org.uk

We are looking for Volunteers who feel able to support a lady to maintain her cooking skills, and support with some batch cooking. If you maybe have a background in catering, or just enjoy cooking this is a great opportunity to support an individual to keep on cooking with confidence. The lady is a keen cook and enjoys and values home cooked food but can often forget the process. She would value a Volunteer working alongside her to help her follow a recipe and potentially prepare some batch cooking, for when the lady is alone. Get involved with Bon Accord Care. A chance to make a difference, help others, make new friends, gain work experience and more! Excellent support and relevant training are provided to all volunteers. A fantastic opportunity to help make a real difference-all volunteers are greatly appreciated. For further details please contact Julie Suttar, Engagement & Liaison Lead at E-Mail: BACVolunteering@bonaccordcare.org or tel.: 01224 570400.

*Bon Accord Care: Kingswells Care Home: Bon Accord Care recognises the invaluable contribution that the general public: friends and relatives can provide to the care and well-being of the people we support. We encourage the involvement of individuals who wish to volunteer in a service in a voluntary capacity, whilst ensuring that the health, safety and well-being of volunteers, the people we support, staff members and visitors is maintained at all times. Kingswells Care Home, is seeking support from volunteers or local community groups to help look after, care for and maintain our beautiful gardens. Kingswells Care Home provides support for individuals with dementia and age related conditions. Being able to use the safe garden area, or being able to look out at flowering tubs and pots and bird feeders, can greatly enhance the quality of an individual’s day. If you are handy with potting plants, weeding borders, then we really would love to hear from you. This is a great opportunity to meet new people, help you stay active and fit. Most importantly you will be contributing to improving the quality of daily life experienced by our service users. *About Bon Accord Care: Bon Accord Care is at the forefront of the continuing development of services to enable independence and reduce hospital admissions, as well as promote active ageing and well-being. Working together with our key partners, we are aligned with the Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership to deliver services. Bon Accord Care work together with service users, partners, employees and volunteers to support our communities and create meaningful relationships with those around us. We deliver a range of services that are aimed at prevention, maximising independence, and enhancing wellbeing. Our focus from the outset is to get to know individual preferences, wants, history and lifestyle to ensure that each person receives a service that is unique to them. Our range of services cover: care at home, housing support, residential care homes, rehabilitation, re-ablement, occupational therapy, SVQs through learning and development, community equipment, telecare, day care, responder, respite and community meals. For further details please contact Julie Suttar, Engagement & Liaison Lead at E-Mail: BACVolunteering@bonaccordcare.org or tel.: 01224 570400.

*Balnagask House Residential Care Home Opportunities: Administrative / Office Work; Befriending / Mentoring; Care / Support worker; Practical /DIY; Supporting with activities such as crafts/baking and gentle walks and exercise: Bon Accord Care recognises the invaluable contribution that the general public: friends and relatives can provide to the care and well-being of the people we support. We will encourage the involvement of individuals who wish to volunteer in a service in a voluntary capacity, whilst ensuring that the health, safety and well-being of volunteers, the people we support, staff members and visitors is maintained at all times. We are looking for kind, caring individuals to support our front-line staff and services, making a positive difference to the day to day life experience of our service users. Current opportunities include, Befriending where we will link you with a service user, to chat to over a cuppa, reminisce about old Aberdeen, read a paper with, chat about your favourite TV soap, go for a local walk etc. Supporting with mealtimes and serving Teas & Coffees, helping in our busy laundry, supporting group activities such as crafts and light exercise. In addition, there is an opportunity to support the reception area, and meet and greet visitors and finally someone with some practical DIY experience to help keep our small patio area and car park clean and tidy. Get involved with Bon Accord Care. A chance to make a difference, help others, make new friends, gain work experience and more! Excellent support and relevant training are provided to all volunteers. A fantastic opportunity to help make a real difference-all volunteers are greatly appreciated. *About Bon Accord Care: Bon Accord Care is at the forefront of the continuing development of services to enable independence and reduce hospital admissions, as well as promote active ageing and well-being. Working together with our key partners, we are aligned with the Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership to deliver services. Bon Accord Care work together with service users, partners, employees and volunteers to support our communities and create meaningful relationships with those around us. We deliver a range of services that are aimed at prevention, maximising independence, and enhancing wellbeing. Our focus from the outset is to get to know individual preferences, wants, history and lifestyle to ensure that each person receives a service that is unique to them. Our range of services cover: care at home, housing support, residential care homes, rehabilitation, re-ablement, occupational therapy, SVQs through learning and development, community equipment, telecare, day care, responder, respite and community meals. For further details please contact Julie Suttar, Engagement & Liaison Lead at E-Mail: BACVolunteering@bonaccordcare.org or tel.: 01224 570400.

*None Residential Services SOUTH: Opportunities: Befriending / Mentoring; Care / Support Volunteers; Practical /DIY; Supporting with activities such as crafts/baking and gentle walks and exercise: Bon Accord Care recognises the invaluable contribution that the general public: friends and relatives can provide to the care and well-being of the people we support. We will encourage the involvement of individuals who wish to volunteer in a service in a voluntary capacity, whilst ensuring that the health, safety and well-being of volunteers, the people we support, staff members and visitors is maintained at all times. We are looking for kind, caring individuals to support our front-line staff and services, making a positive difference to the day to day life experience of our service users. Current opportunities include, Befriending where we will link you with a service user, to chat to over a cuppa, reminisce about old Aberdeen, read a paper with, chat about your favourite TV soap, go for a local walk etc. Supporting with mealtimes and serving Teas & Coffees, helping in our Service User with laundry, and shopping, supporting group activities such as crafts and light exercise. In addition, we are seeking volunteers with some practical DIY experience to help keep our outdoor communal areas and car parks clean and tidy. Get involved with Bon Accord Care. A chance to make a difference, help others, make new friends, gain work experience and more! Excellent support and relevant training are provided to all volunteers. A fantastic opportunity to help make a real difference-all volunteers are greatly appreciated. *About Bon Accord Care: Bon Accord Care is at the forefront of the continuing development of services to enable independence and reduce hospital admissions, as well as promote active ageing and well-being. Working together with our key partners, we are aligned with the Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership to deliver services. Bon Accord Care work together with service users, partners, employees and volunteers to support our communities and create meaningful relationships with those around us. We deliver a range of services that are aimed at prevention, maximising independence, and enhancing wellbeing. Our focus from the outset is to get to know individual preferences, wants, history and lifestyle to ensure that each person receives a service that is unique to them. Our range of services cover: care at home, housing support, residential care homes, rehabilitation, re-ablement, occupational therapy, SVQs through learning and development, community equipment, telecare, day care, responder, respite and community meals. For further details please contact Julie Suttar, Engagement & Liaison Lead at E-Mail: BACVolunteering@bonaccordcare.org or tel.: 01224 570400.

*Our award-winning charity is looking for Tech volunteers to support older and disabled people with their tech at home.* - Our Vision: Do you have a passion for the power of technology? Our vision is to create ….. “A world in which digital services are equally accessible to all” As an AbilityNet Tech volunteer you can help unleash the power of technology to ensure that older people and disabled people are not excluded from the digital world. “One of your advisors, Trevor, has been helping me with some very basic computer skills on a tablet that I have hardly touched since it was bought for me as a present from my wife. I suffer from Parkinson’s and it is very difficult for me to concentrate. Trevor has been extremely kind and patient and has opened up a world I hardly knew existed.” (AbilityNet client). - Overview: All across the country our 300 volunteers support older and/or disabled people at home to offer one-to-one support with their technology, whether that’s a computer, laptop, smartphone or tablet. Our volunteers: -Trouble shoot technical issues. -Offer impartial advice on technology. -Set up new tech and install hardware and software. -Show people how to use their tech at home e.g. shop online, send and receive emails and Skype with family and friends. -Make adaptations to support a disabled person’s specific technology needs. - What will I be doing? -Contacting clients to arrange a date/time to support (home visits or supporting them remotely). -Carrying out tech support for the clients you have accepted. -Feeding back on progress via our online ticketing system. -Supporting your local Coordinator with promoting the volunteer service in the local area. -Getting together with other tech volunteers at team meetings and wider company events. -Undergoing training on technology, particularly adaptive technology. -Supporting other volunteers through our online chat facility. - What skills do I need?: You don’t need to be a tech guru to help out. If you use a computer at home or work, and perhaps support family and friends with their tech issues, you are likely to have the skills we need: -A passion to help others. -Good IT and computer skills. -Knowledge of standard operating systems and software. -The ability to communicate well with people. -Patience and empathy. - What are the benefits to me?: As an AbilityNet Tech volunteer you can: -Change the lives of disabled and older people. -Benefit from technology and disability training. -Network with a nationwide team of other Tech volunteers. -Be flexible with your volunteering and plan it around your other work and home commitments. - How much time will I need to offer?: The service is client led and will depend on the demand in your local area. The work is flexible and you can arrange visits around your home and work commitments. On average a volunteer undertakes 4 hours of volunteering a month, this can be in or out of work hours, in the evenings or weekends. - What else do I need to know?: -We pay travel expenses at 45p per mile. -As you will be help vulnerable adults you’ll need an enhanced PVG (Scotland) –Protection of Vulnerable Groups check which will be renewed/checked every 2 years (at no cost to the volunteer). - What should I do next?: If you think you have what it takes to be an AbilityNet Tech volunteer please either apply online at https://abilitynet.org.uk/abilitynet-itcanhelp-volunteer-application or if you would like more information, or to chat further about the volunteer role contact the AbilityNet Free Services team on 0800 048 7642, or email volunteers@abilitynet.org.uk You will be contacted by a local volunteer Coordinator to arrange an informal interview.

Are you passionate about volunteering? Do you want to help others? How about joining PKAVS Third Sector Interface as a Volunteer Opportunities Assistant and combine the two? We are currently looking for a volunteer to provide administrative support to our Volunteer Support Service. We are looking for an enthusiastic volunteer who would be willing to help the local TSI with the following tasks: • Gathering volunteer opportunities • Making sure volunteering opportunities are up to date. • Support online Volunteer Drop-in when necessary If you have any questions about this opportunity, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Young Volunteers between the ages of 14 - 20 are trained as befrienders before joining them online with Harry (Youth Coordinator). The overall aim is to enhance the young people’s confidence and skills through volunteering, and reducing social isolation for older people as well as increasing usage of technologies, the conversation will be on group video call until face to face can return. The project will train, support and provide supervision for young voluteers to lead on delivering the sessions (with support and supervision from the Project Coordinator) for older people, with those invovled shaping the discussion and activity at each session. At this time the theme of the sessions are split into being very relaxed, organic and over a cuppa (Tuesdays) and a more structured quiz (Wednesdays) It is hoped that in addition to the positive impact the project will have on residents, the befriending will allow volunteers to build confidence and gain valuable social skills under the support and supervision of the project worker.

This is a fantastic time to join the board as we are in the process of developing and rolling out a new vision and five year strategy for the charity. In line with this we have taken the opportunity to review our governance needs and now wish to increase the size of our board as well as bringing in people with a range of skill sets and experiences to help us achieve our new enhanced mission. We are looking for up to eight motivated and committed individuals who share the charity’s values of empathy, respect, integrity and care. You’ll be presented with interesting, and (at times complex) issues to consider and help navigate a path through, while staying true to LinkLiving’s values. You’ll have the opportunity to influence LinkLiving’s strategic direction and help drive our ambitions to grow and improve our services.You’ll be working with like-minded, experienced and committed colleagues to achieve our plans whilst keeping people at the forefront of everything we do. You’ll be supporting people affected by trauma and disadvantage to help them towards the lives that they wish for. As a board member you will gain valuable decision-making experience and strategic experience.