A volunteer bookkeeper is currently being sought by GRACE. We run a number of fundraising events throughout the year as well as funding which comes from a variety of sources. A bookkeeper is required to keep track of the funds and ensure that restricted and unrestricted funds are allocated accordingly. Experience of SAGE would be essential

Give the gift of your time and become a volunteer mentor for young people. It could be life changing for you both! Would you like to support a young person on their journey to gaining new skills and experience, becoming more self-confident and achieving their goals? If the answer is yes, we would love to hear from you. Why mentoring? Mentoring is at the heart of what we do here at ProjectScotland and we offer every young person we support, the opportunity to be matched with a volunteer mentor. We are searching for people in and around Aberdeen who are able to offer one hour of their time once a week or fortnight for up to 12 months to help transform the life of someone else. The young people we work with all face different challenges in their lives such as; mental ill health, long term unemployment, low confidence and self esteem, care experienced, limited English communication skills due to being new to this country or disabilities. As a volunteer mentor, you could support your mentee with whatever is important to them. This could be: goal setting; identifying interests and strengths; confidence building; helping to establish a routine; support to explore job, training and further education opportunities; social connections; or just someone consistent to talk to and check in with to see how they are. The support you can offer is invaluable and can be life changing. How does it work? • Following recruitment, we provide training, support to join the Protection of Vulnerable Groups Scheme, ongoing support, access to lots of resources and a wonderful community of mentors across the country to connect with, learn from and build friendships with. • you are matched to one young person and meet with them once a week or fortnight for around one hour • meetings can be face to face or virtual using email/telephone/video chat/WhatsApp. There is also an opportunity to do a mixture of the two which offers a flexible and accessible approach to this volunteering role in addition to the match itself. •matches can last from 3-12 months depending upon the relationship and the needs of the mentee What’s in it for you? • Help transform your mentee’s life • Develop communication and interpersonal skills e.g. coaching, motivating others, adaptability • Gain transferable skills and experience volunteering with disadvantaged people • Participate in regular support and training • Meet new people, connect and have fun! • Learn about yourself and gain a sense of achievement supporting others • Learn more about your community and the challenges that people can face If you are interested in this opportunity please email: asia.wieloch@volunteeringmatters.org.uk We would love to hear from you! More info about ProjectScotland: ProjectScotland (part of the Volunteering Matters Family) works with people (predominantly young people) across the country who are struggling to overcome challenges such as social isolation, mental health issues, low confidence and general uncertainty about their futures. By providing wrap around support and the chance to complete a voluntary placement with a local charity; not only can this enhance confidence and self-belief, but it gives that individual the opportunity to build on their skills and experience and potentially move on to a job, further education or training. Everyone we work with is also offered a volunteer mentor.

*****Exciting New Partnership with Lead Partner The Welcoming and Project Scotland **** The Inspire Project is a new wraparound volunteering and mentorship programme being launched to support New Scots across Edinburgh and Dundee. New Scots aged 16-30 will be provided with a tailored volunteer placement within their local community and a mentor who will support them as they navigate their experience while gaining valuable skills and confidence. As a mentor you will meet regularly with your mentee to provide practical and emotional support over the course of their placement.

We are seeking individuals who can offer their time and skills towards furthering our goals, and who can take on the responsibility of being a Trustee. We seek enthusiastic individuals who have an interest in the wellbeing of children and families living locally, and who have the ability to work effectively as part of a team, and who seek to be part of a valued local organisation.

Have you ever wanted to volunteer all to do within the concept of Football? Well look no further! Street Soccer Scotland is currently looking for volunteers to join their team. No two days the same, working alongside our players developing them personally and mentally. The role includes working with coaches and players pitch side, monitoring games, inputting data, building relationships with partner organisations. We work with all ages from 10 years old all the way to past retirement . We currently run in Aberdeen: Walking Football, Kids 10-13 Year olds, Street 45 (Women's Programme) and Adult Sessions. Opportunities are available Monday to Friday - Please get in touch with Peter Wood, Programme Co-ordinator at email: peter@streetsoccerscotland.org or telephone: 07487603708, if you would like to know more.

Food and Fun was introduced by the Council as a pilot to deliver free meals and activities to children in key areas of Aberdeen during school holiday periods and has been rolled out on a permanent basis. Over Christmas, as an extension of the project, special events were hosted for young people to enjoy the festivities – from ice skating and crafts to a disco and visit to Santa. For everyone involved in Food and Fun there’s a busy period ahead. The main aim is to ensure children continue to be fed, recognising the importance of school meals during term time for a large number of families, and also to provide the opportunity to take part in physical activity in a nurturing environment. The initiative has been recognised with awards – but the reward and motivation for the many people who have put their heart and soul into developing the programme is in the positive impact there is on children, families and communities. When we talk about our purpose – about caring for our city and our people – we think Food and Fun is a shining example that we can all be incredibly proud of. Many participants obtain great life skills which has assisted them in securing other opportunities as well as the personal development and satisfaction that this also brings. All help makes a difference and is greatly appreciated. To volunteer / for more information please contact Martin Smith, Locality Inclusion Manager at E Mail: martinsmith@aberdeencity.gov.uk or Tel.: 01224 788538.

Do you own a friendly, outgoing, though not too boisterous dog who loves to have a fuss made of them? Then perhaps, you might like to thank about registering them in our THERAPET visiting service. You heard of it? Let me tell you about it. For some years now it has been recognised, more nd more, that pets are good for us! Indeed it has been scientifically proved that the mere action of stroking a dog, cat, slows down the heartbeat, reduces blood pressure, and makes someone who has already suffered a heart attack much less likely to have another. Through no fault of their own, many people find themselves deprived of the companionship of a much loved dog. It may be they have had to go into sheltered housing, residential care, a long stay hospital etc. The same applies to children and adults who have an additional support need and those suffering from a terminal illness. THERAPETS come in all breeds, cross-breeds, or 57 variety mongrels! They can be small, medium or large. The only vital statistic is a steady and happy temperament. The dogs are approved for temperament and general stability being accepted and are not considered until at least one year old. Volunteer owners must become actual members of CANINE CONCERN SCOTLAND TRUST - mainly so that we can be sure of insurance cover - although happily so far we only know of one, very minor accident, a happy day's tail sweeping a vase from a low table. Volunteers must be willing to make a regular commitment to visit, it need not be very often, once a fortnight, once a month or whenever, but the visits must be regular because the residents and patients look forward to them so much and are disappointed if they suddenly cease. Sometimes small miracles occur - people who have never spoken, turned their faces to the wall in fact - magically come to life at the first appearance of a dog in a ward! This to the surprise and delight of the nursing staff, in many cases the dogs and owners provide some light relief for them too. Sadly, it has to be said that some of the residents or patients the THERAPETS are their only visitors. We like to encourage them to regard the doggy visitors as their very own. There is no charge for this service which is organised and carried out entirely by volunteers. We fund raise in various ways to keep it going. More than anything else, we need MORE VOLUNTEERS! The service has proved so popular that they demand has overtaken the supply. So, if you think this might be for you, or once importantly, for your dog, please do contact us for more detail and perhaps an application form to register your dog.

We're looking for an adult volunteer who will provide a supportive friendship for a socially isolated young person aged between 8 and 18 who lives in South Ayrshire. Ideally this will involve meeting with their young person every couple of weeks for a few hours, spending time together accessing local activities. This includes: • Be matched on a 1:1 basis with a young person. • Go on regular outings and activities with the young person. • Have the opportunity to participate in group outings/activities and also volunteer support sessions. • Keeping in touch with the Project about the young person’s achievements / growth and activities, and to receive ongoing support from the Project. • Open minded as the Project works with young people from a wide variety of backgrounds. • Following training, to be able to have empathy and understanding of some of the issues encountered by young people referred to the Project. • Continuous focus on the needs of the young person who you are matched with. • Willing to participate in a broad range of activities mutually agreed with the young person. • To be a positive adult role model for the young person and, very importantly, to have FUN! • Have an awareness of and be able to adhere to the Project’s policies and procedures.

The Trust provides free holidays with one-to-one care for over 140 children aged 4-16 every summer in various locations around the United Kingdom. The holidays are provided at no cost to the children’s families. Due to the high level of skilled care they require or financial circumstances, the children selected for these breaks would not otherwise receive a holiday. The holidays provide a range of fun activities in a safe and supported environment and use a care ratio of one helper to one child at all times. Each holiday includes at least one fully qualified nurse whose sole task is to take care of the children’s medical needs. The Trust is an entirely voluntary organisation and owes its success to over 200 people who dedicate their free time to helping these children. This voluntary structure ensures that every penny raised goes directly towards a child’s holiday. Being a volunteer helper on a Newman Trust holiday is a wonderfully rewarding experience. You will enable deserving children to have a holiday of a lifetime and contribute to a unique experience for all involved. The holidays are FUN, FULFILLING and strangely ADDICTIVE! That said, the holidays are tiring and sometimes emotionally demanding. Real commitment is required before the holiday and on the week. All new helpers are required to attend a recruitment session to meet a representative from the holiday so we can complete background checks. On the holiday itself it can be tough work looking after someone with additional needs and you'll need to put every effort into helping your child and working within the group. However, there's a lot of support, it’s great fun, and incredibly rewarding. No prior training is needed - just a strong will to help others, lots of energy, and a sense of humour. There is also a very supportive and friendly environment with the more experienced helpers actively helping those newer to the role.

Want to make a difference through your volunteering? Angus Citizen Advice Bureau have a fantastic range of rewarding volunteer roles including providing generalist advice, collating social policy information, administrative, reception roles or as a Board member. Working out of three offices in Angus located in Arbroath, Forfar and Montrose, we have volunteers working out of all of the offices. Angus CAB offers advice across a wide range of areas, like benefits, debt, housing, employment, consumer, immigration, and more. So, our training must equip an adviser to be able to provide advice in all these areas. It’s not a matter of becoming an expert in all of them though – we have a centralised online advice system which any adviser can use to find the right solutions for a particular case. Our training just covers the basics of all of these topics, as well as interview skills, data protection, the aims and principles of the service, and equalities and diversity. Each stage of the training is made up of a blend of learning activities, including e-learning modules, self-study booklets, video clips, adviser checklists, etc. Accessibility and flexibility allow trainees to complete this learning in any location where they have a computer or tablet, and at their own pace. So the training is thorough, but done in a trainee-centred way. It takes at least three months for a person to complete it. Volunteering at Angus CAB is a great way to help your community and also gain transferrable skills, experience and contacts. If you’re thinking about volunteering, please contact Gael Cameron Volunteer Training and Development Officer, to arrange an information chat by e-mail gael.cameron@anguscab.org.uk or by telephone 01241 870661. Or alternatively click on the button below.