Find opportunities

Volunteering for the Scouts is a great way to take part in new experiences, meet a whole load of friendly people and have fun. There is something for everyone whether you’d like to help out week-after-week or whenever-you-can, the Scouting Association will provide training, learning opportunities and cups of tea – every step of the way. As a volunteer, working in teams, you might: 1. Welcome young people and families to sessions and events 2. Make sure everyone’s safe, supported, included and having fun 3. Help to plan and lead activities 4. Get involved with days out, camps and expeditions 5. Share and learn skills – from coding to cake decorating to canoeing 6. Celebrate young people’s achievements big and small You don't need to be Bear Grylls to volunteer with Scouts - we need everyone to muck in and help support young people to learn #SkillsForLife.

Volunteers taking up an opportunity to help in the Visitors Centre have a variety of activities to choose from: Welcome visitors including visitors from coaches. Do you have good local knowledge? Share it with visitors and advise on the visitors information resources. Help in the Café. Help provide an enjoyable experience for 12,000 visitors coming to the centre annually. Local people mingle with visitors, browsing the visitors' information or the Shetland crafts on sale and the displays of local heritage

Shetland Women's Aid are looking for women to join us in promoting the safety and wellbeing of women and children in Shetland who are affected by domestic abuse and gender-based violence. SWA is a registered charity funded by local and national grant aid to provide safety planning, counselling, refuge, advice and guidance about housing, finance and legal issues to women. There is also a children and young person's service focused on offering therapy and support to children and young people. The aim for Shetland Women's Aid is 'An equitable society in which women, children and young people are valued participants, able to determine their own future and are free from all forms of abuse.' As a trustee you will be instrumental in helping us realise our vision and mission. Part of your role will be to ensure that our day to day operation fulfils our strategic vision. If you decide to join Shetland Women's Aid, you can make a real difference to the women and children who experience domestic and sexual abuse.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland is part of the NHS in Scotland. The People’s Experience Volunteer role is new. It is one way that we hope to better hear people’s views in our work and help us put people’s different experiences of health services at the centre of the work we do by: · Sharing your views on some of our ideas and programmes of what is important to people in your area · Helping us find out how people read and understand our reports, websites or information about health and care · You can help us shape and test our questions, test understanding of the topic and discover what is most important to people. We are looking for volunteers from across the Lothian with a range of different experiences and identities; you don’t need any healthcare related experience. Should you wish to express an interest or want further information get in touch.

Would you like to support people who have served in the Armed Forces? Casework volunteers are the lifeblood of SSAFA, supporting a growing number of people in need of financial, practical and emotional support. Clients come from all backgrounds and age groups and may have served in WW2 or in a more recent conflict like Iraq or Afghanistan. Trained volunteers (see below for training provided) listen without judgement to assess and provide tailored support to help people navigate life in and beyond military service. Join your local SSAFA team to help them achieve this. You don’t need a military background just the ability to listen with empathy and a non-judgemental attitude. You will need to be able to use IT to access and update our systems. Timings can be flexible dependent on volunteer and client’s availability.

Forth Environment Link and Sustrans are calling for anyone with an interest in promoting active travel in communities across Scotland to form the organising committee of a new Active Travel Network for Scotland. This is an opportunity to help shape the network as it develops, supporting community action to change how we travel, address health and social inequalities and combat climate change through changing transport behaviours. This role will entail: Helping to shape the constitution and legal framework for the Active Travel Network Taking over management and maintenance of a new website, including member discussion spaces. (https://activetravelnetwork.scot/ the site is currently under development) Administering the network Liaising with Forth Environment Link to deliver member webinars throughout 2023-24 Making decisions on how the network develops in future, with input from members. This could mean, just running the website, or could include things like applying for funding for ongoing/additional member events and other activities such as cross organisational site visits or other activities members express interest in. Board members also have a responsibility to: Act in the best interest of the organisation and it's members Manage any finances responsibly Develop vision, strategies and planning, Establishing any necessary policies and procedures Managing Risks Establishing systems for monitoring and reporting. More information on what is involved in becoming a board member can be found on the SCVO website here: https://scvo.scot/support/running-your-organisation/governance/roles-responsibilities The next Active Travel Network meeting of existing members is due to take place online on the 6th July 2pm-4pm. This will include a section on the development of the network as an independent organisation. If you are not a current member, and would like to join the network and/or attend the meeting to find out more about this opportunity, please contact us to be added to the invite list. Background: Forth Environment Link and Sustrans have been building an active travel* network over the last few years. This originally began as an active travel hubs network. It provided a way for community active travel hubs to share information and learning. Since then the network has grown to include people working and volunteering in communities, student unions and higher education institutions, local authorities and community health services. We are now in a position where neither Sustrans nor Forth Environment Link has capacity to provide the services network members are asking for, and so have decided to open this out to members to take forward as an independent organisation. *Active Travel is a term used to describe travelling by human powered means, such as walking, wheeling or cycling with or without mobility aids such as wheelchairs. This generally includes power chairs and things like scooters and skateboards, as well as people walking with buggies or prams.

Clackmannanshire Citizens Advice Bureau is recruiting volunteers for a number of roles within their busy Alloa office located in the town centre. Clacks CAB assist members of the public with problems with debt and benefits but we advise on all manner of topics, including: energy, employment, consumer, immigration and housing etc. Clackmannanshire Citizens Advice Bureau run a comprehensive training programme for trainee advisers which provides support and mentoring with an experienced adviser. So applicants must be willing to make a commitment of a year to the post. In return, your travel expenses will be paid 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 CAB which have helped them gain employment.

Independent Age provide free information and advice for older people and their families on care and support, money and benefits and health and mobility, along with friendship services to relieve loneliness. They also use the knowledge and insight gained from all of their frontline services to challenge poor care and campaign for a fair deal for older people – a reasonable standard of living, fair access to information and an opportunity to contribute to their communities. Are you short on time but looking to make a difference? If so, then Independent Age's flexible, low commitment Information Champion role could be a great volunteering opportunity for you! All Information Champions help spread the word about Independent Age and their advice services in their local areas. This could be by distributing information guides in the local community or attending local events with resources. Independent Age provides free and impartial information to people over the age of 65 to help them get the most out of older age. Their award-winning guides cover a range of topics including money, getting help at home, staying independent and planning for the future. The guides need to get into the hands of as many people who can benefit from them as possible, and the Information Champions are essential in helping to meet that task! This role involves: • Researching places in your local community to distribute information guides. • Distributing the guides in your local community, for example in local libraries, community centres, GP surgeries or other public places. You will be supported and there is the option of attending a virtual weekly drop in session to provide ongoing support.

Health and Social Care is a focus on local and national agendas - it is about bringing care in to the community, enabling people to live longer, healthy lives in their homes. CTSI and our counterparts in Stirling (SVE) are looking to recruit Community Health Champion Volunteers to support health and well-being within their communities. The aim of this role is to connect people with their community, promoting good health, and self-help. As a Community Health Volunteer, you will assist with the development of local information resources, and have the opportunity to complete Level 2 in Understanding Health Improvement (an accredited course delivered by FV College). Other relevant training, such as Scotland's Mental Health First Aid will be provided. To carry out the role, you will be involved in activities such as: • Speaking with people about health and wellbeing topics (this could be within the workplace, within your own network, at an arranged drop in session, or using a virtual platform) • Signposting someone to a health and wellbeing service or support group • Promoting health campaigns within communities (this could be by having a stall in a supermarket, local business, or workplace) • Encouraging people to become more active (for example, suggesting a group of friends meet for a walk each week instead of a coffee) • Working in partnership with already established local support/advice groups in Clackmannanshire/Stirling (e.g dementia, stroke, heart problems) To carry out this role, we are looking for people who are passionate about health and well-being. You will need to have excellent communication skills, and be able to work effectively with lots of different people. A non-judgemental attitude is vital. Due to the level of training provided, we are looking for a minimum of 6 months commitment from volunteers. However, the time commitment is fully flexible. This is an exciting opportunity for volunteers to assist in shaping what the role looks like, and feed in to what they feel their communities would benefit from most in a Community Health Champion if they would like to.

St Andrew’s First Aid is Scotland’s leading first aid training provider. Their mission is to raise awareness of the importance of first aid skills through event cover, training courses and first aid education in schools and communities. Being a Community Facilitator is all about delivering a variety of lifesaving first aid skills in community engagement workshops and projects, within local communities, and primary and secondary schools. A lot of these projects involve talking about and demonstrating the basics of first aid to community groups that can include children, young people, and vulnerable adults. In this role you can promote first aid awareness and help to achieve St Andrew’s First Aid’s mission to create a nation of lifesavers.