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Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity are back in Silverburn this Christmas and this year is going to be the best yet! Santa and his elves will return for our Santa Selfie activity along with our pop up shop (with a variety of gifts & GCHC merchandise), our gift wrapping service and we’ll also be collecting whilst our fantastic choirs perform. Come join in the fun and get into the festive spirit Our Silverburn Christmas activity will run from the 1st of December all the way through to the 24th of December and we have afternoon (11am to 2:30pm) and afternoon/evening (2:30pm to 6pm) shifts available. This is a great opportunity for anyone that enjoys interacting with the public and would like to have a direct impact by helping to raise vital funds that support our young patients, their families and our NHS heroes at the hospital. If you would like more information or have any questions before registering an interest then please feel free to contact our Fundraising Volunteer Manager, Becky, by e-mail volunteer@glasgowchildrenshospitalcharity.org or by phone 07388 222168. We look forward to welcoming you to Team GCHC!

Our Centre volunteers based at the Elizabeth Montgomerie Building, Monklands Hospital, Airdrie will welcome visitors to Maggie's in an informal and friendly way. They chat to help visitors feel at ease, and introduce visitors to a member of staff as appropriate. Volunteers may show visitors around the centre and outline our timetable, as well as helping us keep the centre visitor-ready.

Public funds are being used to support health and social care research but we rarely hear from the general public about how they feel about this. Researchers at the University of Aberdeen are looking to explore what their patient partner contributions to research should be achieving. Public and patient involvement groups are increasingly supporting research activities. They give opinion on relevant issues to be researched, how to do the research and how to share what we learn from research. But we don’t know how to measure the value of these groups and their activities. We want to hear from members of the public who are NOT involved in research already. Those who are interested in sharing their thoughts should contact Dr Carrie Stewart or Carmen Brack via email at carrie.stewart@abdn.ac.uk or carmen.brack@abdn.ac.uk

Volunteer with us from the comfort of your own home! If you’ve always hoped to volunteer with us one day but, like many people, find yourself short on time, our flexible, home-based Community Connector role could be exactly what you’re looking for. Our amazing Community Connectors support our campaigning, fundraising and spread the word about what we do by liking and sharing our posts on social media, completing online surveys, and signing campaigns or petitions. All you need is a smartphone, tablet, or PC and the ability to share on social media! Find out more and become a Community Connector at https://volunteer.chss.org.uk/opportunities/51700-chss-community-connector

Chest Heart and Stroke, Scotland, Western Isles is looking for volunteers to support their service users. Volunteers are vital to the service – can you help? We have a range of volunteer roles such as communication, administration and helping to organise activities to give support to those who are living with Chest Heart or Stroke Conditions, including long covid. We will provide volunteer training for these roles, including communication support, providing accessible information and creating a safe and stimulating environment. Volunteering hours are flexible and through providing one to one support, will enable people to resume activities in a hospital environment and / or within their own home or their local community. You will be provided with full training and the post is subject to PVG Disclosure.

Why we want you 1 in 5 people in the UK say they are lonely. Volunteers like you help people to gain confidence so that they can reconnect with their local community. What you will be doing Give companionship to people in their home or in the community. Help people to build confidence and self-esteem. Support people with everyday tasks such as shopping or doctor appointments. Help people to use local community services and social groups. Keep records of tasks. The skills you need Warm and friendly with empathy for others. Good communication skills. Encouraging and supportive. Enjoy meeting and spending time with new people. Can work independently and as a part of a team. What's in it for you Meet new people and be part of a dynamic and inclusive team. A great opportunity to develop your existing skills and gain new ones. All training and induction for the role (there is no charge for training). Reasonable pre-agreed travel expenses for the role including for attending training. An opportunity to be part of the world’s largest humanitarian organisation and the knowledge that you are making a difference to people’s lives

Are you friendly, organised, and passionate about helping others? St John Scotland is looking for volunteer Coordinators to support our Patient Transport service in Ayrshire. The service will support people living with chronic kidney disease to access dialysis treatment at the University Hospital in Ayr. Dialysis treatment must be given three times a week, and for patients who would otherwise rely on taxi or ambulance transport, the St John Scotland service means they have a reliable, friendly service they can depend on. The service is currently in development, with an expected launch date in Autumn 2022. We are keen to recruit volunteers in good time so we can provide a reliable service to patients from the offset. As a volunteer Patient Transport Coordinator, you will be the main link between the team of volunteer drivers and the NHS renal unit, ensuring the service runs smoothly and efficiently. You will work alongside another volunteer Coordinator to manage volunteer schedules, support volunteer driver recruitment and induction, and manage administration and record keeping for the service. This is an ideal role for you if you want to make a real difference by helping people in your community. It's a role with a lot of responsibility, but one that brings a lot of reward. The role would be most suitable to someone who can commit around 5 hours a week, but can also be flexible with their time as there may be occasions when the Coordinator is required to respond to short-notice changes to patient journeys or volunteer availability. We are looking for someone who is based in Ayrshire who is familiar with the local area. Applicants will be required to undergo a PVG check as part of the recruitment process. If you're organised, capable and keen to make a difference, we'd love to hear from you. Min volunteering tasks: Volunteering alongside the other Volunteer Patient Transport Coordinator to: • Communicate regularly with volunteer drivers and create a shift rota considering changes in volunteers’ availability • Liaise and maintain relationships with the Renal Unit to ensure that patient information is up to date • Support the volunteer driver recruitment process by taking part in volunteer interviews and inductions

St John Scotland is looking for Volunteer Patient Transport Drivers to join our team in Ayrshire & Arran. The service supports patients from across Ayrshire living with chronic kidney disease to access dialysis treatment at the University Hospital Ayr. Dialysis treatment must be given three times a week, and for patients who would otherwise rely on taxi or ambulance transport, the St John Scotland service means they have a free, reliable and friendly service they can depend on. We are keen to recruit volunteers in good time so we can provide a reliable service to patients from the offset. The current service runs for University Hospital Ayr. Volunteer drivers collect passengers from their homes at a pre-arranged time, convey them to the clinic and return them home after treatment. Main volunteering tasks: • Safely transport patients from their home to the hospital, and back home again at a pre-arranged time • Liaise with the Patient Transport Coordinator and commit to regular shifts (there are morning and afternoon shifts Monday-Saturday) • You will not be required to actively help patients boarding and disembarking vehicles as all patients referred to the service are mobile Volunteer Recruitment process: • Submit the St John Scotland Volunteer Application form • Complete your membership of the PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) scheme. This is free for all volunteers. • Volunteer interview with the Patient Transport Coordinator • Informal driving assessment

Home Support Volunteers visit families in their own homes to provide practical support. This can include helping with housekeeping, spending time with siblings, meal preparation, or other tasks to ‘lighten the load’ of family life. A rewarding role, where you are making a direct difference. What activities will I be involved in? Your initial introductory visit will be with a member of staff, but you will then visit unaccompanied Supporting families with ‘everyday’ tasks – these will vary and be dependent on the family’s needs, and the skills you bring. They may include: Housekeeping – hoovering, ironing, changing beds, general tidying Practical Sibling Support - collecting siblings from school/clubs within walking distance of their home, assisting with homework, spending time with siblings/play Meal Preparation - batch cooking or supporting families to cook (this does require specific training, which we will provide) Other - gardening, dog-walking, basic DIY eg. helping with flat-pack furniture Develop positive relationships with families, being respectful of their home and belongings Immediately communicate any concerns which may arise about a families wellbeing, including child protection concerns Be respectful of sensitive and confidential medical and personal information regarding the children and families accessing our services How much time should I offer? You can volunteer on any day of the week; mornings, afternoons, or early evenings. An average shift is approx 2 hours with the family, and ideally we are looking for a weekly commitment. Usually volunteers support each family for a period of months (dependent on need), then would be introduced to another family. It is possible there will be a short time between supporting different families. Where is the Opportunity based? CHAS supports families across the whole of Scotland. For this role you will support families in their own homes, within a short travelling distance of where you live. What are the benefits to me? Using your skills and developing new ones Making a real difference to the families of children with a life-shortening condition Experience, adding to your CV and career prospects Meeting new people Having fun! What are the benefits to the children and families supported by CHAS? Families supported by CHAS are often under a lot of strain, and caring for a child with a life-limiting condition can take a lot of the family’s time and attention. Often other household tasks, and family life, can become more difficult to manage, and can begin to feel overwhelming. This role makes a direct and instant difference to families. What else should I know? This role is for those aged 18+. You are required to be able to drive and to have access to your own vehicle (travel expenses can be claimed). You will need to complete Visit Logs online, these can be accessed through a phone, computer or tablet, and will require an internet connection (a high level of ‘technology’ knowledge is not required to complete these). This role requires membership of the PVG scheme. There is a simple form to complete and we will assist you with this. You may already have a PVG form – if so you will only need to complete an update form. The process won’t cost you anything and having a criminal record will not automatically exclude you from volunteering. We will assess each applicant on an individual basis. We will pay your out of pocket expenses in line with the CHAS volunteer expenses policy. CHAS is committed to providing a quality volunteering experience to all volunteers free from discrimination and prejudice. Ensuring that CHAS is an equal, diverse, and inclusive organisation will improve the quality of care we provide, help us reach more families and children, and maximise a wide variety of knowledge, experience and expertise. We welcome volunteer applications from those who are refugees, asylum seekers, benefit claimants and those with a disability. Please feel welcome to contact Emma Steel, Home Support Lead (West), on 01389 722079 or emmasteel@chas.org.uk if you have any questions, or would like to discuss the role.

The main responsibility of the post holders will be to oversee and provide advice on service user and carer involvement. The main duties will involve the following; • To attend (face to face) your designated committee and / or planning meetings. • Take part in induction and training for the role, as appropriate. • To help develop and sustain links between the committees and planning groups and local service user / carers / stakeholder groups. • To play an active role (including attending and/or speaking) in events related to patient experience. • To engage with the local Service Users and Carers in patient experience initiatives.