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Harbour (Ayrshire) are currently providing life changing opportunities for volunteers with a lived experience of overcoming drug and alcohol addiction. Our aim is to make use of the invaluable shared experience to create hope that change is possible while providing support to some of the most vulnerable people in society. Volunteers will facilitate workshops, groups and one-to-one sessions supporting individuals in our local communities. We will also be operating our fleet of community support vehicles to aid those in need and support our collaborative working groups. The volunteers are the mainstay of the charity, and we will demonstrate our belief in them by providing mentoring, training and development opportunities with the objective of achieving full time employment through our partner organisations.

Volunteer Trustees will actively contribute and participate in the setting of the organisations direction and work development, and also the effective decision making and support of our Senior Management team. Have an understanding of the challenges faced by CATH organisation and help to make a difference to improve the lives of the individuals we work with. Board meetings are held bi-monthly and we are keen to achieve a diverse Board of Trustees and welcome applications from all sections of the Community.

This role provides volunteers the opportunity to work as part of a team with our cook, staff and other volunteers in all aspects of our Community Hub kitchen, from food preparation, serving lunches and refreshments, clearing and cleaning the dining area, assisting in the day to day smooth running of a busy kitchen whilst complying with all Food hygiene and Health & Safety requirements, there is also the opportunity to chat further with our service users once kitchen duties are completed. A current Food Hygiene Certificate would be an advantage or willing to do training to obtain one.

Involved in the participation and delivery of a variety of indoor/outdoor group activities and encouraging individuals to participate, working alongside staff and other volunteers in creating and developing more activity groups to engage service user interests. Volunteers will have the opportunity and are encouraged to use and share their own skills, knowledge and experience to set up and run specific groups.

Working with Fundraising and Communications Manager (FCM) to research, source and create fundraising opportunities online and in the Community, assist organising, advertising and running events, maintain Social media platforms to raise C.A.T.H.’s profile, drafting engaging content for website, social media or posters to engage the wider community, conducting stakeholder research, networking with various companies and local authority regarding employee corporate volunteering and fundraising events, contacting individuals and employers regarding sponsorship and donations.

This opportunity provides front line contact with visitors and service users visiting the Community Hub, from meeting and greeting individuals, answering telephone enquiries, maintaining health & safety protocols such as everyone signing in and out of the premises, assist service users who wish to access our laundry or showering facilities, provide basic information on Community Hub services and activities, ensure premises are kept clean and tidy.

Volunteer in our very traditional Charity shop, situated in the centre of Perth, which not only provides a great opportunity for individuals to learn new skills and gain experience in retail but also to use skills and knowledge you may already have. It is a very popular and busy shop where you will be involved in not only selling items of a good standard but also checking donations, steaming garments, stocking sales floor, helping with window and internal displays so why not unleash your creative side. A good knowledge of customer service is important as well as being reliable along with an interest in the work of the organisation.

Volunteer drivers will have the opportunity to drive either a Mini bus or MPV (Multi-Purpose Vehicle) transporting service users to and from various locations, picking up food donations from supermarkets, accompany staff on outdoor activities and also participate if interested, interact with service users. Complete daily checks, log mileage usage and reporting any relevant issues/problems to a designated staff member, ensure vehicles are kept clean and tidy internally and externally.

Although our Active Women session is open to all women a high percentage of our customers are from the BME community. These sessions are intended to provide a comfortable environment for those who would feel uneasy being in the pool supervised by staff members of the opposite sex. We are therefore looking for female volunteers with translator interpreter skills to meet and greet our customers, show them to the changing rooms and poolside. You should be aware that the session is held in a Leisure Centre resulting in variable temperatures.

What will I be doing? Parents of babies who have received care in hospital from the neonatal team can experience perinatal mental health issues and feelings of isolation. 1:3 Mums/Mums to be and 1:10 Dads/Dads to be are affected by mental health issues in the Perinatal period – during pregnancy and up until their baby’s first birthday. Aberlour supports parents and babies born from 34 weeks gestation onwards who live in the Lothians with their emotional wellbeing, in recognition of the impact a neonatal journey can have for families.  As a volunteer Perinatal befriender, you would be matched with a Mum/ Mum to be, who you will help by spending regular time together on a 1:1 basis, building a trusting relationship and reducing social isolation. Befrienders come from a range of backgrounds and are aged 18 and over – there is no upper age limit to become a befriender! Impact you can make Feedback from families who have had befriending support tells us a Befriender can be life changing. A befriender can provide emotional support to help build positive relationships between parents and their baby and improve parents’ mental health. Accessing activities in the community, going for a walk, or talking over a cuppa are some of the ways in which a Befriender can make a real difference for parents and their babies. A Mum who used our service recently said, “My befriender is like a wee rainbow coming in to make everything better”. Benefits to you as a volunteer As a volunteer you will receive high quality training including Perinatal Mental Health and Child Protection. You will also gain practical experience of helping families affected by their experience of neonatal care with ongoing support from our staff team throughout your befriending journey. You will meet a range of new people and be filled with a sense of satisfaction, knowing that you have helped make an unforgettable, positive difference to parents, babies and families.