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Call Companions is a telephone befriending service providing regular chats to older people, often living on their own and with little social interaction. Our call companion coordinators oversee a small group of around six call companions and the older people they speak to on a regular basis. This is a flexible, homebased voluntary role that can easily be fitted in around your own lifestyle and availability. As the call companion coordinator, you will be the main point of contact for everyone in your group. You will regularly contact both the volunteers and the older people, making sure they have all the support and information they need to make or receive their regular calls and responding to any queries or concerns. You will keep the team at Re-engage updated and submit a monthly report. This is challenging but rewarding role that makes a big difference in the lives of people experiencing loneliness.

Blackwood Homes and Care was founded in 1972 by Dr Margaret Blackwood MBE, a campaigner for the rights and independence of disabled people. We deliver our vision of helping people live their life to the full in the pioneering spirit of Dr Blackwood by providing high quality housing, care and support for disabled people of all ages, with over 1500 homes across all 29 mainland local authorities in Scotland. Can you help our customers feel less isolated by supporting them to use technology to connect with the wider world? We are looking for people who are confident with basic IT skills and have the patience to share your skills with people who are new and uncertain when using technology. You also need to enjoy making casual conversation and building familiar relationships. Customers are perhaps unsure how to connect to the internet, charge their device, video call a friend or do shopping online. Helping someone make a video call for the first time to family they’ve not seen due to the pandemic really makes a difference to their quality of life along with their mood and mental wellbeing. At Blackwood we believe that using technology can significantly improve the lives of our customers. We provide care (in care homes), care at home services and tenancies to people with different support needs. Our customers have been offered a tablet which is set up with our innovative system CleverCogs. The role out of this is delivered by our Digital Skills Coaches but people continue to need support with basic IT issues to gain skills and confidence. Some customers don’t like to ask for more help, so knowing there is a wider network of buddies that can provide digital support will be very beneficial. This is where your time will be invaluable! Due to COVID-19 this role will start remotely, providing help over the phone or a video call. As restrictions ease, you will be able to visit customers in their home. Hopefully getting to meet some of the people you’ve helped remotely. What will you get from volunteering? • Supporting your local community to join the digital age and providing them with the autonomy to run their own lives online • The opportunity to be involved in key unforgettable digital-learning moments, such as their first video call with a much-missed family member • By providing a friendly face and conversation, you are helping to eradicate social isolation for many • Satisfaction that you’ve made a difference to the lives of Blackwood Customers. • Be involved in our innovative initiatives • Build on trouble-shooting and problem-solving skills • Awareness and knowledge of differing accessibility and communication needs, and how to meet those needs • Evidence of IT, communication and disability accessibility knowledge and skills for your CV • Induction to Blackwood • Training on the likely issues that you’ll help with to ensure you’re confident undertaking your role. • Support throughout your volunteering. Staff will be available should you need assistance and we’ll have a regular catch up.

As a member of the HMS Unicorn Collections Team, you will provide an invaluable role in improving knowledge associated with the collections and fostering their accessibility. This role provides an opportunity to get experience within a museum environment and to learn about collections management, care, and storage. You will also get the chance to learn how to use Axiell Collections Management Systems. As part of this role, you will be provided with ongoing training opportunities and will develop an excellent attention to detail, good organisational and communication skills, and computer literacy. As a member of the HMS Unicorn volunteer team, you will also get the chance to meet other people and be invited to different group social events throughout the year. You can also become involved in other areas of the ship's life including maintenance, engagement events, and visitor services.

General Description: As social media co-ordinator you will be responsible for the daily running of the larder social media accounts. You will be responsible for responding appropriately to any queries for the larder that come in via social media accounts. Summary of Main Activities and Tasks: - develop creative and engaging social media strategies - manage the day-to-day handling of all social media channels - create engaging multimedia content (and/or outsource this effectively) across multiple platforms

General Description: As a Voluntary Larder Assistant, your role will be to welcome customers into the Larder, as well as assisting them with their shopping. You'll also be responsible for keeping the Larder well stocked and well presented at all times. Summary of Main Activities and Tasks: · To meet and greet customers visiting the Larder · To register memberships · To check payments and membership · To assist customers with their shopping · To ensure the Larder is kept well stock and well presented · To complete/comply with all food safety and procedural paperwork · Assist with basic cleaning duties · To help promote the Lard

Access to good food is essential for the Larder, and we want to get more of it to our members. We have a number of businesses willing to donate stock which requires collection from sites across the North Coast. This additional stock is vital to supporting the operation of the Pantries, as well as helping to reduce food waste.· Collection of goods, observing appropriate food safety and manual handling regulations · Drop off goods at Larder, ensuring they are stored as appropriate to Health & safety/Environmental Health guidelines.

Have you been Bereaved by Suicide? Do you have a desire to help other people who have also been Bereaved by Suicide? Are you comfortable listening to the experiences of others? You could be just the person we are looking for. We have self-help support groups across the UK, where you can meet with other people who have been bereaved by suicide and we want to enroll some new volunteers to set up a group in Aberdeen. Typically, our groups meet once a month and last for around 2 hours. Presently many groups are meeting virtually via Zoom but when regulations allow, they will return to Face to Face. They provide an opportunity to listen, to share, to ask questions and to connect with others. Each local SoBS group is run by a team of 3: the group leader and two group volunteers, all of whom have been bereaved by suicide themselves. Between them, they facilitate the session, get the conversation started, make sure everyone has the opportunity to talk if they want to, and generally look out for people and each other. The team also work together to manage the administration, fundraising and communication for the group, sometimes with the help of additional support volunteers. There is no set structure to a session – people are free to talk and listen as they wish. The topics discussed vary from week to week but often includes people sharing their story, how they are feeling, what has happened since their last group visit, questions about coroners and discussions about common challenges such as flashbacks, supporting children or facing neighbours. Many groups also offer a small resource library and can share information about local sources of support. For further details please contact Phill Abbiss, Volunteer Coordinator (North) at E Mail: phill.abbiss@uksobs.org or tel.: 07535 854 860.

Scotland Versus Arthritis is looking for individuals willing to lead short health walks in your area, lead on other physical activities, or facilitate virtual support groups. Full training and on-going support for volunteers will be available. We are also looking for expressions of interest from anyone keen to become an instructor of Tai Chi or Qi Gong for arthritis. The current Covid restrictions have meant that for many the wait for treatment may be a year or more away. Painkilling prescriptions are seldom more than a temporary relief. Support and exercise can however offer a better way to self-manage the daily on-going pain and fatigue. In readiness for the eventual lifting of lockdown we are asking, can you spare an hour or two each month to help? Please contact your local Development Officer, Dr. P. Neville, p.neville@versusarthritis.org or phone 07501 501114 for details.

Aberdeen Multicultural Centre (AMC) is an outcome driven, user led charity, committed to making a positive impact on the lives of wider communities in Aberdeen. AMC encourages co-operation and integration amongst diverse community groups. AMC’s vibrant aims are to support communities from social, economic, welfare & environmental perspectives. AMC has run Climate Change projects for the last five years aimed at awareness raising and changing behaviours in relation to home energy efficiency, active travel, food waste, recycling and home gardening amongst diverse communities in Aberdeen. AMC has become cultural hub of communities in Aberdeen. AMC has been organising different cultural events such as International Mother Language Day, Aberdeen Mela- One World Day, Multicultural Burns Night etc. AMC also involved in different sports & physical activities such as Multicultural Football Festival, Multicultural Bike Rally, Wellbeing & Mindfulness Meditation Sessions, Relaxation & Chair base exercises for BAME older people etc. Post Covid-19 recovery stage we are looking to go back to our normal operations and activities. Planning ahead we need a grant proposal writing volunteer’s support to our team. A fantastic and exciting opportunity to assist in the continued successful development of Aberdeen Multicultural Centre and make a real difference for people and communities. All help is greatly appreciated. For further information please contact Ahashan Habib, Centre Manager at E Mail: a.habib@abmc.org.uk or tel. 01224 561992.

The Board of Trustees of Four Pillars are looking to recruit new trustees to ensure the Charity can continue to grow and support the LGBT+ community in Grampian. Four pillars currently run a community hub, support and social groups, 1 to 1 support, provide volunteering opportunities and facilitate Grampian Pride. There are lots of ideas in the pipeline for the future. In order to achieve these we are particularly looking for people with previous experience of serving on a charity board and/or with skills and knowledge in one or more of the following: -An understanding of the needs of the LGBT+ community in Grampian -PR social media -Legal knowledge -Fundraising/ event planning We would also like to hear from people currently underrepresented on our board: -People with a disability -People from an ethnic minority For more information or to apply please go to our website www.fourpillarsuk.org/volunteer