Local Community

Lead Scotland

Lead Scotland is a national charity supporting disabled people and carers by providing personalized learning, befriending, advice and information services.

What would you be doing?

Volunteers will befriend signed up individuals in Fife. Supported by a Befriending Coordinator, Befrienders will support befriendees to reduce their sense of social isolation by increasing their connection to their community through:

• Maintaining regular social interactions and building relationships

• Working together to achieve individual befriendee's outcomes and goals

• Supporting befrienders in accessing community-based activities that can be sustained after the befriending relationship ends

• Where possible, accompany befriendees to access group activities alongside other befriendees and befrienders befrienders

Time commitment and trainings

Befriending meet-ups will take place over 2-3 hours every week, or every second week. This usually occurs during evenings and weekends in our young carers service (not always) and is more varied within our adult befriending service. There is a befriender handbook and workbook. There is also access to training and peer support. Coordinators are at hand throughout the match to provide support to befrienders.

Why should you apply?

Volunteers should be individuals who are keen to meet and support those who are differently abled and eager to organize fun meet ups!

Expenses are met and befrienders can be supported to achieve Saltire awards if they are aged between 18 and 25.

Graduate Attributes Examples:

Confidence and adaptability – demonstrated through the creation of meaningful connections with your befriendee, perhaps adapting to changes in your circumstances. Creativity – demonstrated through coming up with activities to share with your befriendee. Oral communication – demonstrated through the formation of relationships with your befriendee. Written communication – demonstrated through any contact with your befriendee and or the rest of the organization. Organization skills – demonstrated through the planning and execution of activities with your befriendee. Resilience – demonstrated through working with an individual who may have challenges you yourself have not experienced. Self-awareness and reflection – demonstrated through the ability to reflect on the successes and failures of your work with your befriendee and being able to implement changes. Social responsibility – demonstrated through the act of volunteering with often overlooked and underserved members of the community. Inter-personal skills – demonstrated through the development of a relationship with your befriendee. 

 

SupportED Scotland

SupportED Scotland work in communities across Scotland to support people with an eating disorder, their families and carers.

What would you be doing?

Volunteers can become befrienders and will:

• Have weekly, one hour phone calls/ video calls/ meet ups with a befriendee

• Offer peer support and a listening ear

• Signposting befriendees and escalating any safeguarding issues

• Maintain regular support and supervision sessions Eating Disorder Awareness and Safeguarding Training

Volunteers can also become Volunteer Peer Group Facilitators responsible for:

• Ensuring that everyone attending the group is aware of the Group Guidelines/Rules and to create a safe space to enable group members to share their story

• Encouraging discussion between group members and only interject if they feel that a group member is being excluded or is breaking any rules or guidelines which could disrupt the group or cause distress

• Observing and reporting on any safeguarding concerns and will act as a time keeper and ensure that everyone feels comfortable and has an opportunity to speak if they want to share anything.

• Working with the co host who will be responsible for completing the feedback form. There will be two facilitators at each meeting, with an equal responsibility, though one would be tasked with ‘hosting’ any online meetings.

Time commitment and trainings

Volunteers will be expected to maintain weekly contact with befriendees for a maximum of 6 months or attend weekly 1.5 hour long meetings. Volunteers will also receive extensive online befriending training, facilitator training, and Eating Disorder Awareness and Safeguarding Training. There will also be an opportunity to participate in shadow shifts and or group sessions.

Why should you apply?

Depending on the role, we would ask that volunteers have significant experience of eating disorders (whether personally, professionally or academically). We would also ask that if a potential volunteer had lived experience of an eating disorder, they would have been recovered for at least two years.

Graduate Attributes Examples:

Confidence and adaptability – demonstrated through the creation of meaningful connections with your befriendee, perhaps adapting to changes in your circumstances/ when facilitating a group meeting.

Creativity – demonstrated through coming up with activities to share with your befriendee/ coming up with them for a group meeting.

Research skills and problem solving – demonstrated through the ability to pivot or solve any problems that may arise during facilitation of group meetings.

Oral communication – demonstrated through the formation of relationships with your befriendee/ ability to successfully facilitate a group meeting.

Written communication – demonstrated through any contact with your befriendee and or the rest of the organization.

Leading others – demonstrated by the act of taking on the role of group facilitator. Organization skills – demonstrated through the planning and execution of activities with your befriendee/ or group meeting.

Resilience – demonstrated through working with an individual who may have challenges you yourself have not experienced/ or group meeting. 

Self-awareness and reflection – demonstrated through the ability to reflect on the successes and failures of your work with your befriendee/ or in a group meeting and being able to implement changes.

Social responsibility – demonstrated through the act of volunteering with often overlooked and underserved members of the community. 

Influencing and negotiation – demonstrated through the taking on the role of group facilitator. 

Inter-personal skills – demonstrated through the development of a relationship with your befriendee/ or in a group meeting. 

 

Byre Theatre

The Byre Theatre is the local theatre of St Andrews, putting on a variety of shows ranging from student productions to professional shows.

What would you be doing?

As a Front of House volunteer you will be responsible for

• Greeting customers arriving at the Byre Theatre, projecting a friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable image.

• Checking patrons’ tickets and direct customers to their seats.

• Assisting the FOH staff in dealing effectively with latecomers and audience related queries or problems.

• Monitoring the audience during performances and routinely report any problems or concerns.

• Promoting and complying with Byre Theatre Health and Safety policies, procedures and guidelines.

Time commitment and trainings

Shifts vary in length depending on the length of the performance but are typically 3.5 hours and you will be assigned 4-5 shifts a month. Shifts are published monthly so you will have plenty of advanced notice. There will be a full site induction, including emergency procedures, and in-depth role-specific training.

Why should you apply?

Volunteers should be individuals committed to providing amazing customer service as well as passionate about the arts, prepared to be punctual and polished for the audience!

Graduate Attributes Examples:

Confidence and adaptability – demonstrated through the need to adapt to different show experiences. 

Research skills and problem solving – demonstrated through the need to think on your feet and remember your training in every situation. 

Oral communication – demonstrated through the need to communicate with led staff as well as members of the audience. 

Organization skills – demonstrated through the excecution of all your responsibilities as a volunteer. 

Resilience – demonstrated through working in a potentially stressful environment. 

Self-awareness and reflection – demonstrated through the ability to reflect on the successes and failures of your work and being able to implement changes in the future.

Social responsibility – demonstrated through the act of volunteering to help others.

Inter-personal skills – demonstrated through the working with audience members and the rest of the staff. 

 

Transition

Transition is a movement of communities coming together to reimagine and rebuild our world. 

What would you be doing? 

This will depend on the volunteer’s interests and skillset. Examples are: sorting and organising donations for St AndReuse, supporting or running small skillshares (workshops) to share specific skills (e.g. crochet, sewing, cooking, upcycling), contributing to the Transition Steering Committee, creating content for social media and our website (e.g. reels, images, blog posts), helping organise large-scale events focused on repair, reuse and skillshare). 

This Semester, they are specifically looking for people to help with...

• Helping with a weekly 1-hour lunchtime/after-school sewing, knitting or crochet classes across 8-week blocks in a local primary school. Starting ASAP.

• Being a Skills Champion in a local high school – involving running a weekly 1-hour lunchtime ‘creative club’ for high school pupils across 8-week blocks. Starting ASAP.

• Being part of a Sustainable Fashion Project at a local primary school, helping in one of several creative sewing workshops for 1.5 hours across 3 consecutive weeks, Oct – November.

Time commitment and trainings 

A list of projects can be found on the Get Involved page of the Transition website. Volunteers are needed year-round and are expected to contribute 1-2 hours per week when in St Andrews. 

Why should you apply? 

You will meet like-minded people from all corners of the local community and be part of important climate action work. You will learn new skills, make new friends and feel more confident about dealing with the challenges the world is facing. 

Graduate Attributes Examples: Confidence and adaptability, creativity, research skills and problem solving, networking, oral communication, leading others, organisation skills, social responsibility, & effective team contribution