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.

​

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 (Spaces Currently Full)

​

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. 

 

St Andrews First Aid

​

St Andrews First Aid is Scotland’s dedicated first aid charity and leading first aid training provider.

​

What would you be doing?

Volunteers can become Event First Aiders, they would be providing first aid at local events. There is also the potential to become a Community Facilitator in charge of providing talks and demonstrations as well as uncertified first aid training to the local St Andrews community.

Time commitment and trainings

All volunteers will obtain first aid certification and thus will have to go through an intensive four day training. There will be additional Child Protection training and Moving and Handling training. There will be multiple training sessions likely all based in St Andrews. After certification, there is flexibility in terms of additional time commitment as each volunteer will book onto the opportunities that they wish to join. The average expectation is around 60 hours a year.

​

Why should you apply?

Volunteers should be individuals who want first aid certification and willing to put in the time to obtain it. This certification has many applications beyond volunteering as you can always be in a situation were knowing first aid can come in handy.

​

Graduate Attributes Examples: Confidence and adaptability – demonstrated through the need to adapt to event settings (the weather, lack of formal first aid space, etc.). Research skills and problem solving – demonstrated through the need to think on your feet and remember your training in stressful situations. Oral communication – demonstrated through the need to communicate with your casualties as well as other members of first response. Written communication – demonstrated through the reports written for each casualty. Organization skills – demonstrated through the maintaining of an orderly first aid bag. Resilience – demonstrated through working in a difficult environment with people who may being going through serious trauma. 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 giving of first aid to casualties as well as working with the other volunteers.   

 

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). 

​

Time commitment and trainings 

Apply by emailing transition@st-andrews.ac.uk and tell us what areas of our work they are interested in. A list of ideas for the type 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 

​

​