Volunteering

Local Volunteer Centres

The benefits of volunteering can be enormous. By dedicating your time and abilities, not only are you contributing to your community, you can also gain as much as you give. Volunteering can offer opportunities to meet new people and work on social skills. It can give you the chance to gain career experience through developing and practising both work place and life skills.

Would you like to volunteer but don’t know where to start? If you are interested in becoming a volunteer then there are a few things you might want to consider before you start. Why do you want to volunteer? What do you enjoy doing? How much time am I willing to commit?

Local Volunteer Centre’s throughout Scotland provide a range of services:

• information, support, guidance and advice to individuals who are either looking to volunteer or already do
• support with searching for and applying to opportunities within your area
• training opportunities and peer support

Volunteer Scotland  provides a wealth of information on volunteering opportunities.  They also provide a list of local volunteer support organisations.

Caithness.org is another source of information on local support organisations.

Volunteering Projects

Can Do is a project ran by Leonard Cheshire offers opportunities for 16 to 35‑year-old disabled people to volunteer in their community. Currently the project is running in Edinburgh, Dumfries and Glasgow.
Tel: 020 7112 1489.

Project Scotland is a charity that partner’s young people aged 16 to 30 with volunteering opportunities through Scotland. They provide information on volunteering opportunities within your area, will arrange a first meeting with a charity and support you through 3 months of volunteering with a mentor.
Tel: 0131 281 7364

Volunteering Matters offer a range of volunteering programmes including specific opportunities for disabled people, older people, young people and families.
Tel: 03300 555283 or email scotinfo@volunteeringmatters.org.uk

Do-it.org is the UK’s national volunteering database. They lists over 1 million volunteering opportunities that are posted by volunteer centres, national/local charities and voluntary groups.

Reach aim to connect charities with skilled volunteers.