Volunteering
All sorts of people volunteer and for many reasons. Volunteering can be challenging and rewarding, it can give you new experiences and it can enable you to meet many new people!
Not only that, volunteering can provide you with opportunities to develop your own knowledge and skills, which you can put on to your CV and which can help you achieve more in your career.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, the following organisations will be of help:
Home Link
Home Link is a voluntary organisation which provides high quality personal support to families with pre school children in Midlothian and South Edinburgh through our volunteer befriending service. Our first befriending scheme in Midlothian started in 1999 in Dalkeith and in 2003 we received funding to provide support to families across the whole of Midlothian.
Our befrienders help families in many ways such as having a coffee with a parent and offering a listening ear, informing the family about local services and helping them work out choices or giving them practical help with shopping or taking the children on an outing. Visits take place weekly and usually last a couple of hours. Times of visits are flexible to fit in with volunteers’ and families’ other commitments.
We are always keen to hear from anyone who might be interested in volunteering for us as a befriender. Our next induction training course will run on Tuesday evenings starting 22nd January 2008 at our office in Edinburgh. The next course after this will run in Dalkeith over 3 Saturdays starting 12th April 2008
As well as free induction training all our befrienders receive out of pocket expenses (travel and childcare, during the induction training period and whilst volunteering) ongoing support from an experienced project worker as well as opportunities for further training if desired.
If you are interested in joining us or have any queries about Home Link or befriending please contact Sarah on 0131 661 0890 or via email at sarah.l@homelinkbefriending.org. Further information on Home Link and befriending is also available on our website at www.homelinkbefriending.org
Volunteer Centre Midlothian
Volunteer Centre Midlothian is a charitable organisation that recruits, places and supports individuals into volunteering. The Volunteer Centre acts as a 'job centre' for volunteers, matching the skills, experience and enthusiasm of local people seeking to volunteer, to groups and organisations needing their help.
What we do:
For volunteers
- Advice & information on volunteering and the necessary support that you may need
A national database of volunteering opportunities and a directory of local volunteering opportunities
Regular updates, access to training and recognition of your volunteering achievements
For Volunteer Involving Agencies
- Information & support on volunteer management
- Promotion of your volunteering opportunities, locally through our volunteering opportunities directory and through the national database
- Regular updates and access to appropriate free or low cost training
- Entitlement to vote at our AGM
For Referring Agencies
- Referrers workshop, to give you information about making referrals.
- Information about volunteering opportunities for your clients
- Appropriate information and the necessary support for your clients
Contact details:
Volunteer Centre Midlothian
Tel: 0131 663 6165
Email: info@volunteermidlothian.org.uk
Website: http://www.volunteermidlothian.org.uk/
bfriends Midlothian
bfriends needs friendly volunteers to help a child who is having difficulties at home, at school or in the community. We offer training, ongoing support and out of pocket expenses.
bfriends has resource bases where volunteers and young people can go to play games like pool and board games, do arts and crafts or cooking. As well as making a positive difference to a child’s life, you can also gain valuable experience and skills… and have fun!
To request a volunteer information pack, please contact:
Jill Gawish
Tel: 0131 654 9540 Email: jill.gawish@children1st.org.uk
Bfriends is a service provided by CHILDREN 1st, registered chairty no. SC 016092
