SERVICE DETAILS
Whatever your personal situation we can offer help and support to explore volunteering
Volunteering benefits your health and wellbeing. It has been proven many times. Sometimes, however, finding the right information or getting the right help to get started can feel like a challenge and that is where we can help.
If you don’t feel that confident or you cant see what skills you have to offer then we can help. If the range of choice feels bewildering or you simply don’t know where to start then we can help.
Everyone’s needs are individual whether that be because of physical disability, learning disability, a mental health issue. If you are in recovery from dependency and you are worried that may be a barrier then we can help. Concerns about past offending histories can make people feel excluded from opportunities but we can help.
Whatever your personal situation we can offer help and support to explore volunteering and see what could be right for you. Everyone has something to offer and everyone has the right to offer their talents, skills and enthusiasm. We can offer specialist support to help you.
We are here to help
We can help you identify the skills and experience that you bring as an individual and find out what sort of volunteering could be right for you. Whether it is just a little extra support and information to get you started or whether you need more involved support we can help.
We know that volunteering has an important part to play in recovery or rehabilitation. We work with individuals, support workers, carers and volunteer managers to help people access and sustain volunteering. We know a lot about volunteering and for over 30 years we have been helping people overcome barriers to becoming successful volunteers. We can help you look at different opportunities, talk with organisations on your behalf, arrange visits and even support you when you start.
By volunteering you can:
- Improve your confidence
- Use your skills
- Feel valued for what you have to offer
- Get out of the house
- Make connections; and
- Develop a sense of belonging
Taking the first step can be daunting so let us lend a hand.
Volunteer Buddy Project...
We are launching a new Volunteer Buddy project and we are looking for volunteers to get involved.
We are looking to fill the gap that exists for people who need a bit more practical support to volunteer because of their mental health, learning disability, physical disability, previous conviction or previous addiction.
The aim is to recruit 15 buddies who will be matched with potential or existing volunteers who have already been assessed and placed by the team. They will meet up to get to know each other and discuss their volunteering.
The buddy will then provide appropriate support for the volunteer to engage in and sustain their volunteering. This might be accompanying the volunteer on a first visit, volunteering alongside, catching up by phone, email or face to face as the volunteering continues.
Training will be provided which will cover: why is the project needed and how they fit in; different kinds of volunteering; disability awareness; boundaries and confidentiality; working with support workers and volunteer involving organisations; what is self-management?; person centered techniques; coaching techniques; and challenging situations.
If you think you might be interested or just want to find out more, please contact Nick Woodhead on 0131 561 8304 or email him at nick.woodhead@volunteeredinburgh.org.uk. You can also download a flyer for the project at https://www.volunteeredinburgh.org.uk/volunteer/health-and-wellbeing.
My Volunteering...
My Volunteering is a new project created and delivered by our amazing team of volunteer ambassadors who have interviewed, transcribed and edited a wide range of volunteering stories for you to read, listen to and watch.
“This is a creative space where we want to share what volunteering means to people. Not so much what they do but what gets them involved in the first place and why they continue to do it. The personal journeys, the triumphs and the challenges they overcome along the way. The experiences and the life changing impact it can have not just on those that receive the support from volunteers but on the very people who give up their time to volunteer every hour of every day of the year.
It is a space to share stories of recovery, love, kindness and hope that continue to inspire and aid people in finding their place in society, and to feel valued and connected.
As no two volunteers are the same, no two stories are the same so each leaf on the tree will take you in a different direction.
Please take a moment to stop and look beyond the leaves and branches that spread out across the homepage and discover the lives behind Edinburgh’s very own volunteers.”
You can visit the MyVolunteering site https://myvolunteering.org.uk.
Information sessions...
Are you thinking about volunteering for yourself or someone you support or care for and are concerned that health, disability or past offences may be a barrier? Are you finding that you or your client needs more support in their current volunteering than is available?
If the answer to either of these questions is yes, the first step is to attend one of our Information Sessions. There is no appointment needed and specialist advisers are on hand to help. If you want to you can bring a support worker or friend along with you. At these sessions you will be able to meet a member of the Health and Wellbeing team and find out about how we might be able to support you.
You will find details of when and where these sessions are being held opposite (or below on a mobile device). If you cannot attend these sessions or would like more information before you come, please contact the team on 0131 225 0630 or email healthandwellbeing@volunteeredinburgh.org.uk.
