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Volunteering opportunities for Staff

The theme of a previous Staff Development Day was 'Employee Volunteering'. As a result, the University formed contacts with over 25 local volunteering groups. The groups are all very keen to speak to any staff members who didn't make it along on the day, but may still be interested in volunteering. Their contact information is below.

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Could you volunteer a couple of hours (weekly / fortnightly) to befriend an adult or young person experiencing isolation due to a mental health problem?  If so, LINK East Fife Mental Health Befriending Projects would love to hear from you.

Experience is not necessary; life experience is your greatest asset! Ongoing training, support and supervision is provided, as well as out of pocket expenses and social events.

Our next training program starts in April 2012.

Find out more information about these rewarding opportunities. Alternatively, contact our Project Coordinators:

  • Jane Maciver, Adolescent Befriending Project Coordinator, on 01334 880744 / 07761815223 or email  jane.linkbefriending@aol.com
  • Senga Smith,  Adult Befriending Project Coordinator, on 01382 903215 / 07922 367649 or email  senga.smith@hotmail.co.uk (June 2011). 

Castle Furniture Project Ltd

Cupar
01334 645445
castlefurniture@ukonline.co.uk

We make the connection between people with furniture that is no longer needed and people who need it. At the same time we give individuals with enduring mental illness the opportunity to work in a supportive environment.

Link. East Fife Mental Health Adolescent Befriending Project

Jane Maciver
01334 880744

The Project aims to recruit, train and support volunteers who will be "matched" to adolescents who are isolated due to mental health problems.

Lend-A-Hand: Short Break Care Service

Kirkcaldy
01592 642612
lendahand@enable.org.uk

Short break care is an arrangement where a disabled child visits another family or individual on a regular and planned basis. Sometimes a volunteer will take a child on regular outings.

Volunteering Fife

Three agencies working throughout Fife:

www.volunteeringfife.org

Volunteering Fife is here to help you decide what kind of work would suit you and will give you advice and support. We can put you in touch with local groups or other organisations that need volunteers.

Smoking Cessation Buddy Project Fife

01592 712812

The Buddy Project offers support and encouragement to people who are trying to quit smoking. The project matches Buddies and Stoppers who live in the same area and share the same interests.

Fife Young Carers

Fife - 01334 473422
dlvw4@hotmail.com

The Fife Young Carers Group is a charitable group that hopes to be an umbrella organisation for young carers. It aims to pull together issues and information, and raise funds for new initiatives for young carers in Fife.

Victim Support Fife

Dunfermline
01383 621149
vsfifeareaoffice@btconnect.com

An independent, free and confidential service giving emotional support, practical help, support in court, time to talk, help with compensation and information about the criminal justice system.

The Scouts Association

Fife
01334 462573
shq@scouts-scotland.org.uk
www.scouts-scotland.org.uk

Scouting in principally targeted at training and developing young people between the ages of 6 and 25, but adults who volunteer will also develop a host of skills thorugh practical experience and training provided by the Scout Association.

Scottish Wildlife Trust, Fife & Kinross Members Centre

Sonia Daniels, Chair

soniadaniels11@yahoo.co.uk or 01334 473847

The Scottish Wildlife Trust aims to advance the conservation of Scotland’s biodiversity for the benefit of present and future generations. Help us at our Members Centre in Fife & Kinross, working at 10 local reserves, fundraising and participating in our programme of indoor and outdoor events.

British Red Cross

Kirkcaldy
01592 260252
rhyslop@redcross.org.uk
www.redcross.org.uk

The British Red Cross helps people in times of crisis. We provide a range of high quality services in local communities across the UK every day. Services include Home from hospital service; other support at home; medical loan service; transport and escort service; first aid training; therapeutic care service; skin camouflage service.

Home Start East Fife

St Andrews
01334 477548
www.home-start.org.uk

Home-Start is recognised as the UKs leading family support organisation. Volunteers support families facing a variety of difficulties including loneliness, isolation, post-natal illness, disabilities, ill health, relationship difficulties, multiple births and bereavement.

Families First

St Andrews, Rose Lane Centre
01334 473259
info@families-first.fsnet.co.uk

We are a local charity supporting local families. Can you spare one or two hours a week to support a child through a difficult patch? If you can help, we'd love to have you as a volunteer befriender or as a helper in one of our breakfast or after-school clubs.

After school clubs; Befriending; Breakfast clubs; Decorating/ DIY; Driving; Gardening; Holiday club; Parent/Tot group.

includeMe!

North-East Fife
01334 656242
E: contact@includeme.org.uk
www.includeme.org.uk

In your lifetime, think about the mutual support you have experienced with people in your life where you have both:

  • Enjoyed good times together
  • Encouraged each other
  • Supported each other through difficult times
  • Given each other advice

We are eagerly looking for local citizens to share their time, support and qualities with someone who is vulnerable or excluded because they have a learning disability, and who therefore desperately needs someone who is on their side. Citizen advocacy also gives you the chance to meet someone new, spend time with them and share their hobbies or interests too.

So whatever your life experiences or interests, you have the potential to make a great Citizen Advocate, and help someone who is at risk of being excluded in their community, be included.

Green Gym

Falkland
01337 858256
C.Murray@btcv.org.uk
www.btcv.org/greengym

BTCV Green Gym is a unique scheme to help you become physically and mentally healthier by taking part in nature conservation activities to improve your local environment, such as tree planting, woodland management, creating wildflower gardens and hedge laying.

Rotary International

St Andrews
01334 477537
www.rotary-ribi.org

The object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise. Rotarians place strong emphasis on personal service to the community. Through vocational projects they support job development, employment skills, literacy and numeracy training, and a range of work-related activities, as well as many environmental activities.

East Neuk Centre

Anstruther
01333 592040
Helen.Fraser-White@fife.gov.uk

The East Neuk centre offers a range of volunteering opportunities e.g. working with young people, community groups etc.

English for Speakers of Other Languages

Fife Council Area Office
St Andrews
01334 413011

The ESOL service is part of Fife Council's Community Services. It operates throughout Fife, providing help with English to residents who want to improve their language skills.

No prior experience of tutoring is necessary as training is provided.

Fairtrade

www.fairtrade.org.uk

Fairtrade does what it says on the label; it guarantees a better deal to producers in the developing world. This means a stable price which covers their production costs along with a premium that their organsiation will be able to invest either in the business or social and environmental schemes amongst the wider community.

St Andrews Memorial Hospital

St Andrews
01334 658452

Volunteers are required for hospital visits, assisting with events and activities and providing support to patients.

St Andrews Preservation Trust

St Andrews
01334 477629
trust@standrewspreservationtrust.co.uk
www.standrewspreservationtrust.co.uk

The trust is a charitable organisation dedicated to the preservation of the history and character of St Andrews.

SenseScotland

info@sensescotland.org.uk
www.sensescotland.org.uk

We are a leader in the field of communication and innovative support services for people who are marginalised because of challenging behavour, health care issues and the complexity of their support needs.

People who are deaf-blind or who have sensory impairment and other difficulties can need special help with communication,  information, learning and mobility.

Fife Action on Autism

Asperger's Support Project
Dunfermline
01383 621289
asperger@fifeactiononautism.co.uk
www.fifeactiononautism.org.uk

The Asperger support project runs activity clubs for adults and adolescents to encourage the development of social skills and the contexts in which they will be used. 

Fife Intensive Rehabiliation and Substance Misuse Team

Kirkcaldy
01592 585960
www.firstforfife.co.uk

FIRST provides a Fife-wide rehabilitation service to clients with substance misuse problems via 1:1, group and volunteer support.

Roles of volunteers in FIRST will be wide and varied and may include the transporting of clients to and from appointments, taking clients for coffee, strolls in the park etc.

Volunteers who have specialised skills are encouraged to utilise these. All volunteers receive training.

University of St Andrews Community Garden

St Andrews, near David Russell Apartments
01334 464000
commnuitygarden@st-andrews.ac.uk

www.facebook.com/universitycommunitygarden

A grassroots project run by students, staff and members of the community. The garden aims to provide training and educational sessions as well as general opportunities to grow fruit and vegetables. The garden is communal, with everyone helping out and taking home a share of the produce. We operate at regular times throughout the year and run education sessions each month. Please check out the facebook page or email for more information.

University of St Andrews Alternative Format Suite

Paresh Raval
01334 46 2066
pr19@st-andrews.ac.uk

Volunteer 'voices' needed to create 'talking books' for blind students. Can you volunteer one hour per week for voice recording and proof-listening tasks? All training is provided! Alternative format suite.

Falkland Stewards Master Composter Scheme

Kirsty Martin
Volunteer Co-ordinator
kirsty_falklandstewards@hotmail.co.uk
07900 350756

As you may be aware the Zero Waste Scotland Volunteer Programme has been developed by Zero Waste Scotland to help deliver the Scottish Government's Zero Waste Plan. It is managed locally in North East Fife by the Falkland Stewards, an umbrella organisation seeking to improve the local landscape and environs.

The aim of the scheme is to raise awareness of the benefits of home composting and reduction of food waste in the home. As part of a national scheme, this helps divert waste from landfill. The programme provides local support through a network of trained volunteers, supported by a Zero Waste Scotland Volunteer Co-ordinator.

We are currently looking for volunteers who could give some time to assisting people in their communities to start composting or give support and advice to those to continue to compost. There are also opportunities to help people reduce the food waste produced in the home and reduce unwanted mail. Volunteers are fully trained so they can use this knowledge to support others.

As you may be aware the Zero Waste Scotland Volunteer Programme has been developed by Zero Waste Scotland to help deliver the Scottish Government's Zero Waste Plan. It is managed locally in North East Fife by the Falkland Stewards, an umbrella organisation seeking to improve the local landscape and environs.

The aim of the scheme is to raise awareness of the benefits of home composting and reduction of food waste in the home. As part of a national scheme, this helps divert waste from landfill. The programme provides local support through a network of trained volunteers, supported by a Zero Waste Scotland Volunteer Co-ordinator.

We are currently looking for volunteers who could give some time to assisting people in their communities to start composting or give support and advice to those to continue to compost. There are also opportunities to help people reduce the food waste produced in the home and reduce unwanted mail. Volunteers are fully trained so they can use this knowledge to support others.