Volunteer update Feb 15th 2023 – opportunities from Aberdeen Climate Action, Sustrans and Social Bite
Here is your weekly update from Volunteer Aberdeen!
This week we highlight three new fantastic and interesting ways to give your time in the city; I Bike Volunteers Aberdeen Sustrans Scotland, Social suppers volunteers with Social Bite and IT Technician volunteers with Aberdeen Climate Action – no matter what your interests, age or availability there will be a volunteer opportunity suited to you!
There really is no better way to get involved with your community than to give your time and share your skills with your city’s third sector and community organisations. And, if these opportunities don’t suit your interests, don’t worry. There are hundreds more available to browse at volunteeraberdeen.org.uk and on the ACVO site at acvo.org.uk/opportunities/volunteering
If you have questions about volunteering in Aberdeen or how to involve volunteers with your organisation, contact our Volunteering Services Manager, Mike Melvin at mike.melvin@acvo.org.uk
ACA is a volunteer-run organisation, which focuses on educating and prompting action on climate change in the North East of Scotland.
As an IT Technician Volunteer, you’ll find yourself helping with
• Computer connections.
• Manage a zoom meeting.
• Setting the Video, speaker, and microphone.
• Display and manage the power point presentation.
You’ll be working alongside a diverse collection of individuals; from students to retirees; lawyers to oil and gas professionals; local Aberdonians to peoples from across the globe.
ACA wants to offer you an interesting and valuable opportunity that can help bolster your CV, develop or gain skills; make new friends; or just do your part to help the environment. No matter what, your time and the work you do helps ACA complete its valuable work in the North East.
Organisation aims and objectives
Aberdeen Climate Action is a non-profit organisation run by volunteers passionate about raising awareness of climate change, its causes and encouraging positive action to reduce carbon emissions and creating sustainable lifestyles. By providing information on Climate Change; holding events; promoting sustainable and net-zero policies and practices; and developing links with individuals, communities and organisations; ACA hopes to achieve its aim of enabling and facilitating the transition of the North East of Scotland to a sustainable Net Zero thriving region.
Our vision for Social Suppers is simple, we want to be able to provide delicious and nutritious food to people who are currently homeless or experiencing food poverty. We believe in meeting people’s basic needs for food and shelter, and at the same time as building positive relationships providing individuals with opportunities to make the changes they want to make in their lives.
*Why we need you:
To volunteer alongside Social Bite staff and a team of volunteers to provide regular hot meals and support to people affected by homelessness (on a Thursday afternoon).
*What will I be doing?
• Volunteering with Social Bite shop staff to prepare the shop and get food and drink set up for each evening session.
• Welcoming people to the shop. Being a friendly face and talking to them about how they are doing.
• Passing on information to people about how they can access services provided by our partner charities e.g. housing/benefits advice, courses, drug/alcohol support.
• Cleaning and tidying up at the end of the service.
*Relevant training and excellent support is provided to all volunteers. Including:
• Food Hygiene training (can be done remotely through our online training portal)
• Induction with a staff member
• The chance to complete a trial session to see if volunteering suits you.
• A training evening, where you will be shown how we run the sessions plus information about the local services that our homeless visitors can access.
• One to one support from a designated staff member as and when you need it.
We are looking for volunteers on a Thursday afternoon.
Support homeless people through provision of food and employment opportunities, and raise money for good causes through social enterprise. We are a ‘Social Business’. This means that 100% (every single penny) of our profits are given to good causes and 1 in 4 of our team are formerly homeless people. We also feed the local homeless community through our ‘Suspended Coffee and Food’ initiative.
Are you passionate about cycling and walking? Could you inspire young people in Aberdeen to cycle or walk more? Volunteer with I Bike!
I Bike is a really fun and rewarding project to volunteer with that offers plenty of opportunities to get outdoors for cycling-related activities, boost the CV, gain experience of work with children and young people, meet new people and learn new skills.
Good training and support is provided to all volunteers including an online Welcome Session, Child Protection Training, Cycling Skills and Bike Repairs. For most activities you don’t have to own a bike to join in – bikes and helmets can be provided depending on availability.
I Bike aims to help children and young people become more active through taking part in cycling and walking activities. You would be volunteering alongside a dedicated I Bike Officer in schools, supporting activities for children such as learn to cycle, playground cycle skills, led bike rides, led walks, bike maintenance and much more! What could be better than helping children to ride their bike without stabilisers for the first time?
We advocate for volunteering for all – please talk to us if you have any accessibility requirements or other specific requirements.
A fantastic opportunity to help. All volunteers make a real difference and are greatly appreciated. For further details please contact Anna Whealing, Project Officer, I Bike Volunteering, Sustrans Scotland at email: Anna.Whealing@sustrans.org.uk
Organisation aims and objectives
Sustrans works closely with communities, the Scottish Government, local authorities and other partners to ensure that the people of Scotland have access to a network of safe walking and cycling routes; making Scotland a healthy, happy place to live, work and play, and a sustainable and beautiful tourist destination.
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