BRINGING THE LIBRARY TO PEOPLE’S DOORSTEPS!
We are currently looking for volunteers at Leith Library and across the city to support our Library Link groups and Home deliveries for elderly, housebound and disabled service users.
https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/…/libraries-elderly…
For more information, please email:
edinburghhomelibrary@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk
or visit royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk
Dear Editor,
Many people want to give back to their communities, but sometimes finding the time to volunteer can be a real challenge.
It’s not always easy to commit to a traditional volunteering shift, at a specific time or on a regular basis. Balancing giving back with work, family, and other responsibilities can be difficult.
That’s why, thanks to support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, Royal Voluntary Service has launched GoVo, a free platform created to make it easier for people to discover volunteering opportunities in their local area, or remote, suited to their interests, availability, and the causes they care about.
Alongside the more traditional and regular volunteering roles people may already be familiar with, GoVo also offers flexible, one-off, remote, and more unexpected opportunities, with location dependent roles. These include dog walking for people with a terminal illness, DJing at discos for people living with dementia, knitting baby clothes for families in need, and providing exam support for young people with visual impairments.
Time can be priceless, and volunteering your time can be even more so – not just for the causes and people it supports, but for you as a volunteer too.
Volunteering can have a powerful impact on your own wellbeing, improving mental health, building confidence, developing new skills, and creating a sense of purpose and connection with others in your community.
So, to anyone who would like to give volunteering a go – even if you feel short on time – I would encourage you to explore what’s available at GoVo.org, or to visit your local volunteer centre. There’s so much out there, and you may be surprised by just how easy it is to make a difference.
Thank you,
Dave Stott,
Director of Volunteering at Royal Voluntary Service
Charities of all sizes in Scotland are being encouraged to sign up to a new volunteering platform, to help recruit more volunteers to support their invaluable work.
Leading volunteering charity, Royal Voluntary Service, has created a digital volunteering platform, thanks to support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, to help charities across the country to connect with would-be volunteers in their communities.
Local and regional charities are vital to the fabric of the country, and many rely on the time and support of volunteers, yet charities across the board are seeing fewer people step forward in recent years.
However, research by Royal Voluntary Service found that people in Scotland are interested in volunteering their time, if they could fit it around their lives. 48%1 of people in Scotland agreed that an app or platform offering the ability to volunteer on an ad-hoc-basis and fit in and around their life would make them more likely to volunteer, suggesting there’s an untapped pool of potential volunteers.
When combined with the finding that making a valuable contribution to society or local community was a leading motivator for people to volunteer, a positive picture is painted for local causes looking to recruit.
The platform will launch to the public in the autumn, when potential volunteers will be able to browse, search, filter, click and connect with causes and charities they care about.
Charities across the region are able to sign up to the platform now completely free of charge and will be invited to upload roles to test the platform from June onwards, ahead of the full launch to local people in the autumn.
It is hoped that the platform will be a hub of flexible, accessible digitally-enabled volunteering, and a resource that local charities can tap in to, to supercharge their volunteer recruitment.
Charities of all shapes and sizes, from sporting or arts charities, to those supporting people living with health conditions, and environmental causes to animal charities, are urged to sign up and consider uploading as diverse a range of volunteer roles as possible in the coming weeks and months.
Ensuring volunteering opportunities are varied and inclusive, from one-off, remote and flexible roles, to team-based, skilled, and traditional volunteering roles will help to broaden access to volunteering and inspire a new generation of volunteers for the benefit of causes and communities across the country.
Charities will also be able to benefit from welcoming new volunteers, whilst reducing the costs and admin associated with recruitment.
The goal of the platform’s simple ‘on-board once’ process for volunteers will mean that once a person has registered and completed an identity check, they will be able to move seamlessly between volunteering opportunities, charities and causes through the platform, without the need to re-register and repeat basic assurances.
Eventually, charities will also be able to utilise free criminal record checking, which will be introduced to the platform at a later date.
Catherine Johnstone CBE, Chief Executive of Royal Voluntary Service said: “We have shaped this exciting new platform in partnership with charities big and small across the country, to make sure it’s valuable for causes of all sizes.
“Together we can make volunteering more accessible and empower more people to give their time to support the host of invaluable charities and causes they care about, across Scotland.
“The platform addresses what we know to be barriers for would-be volunteers and makes fitting volunteering in to modern life easier than ever. Thanks to support from Postcode Lottery players we are on the cusp of a volunteer revolution, and I am passionate that as many charities and causes be a part of it as possible.”
Clara Govier, Managing Director at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “We work with a range of amazing charities and we understand the fundamental part that volunteers play in their operations and in civil society.
“Thanks to our players’ support, Royal Voluntary Service is creating a platform which makes it simpler for volunteers to find the opportunities that suit them, either where they live or online.
“Just think what could be possible for our communities if new generations of people start to volunteer their time. I’d like to thank everyone who plays People’s Postcode Lottery for their support in making this possible.”
Partnerships for Wellbeing is a Highland charity best known for its community transport, health walks and friendship groups. It also organises the annual festival of walking and wheeling.
Jeff Zycinski, Manager at Partnerships for Wellbeing, said: “Small community-based charities like ours are always looking for new ways to recruit volunteers.
“It’s been so great to be involved in the early development of this project which has the potential to be a game-changing tool for people looking for ways to include an element of voluntary work in their lives and so make a difference to the lives of others.”
The platform is entirely free for charities to use, including identity checking of volunteers.
Charities interested in participating in workshops and webinars, or registering to upload their volunteering opportunities to the platform can find out more and sign up at royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and NHS Chief Executive Amanda Pritchard have joined forces to issue a rallying cry for thousands of volunteers to come forward and support the NHS booster campaign.
The public will be urged to play a crucial role in the UK’s fight against Omicron by helping the NHS to get as many jabs into arms as quickly as possible. No task will be too small to contribute towards this national effort.
Yesterday the Prime Minister announced a new ambition for every eligible adult to have the chance to get their jab by the end of the year.
This follows new evidence that suggest the Omicron variant is extremely transmissible and two jabs are not enough to protect against infection.
The new target means the NHS will be massively ramping up its vaccine operations in the next few days, and it needs as many people as possible to play their part by volunteering their time to help.
Urging volunteers to sign up to the booster drive, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “As part of our Get Boosted Now vaccination drive we need to increase our jabbing capacity to unprecedented levels.
“But to achieve something on this scale, we need your help. So today I’m issuing a call for volunteers to join our national mission to get jabs in arms.
“We need tens of thousands of people to help out – everyone from trained vaccinators to stewards.
“Many thousands have already given their time – but we need you to come forward again, to work alongside our brilliant GPs, doctors, nurses and pharmacists, to deliver jabs and save lives.
“So please come forward if you can.”
There are now almost 3,000 vaccine sites across the country, staffed by over 90,000 volunteers who have given up 1.1 million hours of time so far.
In the next week hundreds more sites, mobile units and pop ups will be springing up across the country. These will be in a range of locations that will make it as easy as possible for people to get boosted – such as at football stadia, shopping centres and racecourses.
This means volunteers are needed to perform tasks such as registering patients, managing queues and giving jabs.
Last week the NHS announced a recruitment drive for 10,000 paid vaccinators and support staff and that it will also work with the Royal Voluntary Service and St. John Ambulance to recruit a further 40,000 volunteers for roles such as admin and stewarding queues.
In the last week, 13,000 people have come forward as steward volunteers, and a further 4,500 people have registered their interest to take up one of the 10,000 paid vaccinator roles. The government and NHS now want to go even further.
NHS England Chief Executive Amanda Pritchard said: “In the face of the grave threat posed by the new Omicron strain of Covid, the NHS is seeking to offer vaccine booster protection to all eligible adults by the end of the month, a new national mission in which everyone can play their part.
“There is no doubt that our incredible NHS staff will rise to the challenge but we cannot do this alone – we need the support of the public and volunteers to once again support the Covid vaccination programme.
“Since we first issued a call to arms we have had an outstanding response but Omicron has shifted the goalposts and we are now renewing our plea to the nation – I would urge anyone who has volunteered in the past, or considered it but not taken up the opportunity, to come forward now – search ‘NHS vaccine team’ today and find out more about how you can help us save lives.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “To help us turbocharge our COVID-19 booster programme we need people across the country to join our national mission to get boosted now.
“We are so grateful to the volunteer vaccinators from organisations such as St John Ambulance and Royal Voluntary Service who have made an enormous contribution by administering millions of vaccinations since the start of this year.”
People interested in either a voluntary or paid role are urged to visit the Join Vaccine Team page or search ‘NHS vaccine team’. People who volunteered or were trained for paid roles previously are also being contacted to help out again.
Scotland’s First Minister will make a statement on the situation in Scotland this afternoon. It’s expected that restrictions will be strengthened here as Omicron variant cases continue to rise sharply across the UK.
750 Armed Forces personnel have been made available to support the NHS, the Department of Health and Social Care and Scottish Government to accelerate the vaccine booster programme.
Over 100 personnel are currently supporting the vaccine rollout in Scotland. 600 Armed Forces personnel have been made available to NHS England to administer vaccines, working in small teams across the country.
In addition, around 50 personnel will provide planning support to NHS England. 41 planners will deploy to NHS trusts across England and 10 logistics experts will be based at NHS England’s headquarters in London.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “We have rapidly mobilised Service personnel to work alongside our dedicated health services to accelerate the vaccine booster programme.
“Our Armed Forces will help to get vaccines into arms as quickly as possible as we continue our efforts to support the UK’s response to the pandemic.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “We are turbocharging our COVID-19 booster programme to offer every adult in England a vaccine by the end of the year to protect people from the Omicron variant.
“Building our defences through boosters is a hugely important national mission and it’s brilliant to see the military supporting our NHS staff in our race against the virus.
“Please get boosted now to top-up your immunity and keep yourself and your loved ones safe this winter.”
Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said: “I’m proud of our Armed Forces who are once again stepping up to help protect people and communities.
“We have a long history of working hand in hand with the NHS as two organisations with a common goal – to help keep our people safe.”
Planners based at NHS England headquarters will be led by Brigadier Phil Prosser who was previously deployed to support the delivery of the vaccine programme which began in December 2020. They will work alongside NHS England to maximise existing capacity and ensure the vaccine programme can be delivered at pace.
Since March 2020, Defence has supported over 430 tasks as part of Operation Rescript – Defence’s support to the UK’s response to the pandemic.
Defence is currently supporting ambulance services in Wales and Scotland and the vaccine rollout in Scotland among other tasks including testing.
Support is being provided through the Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) process.
Personnel supporting on Operation Rescript tasks have deployed from across the three services – Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force – and are a mixture of regulars and reservists.
Tomorrow (Monday 1st June), RVS will be hosting a special online event to mark the start of Volunteers’ Week:
We’ll be thanking all Royal Voluntary Service volunteers and NHS Volunteer Responders for their time and efforts to help others. The line-up includes a range of exclusive performances and a very special message from our President, HRH The Duchess of Cornwall.
We hope you will be able to join us on the day. The event will start from 2pm and can be accessed through the Virtual Village Hall Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/VirtualVillageHall/.
The Virtual Village Hall is an online activity programme designed by Royal Voluntary Service and supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. It features a wide range of activities to take part in at home and is open seven days a week.
There are live and pre-recorded activities on offer and all sessions can be viewed on demand on the Virtual Village Hall YouTube channel or website here: royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk/VVH
We look forward to you joining us!
Thousands of Scots stand ready to help an NHS volunteering scheme, and the SNP government should waste no time in setting one up, the Scottish Conservatives have said.
Yesterday, UK health secretary Matt Hancock announced an initiative which allows members of the public to help out hospitals and patients with a range of tasks.
However, the plan which will ease pressure on the NHS amid the coronavirus pandemic is only on offer in England.
Holyrood’s shadow health secretary Miles Briggs has called on the Scottish Government to create a similar scheme north of the border.
The project means ordinary people – so long as they’re showing no signs of Covid-19 – can help with tasks like transporting medicine and equipment, and helping with deliveries for those who are self-isolating.
More than 250,000 people have signed up in a single day to volunteer with the NHS after the ecruitment drive was launched.
Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Miles Briggs said: “So far, both the Scottish and UK governments have worked really well together as we face this unprecedented crisis.
“Now this volunteering scheme has been set up for England, this would be another good way for both to collaborate.
“Thousands of Scots would have seen this announcement and immediately looked into it, only to find it was just those living south of the border who could get involved.
“Hopefully now the Scottish Government will follow suit and harness the amazing goodwill that is out there.
“Ordinary people are desperate to help out our amazing NHS at this crucial time.
“Scots help out fellow Scots when they are facing tough times. That’s just how Scotland works and that’s exactly what we are all going to have to do.”
A community social group for people in Edinburgh, set up and run entirely by local volunteers, is looking to grow its membership.
The Out and About in Edinburgh Group was set up by Royal Voluntary Service, the national volunteering charity, with support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery. The group meets twice a month at Café Connect at the Eric Liddell Centre (Morningside Road, EH10 4DP) before heading off to visit a wide variety of local places of interest by bus. Continue reading Edinburgh community group welcomes new members
Continue reading Call for volunteers as charity reveals mental health benefits
Call for volunteers in Edinburgh to take to the wards
Could you be the friendly face that makes all the difference to a hospital patient’s day? Continue reading Royal Voluntary Service to expand iconic hospital trolley service nationwide
Hundreds of thousands[1] of Scotland’s exercise conscious elders are giving younger people a run for their money by hitting the gym, striking yoga poses and playing sports at 70+. Continue reading Exercising over 70? Old age no age to give up the lycra, says charity
