volunteering opportunities – The NEN

Time running out to book your stall at Volunteer Fair 2024

Stallholder bookings deadline is Wednesday 18th September at 5pm

Last few days remaining to book a stall at the the fair and you can purchase a stall via our online shop here or by clicking below.

stallholder bookings

The stallholder terms and conditions are available on our website, and additional resources including a risk assessment, exhibitors guide, promotional marketing can all be found to downloaded.
There is also a range of FAQs for any of those all important queries you may have.

What to expect

The Volunteer Recruitment Fair 2024 will showcase the wide range of ways that people can get involved in volunteering with organisations big and small, local and national, who serve a diverse range of communities and causes all coming together with the common aim to attract new volunteers.

Entry is FREE to the public, and more than a thousand potential volunteers are expected to visit and experience the diverse range of ways they can become involved.

Volunteering helps people truly participate in their communities, build new skills, get a taste of different working environments, create new friendships and boost individual confidence and wellbeing. Or simply just feel good that they have done something that made a difference.

When visitors need to sit down after taking in all of this new information there is a café by Space serving delicious food and drink.

When? Tuesday 1st October 2024 from 10am until 5.30pm.
Where? St Paul’s and St George’s Church on York Place. Click here to view on a map.

Our last fair helped hundreds of people in their search for volunteering opportunities, connecting them with the organisations that needed their help.

For lots more info please visit our New dedicated Volunteer Recruitment Fair website edvolfair.org.uk

NHS Lothian seeks volunteers

As this week is National Volunteers Week, NHS Lothian are putting out a call for new volunteers, particularly for St John’s Hospital, Midlothian Community Hospital, in our Patient Experience Team or at the Western General Hospital.

Go to:

https://nhslothian.scot/getinvolved/volunteering/volunteering-opportunities/

NHS Lothian Summer Youth Taster Volunteering Programme

NHS Lothian is delighted to announce the launch of its Summer Youth Volunteering Programme. The programme offers young people aged 16-24 the opportunity participate in a series of taster volunteering experiences over a five week period in one of our Acute or Community Hospitals.

Young people participating will gain –

· The opportunity to gain insight into the NHS Lothian and careers in health care

· The opportunity to build confidence and develop skills

· A reflective workbook to identify new skills and experiences to support applications for work or study

· Travel expenses

· Volunteer uniform

· Young Scot Points

· A reference on completion of the summer programme

· The opportunity to volunteer to extend volunteering beyond the summer programme commitment if desired

· You can also use the volunteering hours towards a Duke of Edinburgh or Saltire award

We are currently accepting applications. The closing date for applications is the 3^rd of June.

If you have any queries about the Summer Youth Volunteering Programme or would like a member of the Voluntary Services Team to speak to a group of young people or to your colleagues, then please contact Head of Volunteering Jane Greenacre via jane.greenacre@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk

The Ripple Project to open it’s doors for a day of happiness

WELLBEING OPEN DAY – SATURDAY 16 OCTOBER 9am – 4pm

People living in cities around the world care about their mental health and the mental health of their fellow residents; they also know that urbanization – living amongst masses of people with its related stressors and burdens – can often be toxic to mental health and well-being.

Edinburgh is no different to any other global city BUT the areas The Ripple Project works in – Restalrig, Lochend and Craigentinny – are different to other parts of Edinburgh.

Low and insecure income and problem debt, unemployment and poor quality housing has consistently been associated with an increased risk of common mental health problems, loneliness and social isolation only adds to this already bleak picture.

As part of their wellbeing programme, on Saturday 16^th October the Ripple Project is offering local residents the opportunity to stop, look after themselves and try something new. Activities on offer FREE of CHARGE include Reiki, massage, singing, drumming, capoeira, creative art, reflexology and many others.

Cat Robertson, Wellbeing Co-ordinator said “This is a day where people can come and take stock, try something different and think about the things that matter. So often we forget to do things that just make us happy”

The Ripple Project is a grass roots community that has a strong track record spanning over 20 years of tackling poverty and inequality by working with local people to help them to help themselves.

Based at the Restalrig Lochend Community Hub since 2010, the charity normally provides daily activities including a community café, a youth service, a wellbeing project, a community shop, a programme for volunteers and support for people to make and sell their own items.

The Ripple Project also writes and delivers a community newspaper into 6000 homes every 3 months.

Their Community Hub at Restalrig Road South is open 5 days and 4 evenings a week – 8am to 8pm as well as occasional weekends. The Ripple Project has a small staff team, with the rest of the activities delivered by over 100 volunteers who commit to and give us over 5,500 thousand volunteering hours per year.

Rachel Green, Director of The Ripple said: “The Ripple is the place in our community that people come to chat with others, to have a healthy meal and to take part in exercise, learning and other social activities.

“So often we see people who do not see anyone from one day to the next or just need help with some something small that is bothering them. We get to know people and they get to know us, we know when they don’t turn up or when somethings wrong.

“We work together to help each other and try and make our area a better place to live and work in.”

To find out more about The Ripple Project please visit www.rippleproject.co.uk

Your local community pantry needs YOU!

Volunteering opportunities available at a new North Edinburgh initiative.

Email Pantry@freshstartweb.org.uk for more information

Where’s the burdz? Volunteer opportunity!

I am writing from RSPB Scotland, a UK conservation charity. We have a new volunteer opportunity that I thought members of the community might be interested in.

We would like to recruit some volunteers who are interested in helping us campaign for wildlife conservation. We will support them to write to, visit and lobby their local decision makers on our behalf as we prepare to launch a marine conservation campaign to protect seabirds at sea. We hope it will be a great opportunity for volunteers to meet people and gain new skills.

I attach the role description of the opportunity as well as the date of our welcome event. Although I realise that many of your members will already be involved in similar projects, if any of them would like to volunteer or attend the welcome event to find out more they can email champions.scotland@rspb.org.uk.

Please get in touch if you have any questions

Best wishes

Philippa Faulkner (Campaigns Co-ordinator Scotland)

RSPB Scotland

2 Lochside View

Edinburgh Park

Edinburgh EH12 9DH

Tel: 0131 317 4198

Mob:07568100922

Follow us on Twitter @RSPB Scotland

www.rspb.org.uk