edva spring 2014 newsletter

NEWSLETTER March 2014 Spring Edition

www.edva.org 0141 578 6680 [email protected]

Upcoming Events in East Dunbartonshire

Great Lenzie Fairtrade Bake-Off When? Sat 8th March, 10:00 - 12:30 Where? Lenzie Union Church Hall PPF Health Information Day When? Mon 24th March, 09:30 - 4:30 Where? Kirkintilloch Baptist Church Volunteers Week When? 1st - 7th June Where? All across East Dunbartonshire

Photo (above) taken during our H.O.P.E Buddies launch on the

31st January 2014


”

“This month we have delivered a

number of events across East Dunbartonshire in partnership with SCVO, the Scottish Government, the local Community Health Partnership and East Dunbartonshire Council. The events were to allow the voluntary sector to identify what services could be provided to people with care needs from within the sector: what services or projects could improve people’s lives and generally what could organisations do if they had a small amount of money to provide a service? This information is bring used to set up a number of local projects which can then be monitored assessing the effectiveness of the services and hopefully showing the impact that the voluntary sector can make as an alternative health care provider. This pilot project will be used to try and influence future Government spending on care in Scotland. Last month saw the arrival of our new Implementation Manager, Margaret Anne Elder, who along with Elaine Smith as Operations Manager completes the new EDVA management structure. Margaret Anne brings a wealth of experience in Volunteering and Economic development from her previous work in the Scottish

Highlands, whilst Elaine has expertise in Volunteering and management within the former Volunteer Centre. Already the team is making a difference in supporting our staff to continue the highly effective work they participate in. This month sees us completing our new business plan for both the Scottish Government and East Dunbartonshire Council. The Plan is outcome focussed which means it aims to make positive changes in Community development, volunteering and Social Economy. A copy of this will be available on the website once completed. I would like to thank the Board and staff for their involvement in designing the new plan. Our website has recently been updated, and you should now be able to access up to date information, News and Events from this. We are also happy to post news from local groups and indeed any events your group may be running can also be advertised free of charge on the site. Remember EDVA is here to serve our local community so please let us know what support or services you require.

Gilbert Grieve

A Letter From Our CEO


New Staff Members

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Over the last couple of months EDVA have welcomed two new staff members into the family! Firstly, we had Caroline Atkins join us in December to take over the lead for the ‘Making a Connection’ project!

“Before I worked at East

Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action I did my degree in Criminal Justice at the University of the West of Scotland. I’ve also got a HNC in Social Care so I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do but I knew that I wanted to work with young people. I went into work with the project ‘Positive Alternatives’, now known as ‘Positive Achievements’ based in Kirkintilloch. My role within the project was getting young people back into education, employment and training. I found it really enjoyable working with young people, however I wanted to develop in the training field therefore I took a job working for The Restaurant Group as an area trainer. In this role I covered the whole of Scotland, Ireland and some of down south doing new openings and a lot of training materials. Then I found myself at EDVA.

“Making a Connection really appealed

to me based on the fact that it’s working with young people, which is my passion, and it’s also training so it was combining the two together, to be honest, to make a dream job for me. I was attracted to that straight away. Aside from the business side of Caroline, we also asked her to tell us an interesting fact about herself – something exciting that she has done.

“I went travelling to Australia when I

took a break after my studies and I did skydiving. I also did it wearing a Superman t-shirt with my sister. I went to Cairns mostly, and I went to Sydney… It was awesome. To hear more from Caroline tune into

the Christmas Special of the EDVA

Show which can be found on

www.mixcloud.com/edradio/playlists/

edva-radio/

Pictured Right: Caroline Atkins

and Margaret Anne

Elder

http://www.mixcloud.com/edradio/playlists/edva-radio/

http://www.mixcloud.com/edradio/playlists/edva-radio/


”

Secondly, we welcomed a new Implementation Manager to our team in January!

When she wasn’t busy with her induction she graciously answered a few questions

for us so that you can get to know her a bit better!

“My name is Margaret Anne and I am the new Implementation Manger at EDVA. In

this role I work with a team to promote and develop the Third Sector in East Dunbartonshire. I feel the Third Sector has an extremely important role in the creation of a healthier and wealthier community. We promote volunteering and the promotion of Social Enterprise and Community Organisation Structure and Community Engagement. Before joining EDVA I worked for a public agency engaging with the community and promoting community assets. Before living and working in Glasgow I lived on the small island of Barra so this move

has been a very different way of life for me. The most challenging thing about moving

is getting very used to all the shops, it is all just a little too tempting!

”

During December and January, James Topping joined us on a 3-week work placement from Cumbernauld College to work with the Befrienders. During his time with us he has completed the training required to become an official volunteer Befriender for East Dunbartonshire. Here is what he has said about his experience working with the Befrienders:

“I got involved with the Befrienders after I made contact with

David Goodwin who works at East Dunbartonshire Initiative for Creative & Social Care (EDICT) who put me in touch with Beverley at East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action. Whilst here I’ve met a lot of new people who are on staff at EDVA and they are all nice and very helpful. I’ve learned a lot about EDVA and what they do in my time here. Since starting here I’ve become more focused on what I want to do in the care sector, and when I leave I hope to get a job with Care in the Community and continue with voluntary work. Going out with Beverley and Catherine (who run both the Befrienders and H.O.P.E Buddies project) and meeting new clients, taking people for lunch and shopping, seeing happy smiles on people’s face when out and about with them has been very enjoyable and memorable for me.

Working with the Befrienders


Want a change for 2014?

Try giving back this year

Volunteer

You’ll be amazed at what you get in return

For 2014 we wish to encourage you to spread to the word of volunteering to everyone and anyone. Here at East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action we can support you with finding a volunteering opportunity that fits with your interests, abilities and schedule. From opportunities such as:

Retail / Shop Gardening Conservation Radio Driving Fundraising Treasurer or board member for a

charity Administration Mentor

Food Co-op Recycling Drama Keep Fit / Sports Caring / Childcare Marketing / Website Teaching Computing and many more!

Come along to our offices to find out how easy it is to make a difference: Unit 4-5, 18/20 Townhead, Kirkintilloch. G66 1NL


As many of you many know, our website has been in the process of improving over the last several months and we are hoping to have this process completed very shortly. For those of you that are interested in volunteering within East Dunbartonshire, we now have a ‘Volunteering Database’ on our website which you will find on the home page. This makes finding an opportunity for yourself so much easier. On the side of the page you can fill out the search criteria with information specific to you - what your interests are, when you are available, how old you are and some other criteria. Once you do this and hit ‘search’ the page will refresh with details of volunteering opportunities and their location. This database is regularly updated by EDVA staff so that the opportunities it shows are both current and relevant. Away from the volunteering database, you can also read more about EDVA and what we do. For example, if you

look through our ‘Projects’ page near the top of the home page, you can then read all about EDVA based projects, such as: Befrienders, Making a Connection and Food Co-op. Each page also details how you can start volunteering with each of these, or how to contact us if you feel you might benefit from the service the project provides. Any and all events relevant to the Voluntary Sector in East Dunbartonshire will also be added to our ‘News’ page, and you will see when exactly they are from the calendar on our home page. We also now have the PPF (Public Partnership Forum) Document Library, which is also continuously updated with important documents on a variety of health topics from cancer; mental health; diabetes; young people and many others.

To keep up to date with what we are doing, please visit

www.edva.org

EDVA Website


”

“When I compare where the "food waste issue" is today with just one year ago, I'm

floored by how much progress has been made in East Dunbartonshire. Presently Zero Waste Scotland is working towards getting more data to know just how much food was actually saved, but at least we can say with confidence that the people of East Dunbartonshire are more aware that letting 630,000 tonnes of food a year in Scotland go to waste is not acceptable. Looking forward into 2014, the momentum seems that it will only continue, for in the latter months of 2013 I couldn't go anywhere without someone proudly declaring to me they ate yogurt after "the sell by date" for the first time in their lives, or they used up some wilted vegetable in a stir fry. These little steps add up. The fact that people care in East Dunbartonshire is what is behind all of the change we saw in 2013, and this will continue to be the foundation of Love Food Hate Waste for years to come.

A story that has inspired me over the years is one where a young boy offered the

five loaves of bread and two fish he had as food for the hungry. His small meal was

multiplied to feed five thousand people and the story ends by saying ‘everyone ate

and was satisfied’. I am convinced that if we all participate and eat, not waste,

what we have, we can multiply the effect so that all throughout the world may eat

and be satisfied.

Graham Branscombe

Volunteer Co-ordinator for Zero Waste East Dunbartonshire

Food For Thought

http://www.nrdc.org/food/wasted-food.asp

http://www.nrdc.org/food/wasted-food.asp


Monday 24th March Child & Maternal Health

09.30am - 12.00pm Adult Health Services

1.00pm - 4.30pm

Health Information Day

Come along to hear about changes and improvements from a range of local health services.

Anti-Natal Health Visitors Special

Children’s Services

School Nurses Speech &

Language Oral Health Parenting Dietetics

Community Response Team

District Nurses Learning

Disabilities Physiotherapy Woodlands

Memory Clinic Community

Mental Health Team

Podiatry Team Adult Oral Health

Please contact us on the details below:

Tel: 0141 578 6680 Email: [email protected]

Kirkintilloch

Baptist Church Townhead Kirkintilloch

G66 1NL

Health Information Day

Your Health Your Local Services


Are You Involved? SCVO in partnership with East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action (EDVA) and with the support of East Dunbartonshire Council and East Dunbartonshire Community Health Partnership (CHP) are looking to identify, promote and, potentially provide support to voluntary and community organisations making a positive contribution to the quality of life of people within their communities. We are also looking to support new ideas, and new ways of working together that will make a real difference to the health and quality of social care for local residents. This work is being funded by the Scottish Government to underpin their policy of empowering the Third Sector to undertake more preventative care so as to improve the quality of life within local communities and reduce the burden on health and social care services. As a first stage, we have held a series of public meetings telling you more about our work in this area. These events provided the community with an opportunity to informally discuss what they are currently doing and where they might be able to go with further support and resources. After the four events we are now looking at the information provided by the sector and try and filter key messages and priorities that may be followed. There will another feedback event in March. If you are interested in being involved in this or receiving further information please contact Gilbert Grieve.


LGBT Youth Scotland

Needs of Older Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People

East Dunbartonshire has commissioned LGBT Youth Scotland to identify the unmet

health and wellbeing needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT)

people over 50. If you want to share your opinions and ideas at one of two events in April, take a survey in March, or have the researcher visit your group with paper surveys, contact: [email protected] or 01415527425.

mailto:[email protected]

tel:0141%20552%207425


Open Doors Scotland Project

Cash For Firms To Hire Young Disabled Scots!

Employers are to be given a cash incentive to give work to a young person with a disability, under an initiative launched by six Scottish charities. The Open Doors Scotland project aims to support 350 people, aged 16-24 and who have a disability, to help them find and keep a job. The scheme, funded by Skills Development Scotland has been set up in recognition of the fact that nearly one in five working-age Scots are disabled, and fewer than half of them have a job. Payments of up to £1500 will be made available to employers who are willing to recruit a young person with a disability for a minimum of 15 hours

per week. Open Doors will also tailor support to individual young people to offer the help they need, such as by helping them to travel independently to and from work or offering personal development programmes or financial and welfare advice. The lead organisations are Enable Scotland, Action on Hearing Loss, Capability Scotland, The Lennox Partnership, RNIB and SAMH. Anyone wishing to find out more about this project should contact ENABLE Scotland on [email protected] or call 01698 737110.

Wednesday 2 April 2014 – Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow The Scottish Centre for Conflict Resolution presents the first in a series of national conferences. Have you ever wondered ‘what’s the point in talking’? Do you work with families experiencing conflict? Do you work with young people at risk of homelessness as a result of conflict at home? Have you experienced family conflict yourself? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then this conference is for you! The Scottish Centre for Conflict Resolution (SCCR) is developing a range of resources to better support families, young people and those who work with them to reduce and manage conflict at home. The day will have input from the Violence Reduction Unit and the Scottish Commissioner for Children and Young People, as well as mediation services from across Scotland. If you are interested in attended this event, you can contact our Events Organiser Catriona Macgregor on [email protected] or call 0131 475 2493.

What’s the Point in Talking?

Conversation: The Superglue of Family Life




The aim of the Early Years Collaborative (EYC) is to make Scotland the best place in the world to grow up in by improving outcomes, and reducing inequalities, for all babies, children, mothers, fathers and families across Scotland to ensure that all children have the best start in life and are ready to succeed. In particular we hope to work together with the people of East Dunbartonshire to achieve the best for your area. We will strive for the best possible outcomes for children and their families and support the Scottish Government’s aim to make Scotland the best place in the world to grow up.

Early Years Collaborative

Within East Dunbartonshire

For more information about the Early Years Collaborative, you can email: [email protected]

Alternatively, you can contact EDVA on


Workstream 1 Priorities

Work with midwifery to disseminate board wide protocols effectively

Targeted pregnancy

support:

a. Smoking b. Young mothers

Pre-conception sexual

health awareness Peer supported breast

feeding


Development of a local parenting model and relevant staff training

30 month assessment

training, awareness building and protocols


Agreement of a milestone assessment: SDQ pilot

Staff up-skill and child

development training: e.g. Wellbeing and involvement: Ferre Laevers, experiential play, communication.



Spruce Carpets

Scotland’s First Carpet Recycling Social Enterprise

Want to learn new skills and gain work experience in a real business and qualifications that will impress other employers? Volunteer with Spruce Carpets to gain: Work Experience Training (including forklift, health & safety, rug making, manual handling & first aid). Volunteer placements available include warehouse assistant, sales

assistant/clerical, driver with full driving license and much more. Spruce Carpets operates an open door policy. As a Social Enterprise we also welcome individuals with business and

commercial experience who can contribute to Spruce’s ongoing development. No skills needed as training will be given. Travel and lunch expenses provided.

“Our target volunteer is someone who has come from a difficult background; in

particular, those with experience of homelessness, who are recovering from drug and alcohol problems or are ex-offenders.

Spruce operates an "open door policy." We are willing to give everyone a chance with the organisation but we do expect the following to be considered before applying:

Willingness to learn new skills

Willingness to listen and communicate with others.”

For more information, please contact EDVA: 0141 578 6680 [email protected]

Alternatively, contact Spruce directly on:

0141 425 1555 [email protected]


Befrienders

Christmas in February

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“ ”

“ ”

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As Christmas time is usually a very busy time for people, the Befriending service continued their tradition this year of hosting a magical Christmas celebration in February! Held in the Kirkintilloch Miner’s Welfare on Sunday 16

th February, we had nearly

40 people in attendance, all of whom enjoyed a lovely dinner. After scoffing down their food, a pop quiz was run by Billy Brown with the winning team players each being given a pack of sweets (Smarties!) We received some amazing feedback on our event comment cards, saying that they thoroughly enjoyed the company and the cheerfulness! and the general ambience and that the only improvement to make in the future was to have more events - one person even stating that they hoped it goes from strength to strength (as do we!) A special thanks to those helping out on the day: -

Del Faulds, Laura Davidson, Rebecca McCrosson

Catherine Buchanan and Billy and Pat Brown.

Do you wish to become a Befriender and help us put a smile back on people’s

faces?

All you have to do is call Befrienders Development Officer, Beverley Lockhart for

more details on how to do so! You can reach her in the EDVA office on

0141 578 6680


EDVA Launches New Knitting Group: Wool You Be Our Volunteer?

On Tuesday 4th

February we launched our new EDVA knit nights, with a difference. Now we are hosting knitting lunches and craft nights to give everyone a little piece of what they love. Wool You Be Our Volunteer? is a great chance to get together with fellow craft enthusiasts, teach others new skills and perhaps even learn some new tricks of the trade yourself! All whilst volunteering your talents for a worthy cause. The best part is you don’t have to be a knitter to come along and join in the fun. At our latest craft night on the 4

th February we had a mixture of activities going on.

From card making to cross stitching, we had something for everyone and of course the opportunity for knitting newbies to have a go at the old cast on, cast off. Knitting is not only a craft worth mastering; it’s a form a therapy. Once you get into the swing of things knitting can be the most relaxing thing as it helps distract you from whatever is niggling your brain. For some people these craft nights are a real lifeline for social activity, keeping them connected to the community. The new knitting group is something that the EDVA H.O.P.E Buddies fully advocate in their programme. The theme for the February craft night was love, and who deserves love more than new born babies? We focused our knitting on making clothes for premature babies who need extra tiny snuggly clothes in aid of the Scottish charity Bonnie Babies. We received a tremendous amount of garment donations to send off and the items that were a little bigger were sold to cover the postage cost to send the baby clothes to the Bonnie Babies.

For more information about Bonnie Babies: http://www.bonniebabies.co.uk/

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bonniebabies.co.uk%2F&h=rAQHXei40&enc=AZMH_Eeh8fLdKAH3mANawEQw_-FBlqlynJHd-oqDdRluCeTT2RlLKpbN5y7Ap4J6Yb4&s=1


The youngsters at our Wool You Be Our Volunteer? launch also loved the card making and pom-pom making, and young Sophie made a whopping 9 pom-poms! If you are interested in coming along to one of our Wool You Be Our Volunteer? events fear not as we are now launching a lunch time club for those who may be busy in the evenings.

The dates and details for our March craft events are as follows:

Wool You Be Our Volunteer? - Craft Night Thursday 6

th March

5.30pm – 7.30pm EDVA Townhead Office

Wool You Be Our Volunteer? – Knit & Nibble

Thursday 13th

March 2pm-4pm

EDVA Townhead Office

The knitting donation focus for March will be: Women’s Aid

For more information regarding the Wool You Be Our Volunteer? Project please call Melissa Russell at East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action

on 0141 578 6680 for more information.

Like us on Facebook too! www.facebook.com/EDVCRAFTGROUP

In late January we received a fantastic donation of 17 baby jumpers and 3 baby blankets (pictured top right) from local Kirkintilloch woman, Betty (pictured above right), all of which will go towards helping Bonnie Babies! We are extremely grateful to all of our amazing knitters who continually donate their hand crafted creations to us!

https://www.facebook.com/EDVCRAFTGROUP


Social Media Training

“ ” “ ” “

”

Have you ever wondered how using social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter could help you engage better within your community? Or perhaps you have realised this but aren’t sure how to manage this form of promotion or even where to start? On the 23

rd January 2014, we hosted an exciting

training opportunity for third sector organisations in East Dunbartonshire to learn how to do just that. The trainer for this half day session was Melissa Russell, one of the social media and marketing assistants from EDVA who is also a media and communications expert (as well as a honorary Stirling University alumni). Melissa specialises in the social business aspect of social media as well as other forms of digital marketing in her line of work here at East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action. The training programme on the 23

rd January

covered everything from the importance of social media to how to manage your digital presence. We had a fantastic turn out, with the training being fully booked after just a week of being open to the public! Some comments from attendees: Delivery was fantastic – great resources Very informative I would like to attend more events related to social media and the internet. Feel like you’ve missed out and want the chance to take part in this kind of training in the future? Or perhaps you attended the social media training on the 23

rd

January and have a drive to learn more? Sign up to our mailing list today for more information on future training dates and webinars surrounding social media and other topics that we provide training on. EDVA e-mail mailing list sign up: http://eepurl.com/OcUhT Or e-mail [email protected].

http://eepurl.com/OcUhT


Home Instead Senior Care

Be Scam Aware

Your Rights As A Carer

Home. There’s no place like it. We all need a home - an environment where we can live happily, and share with those we love most in the world. As we grow older, home becomes ever more important; a sanctuary of security and safety, a source of previous memoires - a place that reminds us of those we have loved and those we still treasure. Protect yourself or your loved ones from the dangers of scams with a little help from Home Instead Senior Care. Our FREE Senior Fraud Protection Kit is packed full of useful information and advice, plus helpful checklists. To obtain a copy or for further information please contact: Home Instead Senior Care Suite 2, Melville House, 70 Drymen Road, Bearsden Glasgow, G61 2RH Tel: 0141 249 0574 Website: www.homeinstead.co.uk/glasgownorth

East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action, Citizens Advice Bureau and Ceartas Advocacy recently teamed up to help raise awareness of a persons rights if they were a carer for someone else. With an ageing population the need for carers will only increase over the next 20 years so it is important to support them. There are over 660,000 carers in Scotland, that’s 1 in 8 people. Over 110,000 of those people provide over 50 hours of care a week.

With the help of these three organisations we have created two booklets that outline everything you need to know as a carer, as well as links to important organisations that can further help you.

For more information about your rights at a carer for someone else, whether you are over, or under, 18 years of age, please contact your local Citizens Advice

Bureau.

Tel: 0141 775 3220 (Main office in Kirkintilloch) Email: [email protected]

Website: www.cas.org.uk


Volunteer Abroad

with STAND International

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is a Scottish charity dedicated to working with marginalised groups and individuals in disadvantaged communities in Scotland, helping to identify how they can

harness their talents, experience of exclusion and their genuine compassion to assist others in either their local community or the wider global community.

Over the years we have developed successful partnerships through the volunteering service with organisations in some former Eastern European Countries, in Latvia, in Romania, in Georgia, in Ukraine and Belarus. Today, whilst maintaining these partnerships we are also actively seeking to initiate future relationships with organisations in Africa and Western Europe.

“Whilst much of 2013 was a successful year for us there is little opportunity to

return to it. One of our main funding streams has changed and with this change comes new criteria and processes. Whilst this will hopefully allow us to continue to develop our work in the countries where we have built strong partnerships, it should also allows us to explore options to develop other partnerships and work in new countries. Along with our short term overseas placement programme for volunteers who have experienced some form of disadvantage we piloted several other projects last year and will continue to develop these this year. START A NEW DAY. This brought together a team of people who were not disadvantaged to participate in either a children’s camps or construction work to improve the conditions of children living away from home in state orphanages/schools/hospitals. OTIS. [On the Inside] A programme of Exchanges from young people from different countries to explore and take action on developing a just and fair civic society. ZONE OUT. A peer mentoring/training programme which looks at developing the skills and self-confidence of those young people who have been taking part in our overseas work and who are keen to utilise this experience to progress their access into employability. We have a full calendar year ahead which can be found on our website as always if you need to know something drop us an email or call and we will be only too happy to help.

STAND International Team

http://standinternational.org/where-we-work/romania

http://standinternational.org/where-we-work/ukraine

http://standinternational.org/where-we-work/belarus


13th - 21st April 2014

September 2014

STAND International

Events 2014 - 2015

www.standinternational.org Call us on: 0131 555 9102

Or email: [email protected]

14 Ashley Place Edinburgh EH6 5PX

Alternatively, you can register as a volunteer with EDVA first


Website: www.edva.org

Zone Out Belarus Trip

Mentor Drop In Informational Romania Trip

OTIS Exchange Scotland Belarus Trip

Meetings weekly from January 2014 4th - 18th July 2014

Falkirk Sunday 13th April, 11:00am - 12:30pm

and 6:00pm - 7:30pm Tuesday 15th April, 5:00pm - 7:00pm

September 2014

For more information on all of the above please check our website or give us a call.

“Never look back unless you are planning to go that way.”


Volunteer of the Month

January and February 2014

”

As always, we at EDVA, are extremely grateful to all of our hard-working volunteers! Which why, each month, we ask for you to nominate someone who you know and/or have worked with who tirelessly volunteers their time and energy to help better their community! So far this year, we’ve had TWO BROTHERS for our January Volunteer who have each been volunteering with ENABLE Scotland for several years, Patricia Brown for our February Volunteer who is a telephone Befrienders, a member of the Kirkintilloch & District Seniors Forum, EDVA Knitting Group Wool You Be Our Volunteer? and she also helps out in the EDVA Office. As for our March 2014 volunteer of the month, you can check out our Facebook or website for the big reveal! To read more from our Volunteers just visit our website - www.edva.org - and check out our News page. Or if you wish to nominate someone, all you have to do is ‘LIKE’ us on Facebook - EastDunVA - and message us your suggestion. Alternatively you can email [email protected] Andrew Petrie (18), one of our January brothers, told us why he would recommend volunteering to others:

“I would highly recommend it! It is something great to get involved in and it feels

great to know you are making a difference for someone else’s life. I have been with Enable Scotland for over 3 years now and have enjoyed working there thoroughly and I have loved every moment of it. If you want to try new things, meet new people and have a great time then volunteering is definitely worth trying out.

David and Andrew Petrie, January 2014 VOTM

(pictured above)

Patricia Brown, February 2014 VOTM (pictured above

with Beverley Lockhart)


Volunteering Hotlist

March 2014

Youth Club Volunteer – Community First Fusion Club Location – Lennoxtown This youth club operates within the Lennoxtown School of Music so there is a friendly atmosphere and lots of music around. The club runs one evening each week and caters for young people with learning disabilities. No special skills are required. Disclosure Scotland must be in place but this can be organised free through the charity.

Market Research Volunteer – East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action Location – East Dunbartonshire East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action is the one stop shop for the voluntary sector within East Dunbartonshire. For this opportunity we are looking for some help towards collecting data for a marketing research project for a couple of hours a week throughout April - depending on your availability. You will be part of a team, lead by our Marketing Assistants, that will be asking a series of questions to the general public for a survey throughout East Dunbartonshire. You may also be asked to help build ‘case studies’ by joining various voluntary groups around East Dunbartonshire in whatever activities their group provides, and documenting what they do and interviewing their volunteers about why they volunteer for that particular group. Travel and lunch expenses will be provided.

Knitting Volunteer - WYBOV (Wool You Be Our Volunteer?) Location – East Dunbartonshire WYBOV is a local knitting group looking for enthusiastic nifty knitters to join the group and come along to our monthly craft nights where we teach knitting newbies how to make amazing things for local charities.

H.O.P.E Buddy - East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action Location - East Dunbartonshire The purpose of the buddy relationship is to provide support on a one-to-one (usually unsupervised) basis with a socially isolated person age 65+ years who are resident in East Dunbartonshire. By providing short term intervention and support to attend classes or groups in the community with a focus on health and well-being a volunteer Buddy can make a real difference to an individual’s life.


Volunteering Hotlist

March 2014

EDFC Festival Volunteer – East Dunbartonshire Football Club Location – East Dunbartonshire In 2014 EDFC will host its 8th annual festival. This year we would like to make it about more than the football and have a Family Fun Day at the same time. EDFC requires volunteers to assist with the supervision of bouncy castles and games as well as entertainers such as face painters. EDFC is a youth football club who relies on volunteers to coach and run teams. We don’t qualify for any grants so the club is self funding. Our football festival gives us an opportunity to raise funds through raffles and sponsorship. This year we would like to extend the festival so that all the families of the kids involved in playing football can enjoy themselves. We aim to have bouncy castles & slides, giant games (like Connect 4, Jenga) etc. and face painters, maybe a balloon artist if we can find one? We need volunteers to supervise these activities and ensure the safety of the children taking part as well as volunteers who could provide a face painting service.

Driver – Contact the Elderly Location – East Dunbartonshire Contact the elderly, the charity solely dedicated to tackling loneliness and isolation among older people aged 75 and above, is appealing to volunteers to spare a few hours each month, to drive one or two guests to a local tea party and enjoy a cuppa and cake themselves. One Sunday afternoon each month, as part of a small team, volunteer drivers will use their own car to pick up 1-2 older people who live locally and together visit a volunteer hosts home to join a small group for tea, a chat and friendship. The group is warmly welcomed by a different host each month but the drivers and guests remain the same. This ensures that over time, acquaintances turn into friends and loneliness is replaced by companionship. Drivers are not required to do any lifting, only assisting with a steady arm. Must have a car and full driving licence, enjoy company of older people and have the capacity to drink tea!

For a full range of opportunities registered with us and throughout Scotland, please log on to:

www.edva.org

http://www.edva.org


Fair Trade Bake-Off Location: Lenzie Union Church Hall When: Saturday 8th March, 10:00am - 12:30pm In celebration of Fairtrade Fortnight 2014, Lenzie Community Church will be hosting a bake-off, with the focus of the event being a competition to test the skills and ingenuity of bakers when faced with the challenge to use as many Fairtrade ingredients as possible. There will be three categories - nursery/primary; secondary; and adult - with Fairtrade prizes for the winner in each category. However, we appreciate that not everyone is a domestic goddess so invite you all to join us for a coffee, to taste the offerings of our local bakers and to browse and buy from Fairtrade food and related gift stalls. Admission will be £2 per adult and £1 per child to cover catering costs. For more information, check out the Lenzie Community website: www.lenziecommunitycouncil.org.uk

Sports Relief Events Location: Across East Dunbartonshire When: Starting Friday 21st March Mugdock Mile (Running/Walking) Where: Mugdock Country Park, Craigallian Road, Milngavie, G62 8EL When: Sunday 23rd March Cost: Adult £6; Child £3; Family £15 Dust off your trainers and get set for the Sainbury’s Sport Relief Mile. Last year the event raised a staggering amount to help change countless lives forever… all whilst enjoying a family fun day out! Whether you’re super fit or just want to enjoy a walk in the park, why not come along and join the fun! Don’t miss out, book your place at the Mugdock Mile now! You can choose to do one of three (3) runs: 1 mile - starting at 11:45am 3 miles - starting at 11:30am, or 6 miles - starting at 11:30am. Kirkintilloch Swimathon (Swimming) Where: Kirkintilloch Leisure Centre, Woodhead Park, Kirkintilloch, G66 3DD When: Sunday 23rd March Cost: Adult £11; Concession £6; Team £25; Team Concession £20 Take on a challenge at this fantastic pool on 23 March 2014. Snap up your place and enter now! You can do your Swinathon on your own, or in a team of between two and five people, and either you as an individual, or as a team can choose to swim either 60 lengths,100 lengths or 200 lengths, each in a 25 metre pool. To register for either of these events just visit the Sports Relief website: www.sportsrelief.com

What’s Going On in East Dunbartonshire

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edva spring 2014 newsletter

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