Focus Scotland December 2012

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FOCUS: S COT L A N D

Issue 4: 2012

THE MAGAZINE FOR VOLUNTEERING AND THE THIRD SECTOR IN SCOTLAND


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FOCUS ON: WHATS INSIDE

Inside... 04

A-Z for 2013

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GET RICH QUICK

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FOCUS ON DISABILITY IN SPORT

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EDITOR Selina Ross DESIGN Ritchie Marshall POLICY EDITOR Martin Docherty PHOTOGRAPHY Daren Borzynski NEWS TEAM David Robertson Urvashi Gulati Liz Kelman Tony Connelly Shona Thomas Drew Davidson

… Quick list of some of the things you should look out for in 2013

…Some ideas to help you diversify your income next year

… find out more about disability sport in Scotland

NEVER WASTE A MINUTE

...Lauren Lochrie shared her volunteering journey into employment

JUST SHWOP

...Joanna Lumley asks you to think about your threads

ADVERTiSING T: 0141 280 0115 E: ritchie@wdcvs.com PRINT

Stephens & George

Focus Scotland is a service of WDCVS Scottish Charity No: SC032003 T: 0141 941 0886 E: media@wdcvs.com W: www.wdcvs.com

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FOCUS ON: FRONTLINE

Third Sector A-Z for 2013

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is for Asset Transfer... If your community is threatened with the loss of an important asset, building or area of land, asset transfer and community ownership may offer a solution. Very high profile at the moment across a range of agencies and groups, there are lots of different ways asset transfer can work – community management, transfer at less than market value, or bidding to buy it. Once you’ve got a particular asset in mind, you’ll need to do a bit of research to find out what your options are and what is the best one for you. Taking on an asset is a major commitment, but there is lots of experience and assistance to help you at every stage either from your local third sector interface.

is for Budget... ...finances are getting increasingly tight, so it’s never been more important to have a clear budget for your organisation. Having a well thought out and monitored budget will help you keep track of the money you do have, make better applications for new projects or ideas and be able to quickly identify increases in everyday costs. For many budgets are second nature but other s are put off thinking they are complicated. They needn’t be – actually they shouldn’t be! If you haven’t written a budget before don’t worry there are lots of templates around to help you. 4 | FOCUS SCOTLAND

is for Co-production... is a term increasingly applied to new types of public service design and delivery. Co-production is about actively involving the people who use services, as well as – or instead of – those who have traditionally provided them, in their design. It emphasises that service users have assets which can help to improve those services - skills, expertise and mutual support. Co-production has been the focus of much recent attention and is also being used as a way of talking about participation and community involvement in social care services in the context of personalisation. Growing in interest, this will be a key term in 2013. is for Data Protection Act...... how many times did you open a newspaper or hear on TV stories about lost computers and memory sticks, files found in bins or data being misused? The Data Protection Act covers all organisations who collect or hold information about an identifiable living individual, or if you use, disclose, retain or destroy that information. The scope of the Data Protection Act is therefore very wide as it applies to just about everything you might do with individuals’ personal details. If you are unsure about whether or not you should be registered, contact the Information Commissioners Office www.ico.gov.uk


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is for European Year of the Citizen 2013... ...aims to encourage everyone in Europe to understand their rights and opportunities as EU citizens including their right to live and work anywhere in the EU. Its hoped the year will stimulate debate about the obstacles that prevent people from fully using these rights and generate specific proposals for addressing them and encourage people to participate in civic forums on EU policies and issues. Activities in 2013 will be organised at grass roots level and by citizens and civil society organisations. The European Commission, responsible for the central management of the campaign will establish a multilingual website and communication toolbox, press kit and promotional materials as well as host opening and closing conferences.

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is for Facebook.... Facebook is a social networking service being used by millions of people (and organisations) around the world to remain connected. Users need to register initially, and then create a personal profile, add other users as friends, and exchange messages, including automatic notifications when they update their profile. Facebook users can upload unlimited photos, share links and videos, and communicate with friends and others through the chat feature. People can also join common interest groups, play games and use various applications. The users may control their privacy settings and may access Facebook through mobile devices too. Facebook also presents a unique marketing opportunity for community organisations through the creation of ‘business’ pages. Facebook has no doubt changed the way we communicate, and share our ideas and values. Visit the website www. facebook.com.

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is for Gift Aid... ... is a way for charities to increase the value of monetary gifts from UK taxpayers by claiming back the basic rate tax paid by the donor. It can increase the value of donations by a quarter at no extra cost to the donor. Gift Aid is worth nearly £1 billion a year to charities and their donors. Gift Aid can only be claimed on gifts of money from individuals, sole traders or partnerships, in any of the following forms – cash, cheque, Direct Debit, credit or debit card, postal order, standing order or telegraphic transfer. Joining the scheme is easy – just use the gift aid toolkit on the HMRC website.

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is for Health & Social Care Integration Bill ... ... will take centre stage as the bill makes its way through the Scottish Parliament. The Bill will bring forward legislation to create Health and Social Care Partnerships, replacing Community Health Partnerships and will be the joint and equal responsibility of Health Boards and Local Authorities. New nationally agreed outcomes will apply across adult health and social care and adult health and social care budgets will also be integrated. The Bill also places a requirement on Partnerships to strengthen the role of clinicians and care professionals, along with the third and independent sectors, in the planning and delivery of services, aiming to ensure budgets are used effectively to achieve quality and consistency, and to realise a shift in the balance of care from institutional to community based settings. FOCUS SCOTLAND | 5


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is for International Year of Water Cooperation ...working alongside 2013 World Water Day, the objective of this International Year is to raise awareness on the potential for increased cooperation and on the challenges facing water management due to increased demand for water access, allocation and services. 2013 will highlight the history of successful water cooperation initiatives as well as identify the issues on water education, water diplomacy, trans-boundary water management, financing cooperation, national/ international legal frameworks and linkages with the Millennium Development Goals. It will also provide an opportunity to capitalize on the momentum created at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development and to support the formulation of new objectives that will contribute towards developing water resources that are sustainable.

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is for Job Substitution... As the impact of public spending cuts becomes clear, an increasing number of organisations are enquiring about the legality of replacing positions that have been made redundant with volunteers. Volunteering England have produced a really useful guide on avoiding job substitution which includes a range of scenarios which could be considered substitution and sets out steps in managing the process of avoiding them. The first question to always ask is whether or not those roles are suitable for volunteers, who are usually involved because they bring something additional to the role that paid staff cannot. The involvement of volunteers should complement and supplement the work of paid staff. They should not be used to displace paid staff or undercut their pay and conditions of service. For more information contact your local Third Sector Interface. 6 | FOCUS SCOTLAND

is for KPIs... More and more grant and contract terms include key performance indicators (KPIs) which organisations will be measured against. Sometimes these are defined in terms of making progress toward strategic themes, but generally they will refer to some level of operational goal (for example, 100 people trained, 80 people placed, 10 out of 10 for customer satisfaction, etc). Choosing the right KPIs is important and you should always consider what you are being measured against and question if you feel this is not an appropriate way of measuring your success. When writing applications, it’s always helpful if you can specify the KPIs you aim to meet in the application. The clearer you are on the target, the better chance you have of doing a good job.

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is for Localism... Everyone talks about localism, but what does it actually mean. Well, localism describes a range of political or social policies which prioritise the local. Generally, localism supports local production and consumption of goods, local control of government, and promotion of local history, local culture and local identity, moving control away from the centre. Both the Scottish and Westminster Governments make frequent use of the term to mean devolving responsibilities away from central government to local government ...and sometimes community level.


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is for Mergers and Collaborations.. Merger is a hot topic in the third sector and in addition to advice and guidance, the subject has generated heated debate and opinion. Merger is usually where two or more organisations formally combine to form one organisation can cover a number of different processes. Some mergers may also be referred to as takeovers. A variation on merger occurs where a parent organisation governs a group of subsidiaries – one becomes a holding company for another organisation/s. Group structures combine some of the elements of merger, but the subsidiaries can retain substantial independence. As budgets grow tighter and organisations look to how they can ensure that they can meet their client needs as effectively as possible, merging or collaborating more closely with another organisation may be an option.

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is for National.. Police and Fire Services will come into operation in Scotland in 2013/14. These two new national bodies will replace the network of fire and rescue services and police forces which used to operate across Scotland. Both services have appointed their respective Chief Officers and Chairs and work is now underway on the detailed planning required for such a structural change. Although details of how the services will work will only become clearer as 2013 progresses, both bodies have reinforced a commitment to continued strong local partnerships and community engagement.

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is for OSCR Online filing.. OSCR Online provides a much shorter paper Annual Return and gives you the option to file online, as well as make changes to some of your charity’s information published on the Scottish Charity Register - giving you greater control and making the process easier. The public will also benefit from an enhanced Register, with additional financial information about how larger charities spend their money. Your charity will only be joining the electronic service if you’ve expressed an interest. OSCR would rather that charities moved from paper to the new system, but there is no requirement to do so. If you are interested contact OSCR on 01382 220446

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FOCUS ON: FRONTLINE

is for Pensions... Changes to pensions law now affect every employer in the UK. If you are an employer you must enrol certain members of your workforce into a pension scheme and make a contribution towards the pension fund. The scheme must be a scheme suitable for automatic enrolment, and it must meet certain minimum qualifying standards. A new pension scheme, NEST (National Employment Savings Trust) has been established, and is available to any employer who chooses to use it. This will enable all employers to provide a pension scheme for their workers using NEST or, their own scheme or another pension provider. HMRC and The Pensions Regulator are working together to ensure that employers are properly supported in complying with the new duties. The new duties are being introduced over four years, starting with the UK’s largest companies in 2012; other employers will follow in 2013 to 2016. You can find out what date the changes will apply to you on The Pensions Regulator’s website.

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is for Quality Systems... While there are quite a few systems around they all share the same function – to help you to operate your organisation better. If you want to raise to the profile of your organisation staff, volunteers, stakeholders and funders adopting a recognised quality system is a good investment. Most systems involve a degree of self assessment against a set of predefined standards. Useful enough in its own right, you can then go for an external assessment and accreditation. Take some time to think through your needs, your budget and any other time or resource constraints you might have before choosing the right system for you. Most accreditations are valid for 3 years. FOCUS SCOTLAND | 7


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is for Retrospective Checking..... It is the Scottish Government’s expectation that all individuals doing regulated work in Scotland should eventually become PVG Scheme members. Individuals recruited to do regulated work after the PVG Act comes into force should be asked to join the PVG Scheme. Over time, this will result in more and more individuals becoming PVG Scheme members. However, there are many individuals who will already be doing regulated work when the PVG Act comes into force and these people too will eventually join the PVG Scheme. The process of checking existing workers and bringing them onto the PVG Scheme is known as retrospective checking. Organisations are asked to spread their retrospective checks of existing staff to be introduced into the PVG Scheme gradually over the next three year period. If you require any further information on PVG or retrospective checking, please contact the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006

is for Saltire Awards.... Aged 12 – 25 or know someone who is? Whether you are already volunteering or just thinking about it, The Saltire Awards are for you! The awards replace the MV award scheme and recognise a broad range of volunteering from team challenges to 50, 100, 200 and 500 hours of commitment. There is also the chance to become a Saltire Ambassador. Not only does having a Saltire Award look great on your CV, it can also earn you Young Scot Reward Points which could entitle you to some fantastic prizes. You can register through the website at www.saltireawards.org.uk or by contacting your third sector interface 8 | FOCUS SCOTLAND

is for Timebanks.... is a means of exchange used to organise people and organisations around a purpose, where time is the principal currency. For every hour participants ‘deposit’ in a timebank, perhaps by giving practical help and support to others, they are able to ‘withdraw’ equivalent support in time when they themselves are in need. In each case the participant decides what they can offer. Everyone’s time is equal, irrespective of whatever we choose to exchange. Because timebanks are just systems of exchange, they can be used in an almost endless variety of settings. Timebanks can be built around person-person trading or can involve agencies – the options are endless.

is for Unincorporated Associations.... are voluntary organisations comprising a group of individuals who enter into an agreement as volunteers to form a body to accomplish a purpose. Most organisations start out this way, but it’s important that if your organisation grows and develops to take on staff, responsibility for a building or other substantial assets that you have another look at your constitution. Is this still the best model for you? Would you benefit from being incorporated and having some protection from liability? Over the last few years some new forms of structure have come into being which you could also consider so why not make 2013 the year you review your constitution. Your local third sector interface can help.


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is for Voluntourism.... Want to combine a holiday with doing something worthwhile? Voluntourism is travel while volunteering for a charitable cause. In recent years, “bite-sized” volunteer vacations have grown in popularity. Volunteer vacations vary widely, from low-skill work cleaning up local wildlife areas to providing high-skill medical aid in a foreign country. Participants are diverse but typically share a desire to “do something good” while experiencing new places and challenges in areas they might not otherwise visit. Other types of travelling engage people with scientific research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment. Participants cover a fee that would include expenses on the different sites worldwide, and engage in projects according to their interest or location.

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is for Year of Natural Scotland... ...is the third of four focus years, is a chance to highlight Scotland’s great natural assets. It provides an opportunity to celebrate our reputation as a land of outstanding beauty, and encourage responsible tourism in Scotland. The aim of Year of Natural Scotland 2013 is to promote Scotland’s stunning natural beauty and biodiversity, and promote ways in which visitors can enjoy our beautiful landscapes, wildlife and heritage responsibly. Eight key themes have been developed to cover Scotland’s vast wealth of natural product: natural landscapes, natural built heritage, natural larder, sustainable tourism, natural playground, flora and fauna, art in nature and nature in cities. A programme of events is planned – to find out more click www.eventscotland.org.

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is for Welfare Reforms.... On 8 March 2012 the Welfare Reform Act received Royal Assent. The Act legislates for the biggest change to the welfare system for over 60 years and introduces a wide range of reforms that will deliver the commitment made in the Coalition Agreement and the Queen’s Speech to make the benefits and tax credits systems fairer and simpler. The main elements of the Act include the introduction of Universal Credit to provide a single streamlined payment, a stronger approach to reducing fraud and error with tougher penalties, a new claimant commitment, the introduction of the Personal Independence Payment replacing Disability Living

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is for Xperience for Work... Volunteering is a great way to help boost your way into work. There are lots of different opportunities so make sure that you choose a volunteering role that meets your needs and is something you really want to do and will give you the skills you need. Many people worry about explaining gaps in their work history on their applications forms or in interviews – volunteering can help with that and give you some real talking points to help sell yourself. But please remember to include all of your volunteering on your applications! A recent study from LinkedIn shows that less than half of all job candidates list their volunteer work – a real missed opportunity!

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is for Zero Waste.... Zero Waste Scotland helps individuals, businesses and communities to reduce waste, recycle more and use resources sustainably. Zero Waste is about changing the way we manage resources. It means using natural resources in the most effective way, as many times as possible, while minimising impact on the environment. Taking Zero Waste actions could contribute significantly towards Scotland’s 2010 climate change targets and help Scottish businesses cut costs and increase profits. Two campaigns which you could support and volunteer with in 2013 – Recycle for Scotland and Love Food Hate Waste. FOCUS SCOTLAND | 9


FOCUS ON: SOCIETY

WORLD AIDS DAY 10 | FOCUS SCOTLAND


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ince coming to public attention in the early 1980’s the HIV epidemic has changed dramatically. With new treatments, people are living longer and healthier lives and despite now being considered a ‘long-term condition’, HIV is serious - there is no cure, and treatments do not work for everyone. HIV is on the rise in Scotland, and yet people are often poorly informed and less aware of the issue than in the past. In each of the six years from 2004 to 2010; an average of 400 people have been diagnosed with HIV in Scotland. HIV / AIDS remains one of the biggest social, economic and health challenges across the globe and more people are living with HIV in Scotland than ever before as a result of increased testing, leading to earlier diagnosis, particularly in genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic settings and of more effective management of those now living with HIV. During 2012, the number of people living with HIV and requiring specialist care is likely to have increased by 5-13% (some 150-350 persons) per year and the average age of individuals living with HIV in Scotland will increase over time as effective drug regimens sustain and improve people’s quality of life. Providing treatment and care for all those

who require it is one of Scotland’s most pressing HIV challenges and much of that care is provided by many of Scotland’s community organisations such as counselling services, testing services, children & young people’s services, palliative care services, condition management services and education and prevention services; many of these services are delivered freely by volunteers who campaign and volunteer to reduce HIV / AIDS infection, and care for those with HIV / AIDS. As a community, Scotland seeks to support those living with HIV/AIDS and promote its prevention through the national HIV Action Plan, with the aims of ensuring effective co-ordination of prevention, treatment and care alongside reducing levels of undiagnosed HIV and transmission in Scotland. World AIDS Day and its objectives, and commitments to wearing and flying the “red ribbon” flag on the 1st of December allow the entire community of Scotland to support these aims as well as showing that HIV/AIDS is still a major health risk across all ages, genders, sexes, sexualities, ethnicity, belief and nationalities. If you want to know more about HIV / AIDS or World AIDS Day check out www.worldaidsday.org

CELEBRITIES JOIN FIRST CHRISTMAS JUMPER DAY ON DECEMBER 14, TO MARK THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE CAMPAIGN. People across the UK are being invited to take part in the age-old tradition of wearing a kitsch Christmas jumper on the day in exchange for a £1 donation, helping to ‘make the world better with a sweater.’ All money raised will help save the lives of the world’s most vulnerable children. In the world’s poorest countries, more than 7 million children die every year from easily preventable causes like diarrhoea and malnutrition. Simple solutions, like vaccines and mosquito nets save lives – so by getting friends and colleagues to take part in Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper day on 14 December, you can help make a real difference. For more information visit www.savethechildren.org.uk/ jumpers and/or www.facebook.com/xmasjumperday and follow on @savechildrenuk #xmasjumperday FOCUS SCOTLAND | 11


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How to get rich quick ...

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kay maybe that was just to get your attention. Sorry! But there is no denying it, we are moving in to a time where the sources of grant funding we’ve all relied on for years are starting to get harder and harder to secure. Cutbacks, changes in grant programmes...they are all taking their toll. So what are you going to do? We can all reduce costs a little but with many costs you just can’t control how quickly they will rise. So how can you ensure you maintain your income levels? Well, you have four options - fundraise, sell yourself, apply for grants or do a little of them all. Diversifying your income base could be the best way to ensure your organisation can survive the recession. And regardless of the size of your organisation, the principles are the same you just have to ensure you are ahead of the game. 12 | FOCUS SCOTLAND

Fundraising... Every organisation at some time in its life has fundraised. Apart from helping raise much needed income, fundraising can be a great way of getting your organisation name and its services better known with people you may never ordinarily reach. Event ‘nights’ are always popular – whether it’s bingo nights, race nights, or quiz nights – and help to bring in a decent sum. Also car boot or table top sales can be a great way of raising money and recycling at the same time! All of these will also help encourage members or friends groups to ask friends and family along you can also use this opportunity to promote your work and maybe increase your membership which could long term lead to increased income sources. If you are new to fundraising its best to stick to activities you know are popular amongst the members and that they can sell to their family and friends. Remember disposable income may be tight so they will be looking for value for money!


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For larger organisations, or those more used to fundraising, holding a charity raffle or auction can prove very lucrative for not too much time and effort. Writing to companies or celebrities can be a bit hit or miss if you don’t research your targets well. But if you do receive donations, these can make good profits. Remember there are now websites which can help you set up an auction to have a wider reach than just your members and friends. One of the oldest forms of fundraising and still one of the most popular is 50 – 50 fundraising. That is where the person donating has a chance of winning the same amount of money that is raised by the group. Originally done through the sale of football cards, there are now lots of options including ‘bonus ball’ draws and monthly draws. Many organisations are also making the most of our environmental knowledge by encouraging people to donate clothes, mobile phones and printer cartridges that they sell to registered companies to raise cash. Returns can be small – but every penny helps! Grant Funding Okay so you probably already try to access grants... but do you plan well enough ahead to make sure that you can access all that is available. Waiting till the last minute to apply can make for a weak application and remember funders can take up to 6 months to make a decision. It’s always best to start early and do a bit of research. What has the funder supported before? Call the funders and check out your idea before going to all of the trouble of completing the form for nothing. Regardless of the amount you need or who you apply to, every funder is looking for some basic requirements from you: •

Have you costed the application realistically?

Is your constitution up to date and meets the funders needs?

Are your year-end financial statements prepared and have they been independent examined or audited

Sell your Service You don’t have to be a shop or a social enterprise set up specifically to sell goods or services – anything your group does well could be of interest to another group or another potential group of users. Look at your organisation’s activities. What do you do well? Can you sell your activities, ideas to the wider sector or the private sector? Try comparing against similar third sector or private organisations. Do you have equipment you could hire out to another group? Can you open your premises for another group to use? Can you share a social function or service to keep the costs down? Does your organisation lack time, resources, equipment, resources to sell a service? Working in a partnership or as part of a consortiums working could be a way of developing skills and sharing experience. There is no limit to the size or structure of organisations as long you are all in agreement as to what you want to achieve. So go on...give it a try FOCUS SCOTLAND | 13


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cottish MSPs have joined forces with Focus Scotland to make promoting community based volunteering their New Year Resolution.

The campaign launched aims to get the Scottish public to embark on a volunteering journey in 2013 whilst raise awareness and promoting community volunteering in 2013. Pledging to support the campaign the MSPs signed banners promoting the campaign, which aims to encourage more people in Scotland to volunteer within their community with the hope to see an increase in community involvement throughout the country in 2013. Following a positive year for the image of volunteering with the successful summer of Gamesmakers with the Olympic Games, Focus Scotland hope that individuals within Scotland continue to volunteer and hope that the campaign will act as a reminder for them of the impact they can have at community level. 14 | FOCUS SCOTLAND

Nicola Sturgeon, Deputy First Minister one of the first to sign the campaign banner said - ‘“I have seen at first hand the immense contribution volunteers make to our communities, I was delighted this year to celebrate the work of volunteers in the NHS at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital and throughout my own constituency.”

MAKE 2013 YOUR YEAR OF COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERING “I hope that 2013 will see even more Scots taking the opportunity to help maketheir communities stronger, safer and more active places to live. 2013 gives us all as Scots the spring board to rise to the challenge of supporting the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games whether you volunteer, watch on TV, or cheer from the stadiums.” “I wish every volunteer across the country all the very best for 2013 and on behalf of the Scottish


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Government thank you for everything you do.” Focus Scotland Editor Selina Ross added, “Volunteering has never been more in the news and we want to see 2013 be the year we put community volunteering in Scotland clearly on the map. Everyday people throughout Scotland make the lives of themselves and others better by contributing their time, skills and care in a wide variety of ways. We hope in 2013 even more will take the time to get involved.”

ALYN SMITH MEP AREA: SCOTLAND “I am convinced volunteering builds inclusiveness and trust, markers of the sort of society I wish to live in. Professionals clearly do an invaluable job, but I believe volunteering brings that little extra. As Scotland moves toward a greater role in Europe and as we see the launch of European Charter on the Rights and Responsibilities of Volunteers, my hope is that the sense of responsibility which the volunteering spirit brings will grow. In 2013 I will therefore remain committed to and make a resolution to support the work of volunteer organisations and their volunteers aiding their cause in Scotland and Europe.”

JACKIE BAILLIE MSP AREA: DUMBARTON “During 2012 I have been privileged to visit some

fantastic volunteering based organisations whose contribution to our community simply cannot be measured. The Action on Hearing Loss ‘Hear to Help’ Drop-In Centre in Clydebank is a fantastic facility providing advice and hearing aid maintenance. Deaf Blind Scotland in Lenzie is going from strength to strength and provides support for deafblind people enabling them to be equal citizens in society. These are just two organisations making a fantastic difference and my wish for 2013 is that the volunteering sector and the volunteers that make it all happen receive the support they deserve in these challenging economic times.

KEVIN STEWART MSP AREA: ABERDEEN CENTRAL The last Scottish Household Survey showed that 30% of adults volunteer, this campaign hopes to add to that figure by encouraging everyone to kick off the New Year with a resolution to volunteer in their local community and make a difference. If you have any time to donate to and would be interested you can find out more about volunteering by visiting the portal for all volunteering in Scotland www.volunteerscotland.org.uk or by contacting your local Volunteer Centre.

““We must, at a time when the integration of

health and social care will dominate our thinking, recognise the vital role that volunteers play providing care for our older people. It is often the case that it is older people who are the back bone of voluntary groups as volunteers never mind being sustained by them. “It is therefore essential that we bring a renewed focus to what volunteers do in our communities and I promise to make that the centre of our thinking when it comes to older people. “And as our thoughts turn to the New Year I wish everyone the very best in 2013.” FOCUS SCOTLAND | 15


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LOVE FOOD HATE WASTE THIS CHRISTMAS

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hristmas time is when we ready ourselves for a day of indulgence but if you look back at last year’s festive period you will also see it is when the disposal of unused food peaks. The average household will spend about £135 on Christmas food this year and we will throw away about a fifth of it, about £27. A lot of money for each individual household that would be better saved and it adds more bin bags going to landfills across the country. There are ways to cut down on the amount of food wasted at Christmas; mainly do not buy and prepare masses of food that you are not going to eat. It sounds simple but we all seem to get caught up in having to empty the shops before the end of Christmas Eve when most shops are only closed for a short time and some are even open on Boxing Day. If we prepare in advance for Christmas then hopefully we will save some money as well as not having so much food waste. Plan what you are having and how many you are cooking for so you can make a start on writing a shopping list after checking what you already have in stock. Think back 16 | FOCUS SCOTLAND

to last and what wasn’t eaten, maybe this year buy less of that item or did people not like it? Did you make too much food that no –one had space for last year? If so leave things out this year. If you do buy too much put some in the freezer to be used at another time or you can use any leftovers in other interesting recipes. Rather than getting fed up with turkey and ham meals why not freeze your Christmas dinner into individual portions. Reuse the type of box that takeaway curries come in or Tupperware and make up batches of one, two or more dinners that can go straight from freezer to oven or microwave. • Place slices of turkey and ham in the boxes, topping it off with slices of stuffing, pour gravy or stock over the meat, just enough to cover and freeze. • To cook – remove from the freezer, remove from foil carton and place in an oven proof dish in a medium oven for about half an hour to 45 minutes until it is thawed and heated through completely. To microwave, thaw it out first and heat through according to your machines instructions.


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CHRISTMAS FOOD SHOPPING AND STORING •

If you defrost raw meat and cook it for a meal, you can freeze it again. Make sure you defrost and re-heat until piping hot to eat. Whip any leftover cream before you freeze it to stop it from becoming grainy when it’s thawed. Make bread crumbs and freeze ready for the next time you make stuffing, bread sauce or as a thickening in other sauces. Shopping for Christmas food? Multi-buys can be good value if you can use the extra food. Buy one, freeze one for later. This Christmas the perfect portion of Brussels sprouts for 1 person is about 80g around 8 sprouts, or zero if you hate sprouts. Christmas cooking dilemma: Turkey for 1 to 4 people: as a guide look for a bird around 2.25kg / 5lb or ask your butcher.

FOOD FACTS • • • • •

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When you buy the meat for the Christmas roast if unsure of the size ask your local or supermarket butcher for some help.

You can freeze almost any food – including vegetables, mashed potato, cheeses, and fruits. Freeze extra Christmas food for the New Year.

Leftover turkey: How will you use yours - in a pie, on a sandwich, classic curry or slipped into a stroganoff. Freeze leftover party foods such as quiches and sausage rolls, use them in packed lunches when you return to work or the kids go back to school. Soup the ultimate leftover dish. Gently fry an onion, blend with leftover cooked veg and stock, add seasoning and re-heat thoroughly.

• •

we throw away 566,000 tonnes of food waste every year 69% of food waste could have been avoided if we managed our food better half of the good food thrown away is untouched, with one in seven items still in their packaging at least £18 million worth of food thrown out is still in date the most commonly wasted food groups are: bakery (32,000 tonnes per year) fresh fruit(23,000 tonnes per year) fresh vegetables and salad(30,000 tonnes per year) we waste 26,000 tonnes of takeaways, ready meals and snacks a year, costing us £110 million the 32,000 tonnes of untouched bakery items thrown out is equivalent to 40 million large loaves of bread 54% of all avoidable food waste put out for council collection is either packaged items thrown away unopened or unpackaged items, like fruit, thrown away whole 14,000 tonnes of ready meals are wasted every year the fruit and vegetables thrown away by Scots in a year are equal to 1 billion portions the average household spends £430 a year, or more than £8 a week, food and drink that is then thrown away there is also a hidden cost of collecting and disposing of this waste – an £85 million bill which is picked up by us all as tax payers ‘Use by’ is the key date to look out for in terms of food safety. ‘Use by’ dates appear on foods that go off quickly like dairy products or meat and fish Best before’ dates relate to food quality rather than safety. It is safe to eat food after this date but it might not be at its best in terms of taste and texture. The exception to this rule is eggs which should never be eaten after their ‘best before’ date many items can be frozen including hard cheese, eggs, bread, homemade meals, yoghurt, soup, milk and bananas.

Further information http://scotland.lovefoodhatewaste.com/ FOCUS SCOTLAND | 17


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ARE YOU READY

T

FOR WINTER

he extensive range of specialist equipment that will be used to clear Scotland’s roads this winter was launched by the Transport Minster Keith Brown recently. Since the severe winter of 2010/11 other measures and improvements have been implemented including: • • • • • • •

A commitment to have more salt stocked at the start of this winter than used across Scotland in the entire winter of 2010-11 A strengthened network of weather stations and new cameras at 24 sites to improve decision-making New guidance for Operating Companies on when to use alternative de-icers that work in severe conditions Publication of daily gritting plans to give the public and media more access to more information about the treatments taking place A Freight Scotland Hotline for drivers to highlight network problems and guidance for HGV drivers New YouTube on Winter Service Provision produced for key stakeholders and the public Transport Scotland sits on the World Road Association Winter Technical Committee to discuss international lessons

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Transport Minister Keith Brown tested two Raiko Ice Breakers which have been purchased by Transport Scotland; with one stored in Glasgow for use by the South West and North West Operating Companies, the other near Linlithgow for potential deployment on the North East and South East routes. Also on display were a range of gritters, equipped with mobile road surface temperature sensors and ‘Gritter Cams’, a V-Plough, community self-help kits, and a footway snow blower. Mr Brown told FOCUS Scotland: “Transport Scotland delivers its winter service programme on Scotland’s trunk road network from the start of October right through to mid-May. One of the key drivers behind today’s event is to encourage road users to start thinking now about how severe weather can impact on their journey. We are highlighting what motorists can do to prepare for the worst and plan ahead. People accept that roads authorities can’t always guarantee there will be no disruption over winter, however with the decisive action we are taking and the assistance of the public in planning ahead, I’m confident that together we can keep Scotland moving in the vast majority of circumstances.


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Additional gritters, greater use of state of the art technology and getting information to people ‘on the move’ are just a few of the ways we have strengthened winter treatments, decision making and communication with road users. However, for the system to work, what road users do to plan for their journey is just as important. Keeping a close eye on weather and travel information, as well as ensuring vehicles are suitably prepared prior to setting off, is crucial. If we all plan ahead, Scotland will be better prepared for winter.

Examples of how communities across Scotland are working together to build their resilience such as: •

Grampian Strategic Coordinating Group are helping local communities establish their own ‘Ready’ Facebook pages supported by the Ready Grampian website. At a local community level it was observed that the use of Facebook pages during local emergencies was starting to happen. This led to the conclusion that local community resilience systems using Facebook and also the ‘Ready’ label have the potential to enhance local community resilience. Trial ‘Ready’ pages have been set up for Huntly and Stonehaven through the Scottish Flood Forum. Guidance for community groups on how to set up their own ‘Ready’ page will be publicised using the Ready Grampian website. http:// readygrampian.org

As part of our winter review we carried out a • comparison with other countries. One of the main difficulties in 2010 was the hard-packed sheet ice covering the M8 between Glasgow and Edinburgh. This proved very difficult to clear due to the extreme low temperatures. The Raiko Icebreaker is used in Finland and other Scandinavian countries and will be a very useful addition if we have to deal with these conditions again.”

Blair Atholl and Struan Community Council have developed a Community Emergency Plan. The Community Council set up a Community Resilience Group to identify, prepare for and mitigate perceived risks to the safety and general wellbeing of the community, working in close cooperation with the authorities, emergency services and other organisations. The group was set up following consultations with the community and local landowners and businesses.

Last year we stocked more salt than was used over the whole of the previous winter and we published daily gritting plans for Trunk Road Operating Companies. We also have 110,000 litres of alternative de-icers in stock that will work in the most severe conditions when road salt becomes less effective.

Severe weather can strike quickly, leaving some people vulnerable though a little planning could help keep people warm, safe and dry. Here is how • you can help: •

Try and identify family or neighbours who may need an extra helping hand if severe weather strikes or there is a loss of utilities. Have their phone numbers to hand, and stop by to offer to help with grocery shopping or other essential tasks. Your community can be ready by agreeing what you, your neighbours and your colleagues can do on your own and collectively to minimise the effects of severe weather where you live and work.

Checkout more: http://readyscotland.org/mycommunity You can volunteer to help others; contact Volunteer Scotland: http://www.volunteerscotland.org.uk

Residents in Moffat have formed a local ‘Community Flood Resilience’ group. Local residents were affected by flooding and concerned enough to form a local Community Flood Resilience Group with the support of the Scottish Flood Forum. Residents “adopted” a drain. This involves taking a pro-active role, checking and monitoring, and notifying the council if a drain needs to be unblocked. They also mapped ownership of the local riverbank, and spot decaying or at-risk trees and report them to the owner. A comprehensive drainage map of Moffat was also produced to help them understand why flooding issues occur in the area. Two meteorologists living in the community are able to interpret the SEPA flood warnings in the light of their knowledge of the local environment and advise the community on likely local impacts. FOCUS SCOTLAND | 19


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DISABILITY

SPORT

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S

cottish Disability Sport (SDS) is the Scottish Governing Body of all sport for children, athletes and players of all levels of ability with a physical, sensory or learning disability. SDS leads the development of disability sport in Scotland and contributes to UK and international initiatives. Children, young people and adults with a physical, sensory or learning disability have fewer opportunities to participate in sport in local communities. Those with a disability are less active than the non-disabled population and only by providing regular quality opportunities shall we begin to make an impact on their health and wellbeing and stimulate increased interest in sport. SDS is committed to establishing more sustainable opportunities across Scotland and is represented at local level by 14 Branches all committed to disability sports development. Branches are dependent on Local Authority partners in particular, and work closely with Active Schools, Sports Development, local sports clubs and Social Work Services. Quality sports provision nationally is inconsistent making the need for more sustainable discrete and inclusive opportunities in local communities. SDS also supports Performance Scottish athletes, players and teams in their efforts to realise their full potential in disability sport as Paralympians or representatives of Scotland or Great Britain at World or European Championships. To do this, SDS works closely with Scotland’s mainstream Governing Bodies of Sport to support the inclusion of athletes and players with a disability at all levels of the sporting pathway. SDS has also established an Athletes’ Academy providing financial assistance and support to aspiring athletes and players. Coaching and Education has become an important strand of SDS’s development work. Quality coaching and learning opportunities are critical for Scotland to become a country where inclusive sport is the norm and not the exception. UK Disability Inclusion Training (UK DIT), the SDS flagship programme, is the vehicle for the delivery of this training.

With support from Education Scotland and sportscotland, SDS is currently rolling out this training at no cost to education staff in Scotland’s schools. The UK DIT prepares education staff to support pupils with disabilities in mainstream education and to develop links between school and community sport. SDS also works in partnership with Governing Bodies of Sport at Scottish and UK level to develop inclusive coaching programmes and resources to ensure athletes and players with a disability receive a quality coaching experience. As part of the current SDS Strategic Plan, “Inspiring Through Inclusion”, SDS works with13 priority sports including boccia, bowls, curling, athletics and football. The aim is to create robust and inclusive sport specific pathways for these sports to enable all athletes and players to meet their full potential. SDS has worked closely in partnership with the Scottish FA for over 20 years to support the development of football for players with a disability in areas such as coaching, training, competition and sport science. The Scottish FA’s Disability Development Officer is the key link in these developments and Scotland currently boasts three squads who proudly play in the Scotland shirt - Cerebral Palsy / Acquired Brain Injury / Stroke: A Squad (National), Cerebral Palsy / Acquired Brain Injury / Stroke: Future Squad and the Under 19 Learning Disability Squad. Each year, SDS organises a comprehensive programme of 17 national sport specific events as well numerous national and regional squads, development days, talent sessions and residential camps; with branches organising many more in their local areas; activities and events benefiting thousands of athletes and players with a disability every year, throughout Scotland. Across all areas of work, SDS relies on the support of volunteers giving their time and effort to support our events and athletes in numerous ways. To find out more about the work of SDS visit their website at www.scottishdisabilitysport. com call on 0131 3171130 or email admin@ scottishdisabilitysport.com.

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FOCUS ON: David McArdle For David McArdle of the SFA, his volunteering journey started while at university studying for his Sports Coaching and Development degree. “I started working as a Regional Development Officer covering the West Region in 2007 – an area of Glasgow, Argyle and Bute, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde areas”, David told Focus. “And after building up a few years experience I moved on to be Football Development Officer, there is at least one of me in each local authority area across Scotland.”

T

hrough his work with colleague Stuart Sharp, David began working with people living with disabilities and with international and development squads. So it was no surprise when David succeeded Stuart in the role of SFA Disability Development Officer in January of this year. The post is national covering an area from Wick and the Highlands and Islands, down to the Borders and Edinburgh to Ayrshire. In early 2012, the SFA launched Scotland United; Scottish Football’s Disability Future 2012-2017, a 5 year plan that will shape Football for Scotland’s Disabled population and will encourage players to reach their full potential. “We had the previous plan of hitting the target which ran from 2006-2010 and there was a 2 year gap of planning what we wanted to do next. As these things go, you get everything down on paper and it takes a lot of time to get these looking right. But it’s been out in the public domain for a number of months now and it’s really the next stage of where the SFA are going.” In taking the strategy forward, the SFA made the decision to re-engage more with the local communities and engaged with the local clubs. David adds, “Before the SFA had the opinion that the football development officers would work more with senior clubs and then their community coaches would expand what we do. As time progressed, it became obvious the work we have done with local clubs like Dumbarton Riverside, that these are the people we want to work with more to get things up and running. So the plan is to work more with local clubs, offer greater opportunities and for the main point is to allow the player to reach their full potential.” Full potential can mean different things. For some 22 | FOCUS SCOTLAND

this might mean that they kick the ball about at 5-a-side with their friends on a Friday night, or go to a local club like Dumbarton Riverside or for some representing Scotland at international level in a World or European Championships with the cerebral palsy or learning disability team. “The full potential thing for me is very important.” The first year of his new role has been one of many positive changes including the introduction of the disability pan-clubs programme to try and get more teams within grassroots clubs. Also, there has been the creation of the disability inclusive club programme - even if you have a disability, hearing impairment, mild cerebral palsy or mild learning disability you should still be able to play mainstream football with everyone else and you shouldn’t have to be separated into a disability team

It doesn’t matter you are, if you’re Darren Fletcher, Steven Fletcher or Kenny Miller, a volunteer has helped you get there. “We have a programme where clubs will sign up to a charter of what they need to do. In return they will receive coaching free of charge, their coaches will be made more aware of how to integrate players with a mild disability. This is to make sure that the footballers who can play football despite their disability are able to reach their full potential within a mainstream environment. So there has been of positive changes, a lot of good work done behind the scenes to make changes to make things integrated.” David adds, “In the past, the SFA has tended to be


FOCUS ON: VOLUNTEERING

festivals to get a sustainable participation base before the club can go weekly. Or if there is already community groups out there interested, we can do it more quickly, but each club is individual and each area has slightly different challenges that we need to work on. We will sit down with the club and we will discuss what we need to work on, what will be required, we support them with kit, with coach education and a constant feedback from myself to them and other agencies. We have a communication pathway that we never had before.” He added, “Clubs such as Dumbarton Riverside will be the only one in this area to offer this service, because what we don’t want is to have two teams competing with each other at an early stage. If Dumbarton Riverside or any other club get to the point where their membership is too big for them to maintain, then we go work with another club in the area and transfer players depending on geographical area.”

quite disability specific but we found it very difficult because of the numbers interested in playing. What we decided to do was go down the route of pan-disability which is inclusive of pretty much all disabilities and we would just adapt to suit. This way, players with cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, wheel chair users, visual, hearing impairments can all play together in the one environment. If we find that one team has 12 players with cerebral palsy, we will split them up to create 2 teams, but when we tried to start with two teams it wasn’t sustainable because there isn’t enough clubs with the infrastructure to allow this to development.” Through the pan-disability programme clubs receive a 9 month development plan helping the club with coach education and putting them in touch with the right people in their area - Football Development Officers and the Scottish Disability Sports Regional Managers, Social Work and schools. “We put them in contact with all these different agencies so that they can advertise more and better. Depending on the club and the support for them in their local area we can have 3 monthly

Operating coaching footballers with a disability courses have been part of the SFA coach education pathway for a number of years now. They are generally offered 2 or 3 times per year and are always full. This year, to help meet demand, the SFA decided to create a disability workshop, which is a 3 hour course. All attendees of this course have already achieved level 1 and level 2 of the quality mark programme, and this course helps build their awareness of what it is like to play football with a disability. “We have noise cancelling headphones for them to try when on the pitch to find ways to communicate without speaking, so your body language will become a big factor. This is to show them what it is like to have a hearing impairment and play football. We use other methods to show coaches what it is like to have a visual impairment and to have cerebral palsy while playing football. It is a course to raise awareness what some players can and cannot do and what support they need. It gives the coaches ideas of what they need to do to change their styles and to use body language to adapt to a players with disabilities. We are trying to make it more accessible to coaches this year and we have had around 400 this year attend our disability specific workshops with the SFA, where In the past we would only have about 50 or 60 a year.” FOCUS SCOTLAND | 23


FOCUS ON: VOLUNTEERING

In total, between 900 and 1000 people have gone through a disability specific coaching course. David is clear that it is unlikely that there will be coaches who are experts in disabilities unless it is something they do as a fulltime job, but he is committed to trying to make more coaches aware of the challenges and needs of disabled players. Locally here in West Dunbartonshire, if a new player with a disability attends a local club, the club can do something for them or give them information that Dumbarton Riverside or another club are there. Alternatively, if they are not interested in football, they can direct them to one of the Scottish Disability Sports regional managers. “When we create a disability inclusive club” explains David “within that club they will need to appoint a disability inclusive officer, they will go through not only the 3 hour course but another more advanced 6 hour course and they will be our main point of contact within that club. I can then support that club through them.” “We have 12 clubs at the moment across Scotland offering disability coaching, but on top of that we have football development officers that can offer community classes within their local authority area and to other agencies. That number is growing, as it’s just within the first year. Over the course of the next few years, clubs working with the SFA’s development managers and regional managers from Scottish Disability Sport will increase because we will identify key clubs and key areas. We will look at putting clubs in strategic areas that we know will hit a high population or a school in the local area that we can tap into for players.” “We think we have around 3,000 unique players have taken part in one of our events so far this year. We also have 40 ASN School Teams that take part in national leagues across the country each with a volunteer coach through the school. There are six regional leagues and the top two teams will come together at the end of the season to contest the national championship.” When it comes to finance, the service could always make good use of more, but are very mindful of the benefits gained through working in partnership especially with key partner Scottish Disability Sports 24 | FOCUS SCOTLAND

that assist very much on the international side. Partnerships are also in place with local authorities to gain lower cost or free facilities hire and to also in help to run school leagues. Scottish Disability Sports deal with all disabled athletes and supporting them to aspire to the Paralympics is a main aim. Supported by a vast amount of volunteers with experiences of disabilities, they also assist with finance for the cerebral palsy national football team and learning disability team making sure they can reach championships like the World and Europeans – a partnership that is very strong and key. “They wouldn’t be able to make an impact in football without us and we wouldn’t be able to make an impact in disability football without them. We work hand in hand and very closely together. The cerebral palsy national team are currently lying 6th in the world and when you take into account the top 5 teams in the world are full time, Russia who won the Paralympics, Ukraine, Iran, Brazil and Holland are all full time salaried players.” “When you are trying to get things up and running, money will go a long way, but the important thing is time, people’s commitment, people volunteering their time. That’s what really drives it forward, if we didn’t have volunteers and we didn’t have people giving up time, you could sit with millions of pounds and still not make things happen.” David appreciates the support volunteers give. “Volunteers are the lifeblood of any sport. If you don’t have volunteers then nothing will happen. We hear a lot in the news about the Scotland national team, it doesn’t matter who you are, if you’re Darren Fletcher, Steven Fletcher or Kenny Miller, a volunteer has helped you get there. Every player started at a grassroots club and grassroots clubs are run by Volunteers. They are the people that drive things forward and the amount of hours that they do is unbelievable so what the Scottish FA need to as a way of a thank you is provide them with enough support as we can in a professional capacity through football development officers, but without volunteers no sport in Scotland would happen.”


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Focus on: Alastair Bateman It comes to a point when you realise you can’t do it all by yourself, and fortunately we have a lot of people helping out.

A

lastair Bateman’s day job with Scottish Water, where he has worked for over 27 years may seem very distant from his role as a football coach to some, but not to Alastair. “I didn’t study coaching; I studied and gained my degree in civil engineering. My first job was with Strathclyde Regional Council and since now with Scottish Water. Both have been all about supporting and providing a service to the community. On a football perspective, on a smaller scale we are there helping in the community providing something for the kids to do.”

coaching with the kids. Six months later, Alastair found himself as ‘it’ and was asked to help find some other parents to help out with the activities... starting in 2 weeks times. “It was as simple as that, I was thrown in at the deep end without really expecting anything. I was confident to help out but not to lead it. It’s amazing what you can do when you are dropped in it. It was never a grand vision of something I wanted to do, and it just escalated from there.”

Although not having grown up with any professional football experience, Alastair describes himself as having been “a very talented hoofer of the ball up the pitch” as a boy. “I had no skills whatsoever. Although I was very competitive, I wanted to win. Other than that, I never reached any great standard of football. I played for the third team at university and that was as good as I got.”

“The Anchor Boys were an organisation that I believe were the grassroots of club football in Scotland a number of years ago. They were a team in the past that someone took on and then it fell by the wayside, they lasted for a number of years as a feeder club in terms of motivating primary 1 and 2’s into a team. We then decided to create a club which is still affiliated in a certain extent to the church we were based at, Riverside Church. So we are now called Dumbarton Riverside FC.”

Coaching began to features in Alastair’s life in 2005 when his own son began attending the Anchor Boys section in Dumbarton and they asked for volunteers to help do some football training and

To become a coach, Alastair had to be cleared to work with children through Disclosure Scotland, allowing him to be the responsible adult at those sessions. Initially these took the form of 3 hour FOCUS SCOTLAND | 25


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sessions on a Thursday night, but through time a team was entered into a league and the club has grown ever since. Today, the club is home to 9 age groups, ranging from primary one all the way up to secondary school level, and the Adult Disability Football Team which started in August this year. There are 35 volunteers involved with the running of the club. Its structure includes an executive committee with a president, vice president, treasurer, child protection officer and a volunteer coordinator and in the general committee, representatives of the age groups who are also the coaches, so everyone tends to find they do more than one post. “I started off as a treasurer, child protection officer and secretary all at the same time, but I’m now the coach of three of our teams at the moment.”

age groups for a number of years. In terms of the disability team, I help coach with that group and I can relate to that as it is very similar to coaching young kids. Even with young kids, some are more talented than others and you can see their different abilities, and you need to spend a lot of time with them to the same with the disability adults. You need to spend a lot of time to give them a clear explanation for them to understand what you want them to do. So it is a new learning process for me.” The Scottish Football Association (SFA) are currently in the process of setting up disability coaching

Keeping everyone involved is a key part of the club’s success. “We work with a lot of the parents and on an events weekend we have asked them to contribute some refreshments and some bring home baking, they will also run a tea and coffee stall and various other activities on the day. Some of the parents organise race nights to fundraise and one of the teams in the last three years we have also done a bag packing, the parents come along with the young kids and volunteer for a couple of hours at one of the local supermarkets. In terms of people helping out at one of the events, we can have up to 100 people volunteering.” The Adult Disability Football Team is a relatively new addition to Alastair’s involvement, with demand arising after a West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust training session with a local school for people with additional support needs. “They then engaged with our club through me to get some of the adults and former pupils into a club environment. Their Football Development Team asked if we were interested in starting up a Disability football team and invited our club officials and coaching staff to their taster sessions in May and June this year. There was a transition period as this was our summer break and once the demand was there, we could start the team up this August.

courses to coach kids or adults with disabilities. In West Dunbartonshire this will be run through the West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust and Mark Spalding (Football Development Officer). “The main reason West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust came to ourselves was because our club has a Quality Mark and we are actively working towards the next level of SFA quality mark. So we have that tie in Mark Spalding as well and Alan Taylor at central region of the SFA. The disability team are called Riverside Champions.”

For Alastair working with a new team was a good challenge. “I’m very clear that I’m still learning as a coach even through I’ve been coaching various

In July 2012, Alastair was named as Community Coach of the Year. “I was taken aback by that. The vice president of the club nominated me and put

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In terms or people helping out at one of the events, we can have up to 100 people volunteering.

in a great submission. At the time I was doing quite a lot for the club in terms of my role in the club, I was trying to bring in the disability team and over the summer I was also trying to bring in a 97’s team but that one fell by the wayside, as there weren’t enough players to form that team. I’m currently working with 3 age groups and the adult disability team, but it’s not just me. I have support through all the age groups from other volunteers. I’m also the secretary for the Dunbartonshire Football Development league (DFDL); and have also taken on the role of disciplinary secretary for Scottish Youth Football Association (SYFA) Central region in which the DFDL are affiliated with. The central region covers North Lanarkshire, Stirling, Falkirk, Clackmannanshire, East and West Dunbartonshire.”

a disability team. It comes a point when you realise you can’t do it all by yourself, and fortunately we have a lot of other people helping out.”

At the moment, the club are using local school, Dumbarton Academy’s park as their main facility and there is currently no demand from any other clubs for the ground, as there are no flood lights. But the school is being redeveloped and the club are concerned that the planning application states that there will be no community use for the new pitch. “This year we will use Dumbarton Academy for our football festival, next year we won’t have a facility that we can use, so we will be scratching our heads trying to figure out where Dumbarton Riverside 3rd Annual Football Festival will be held. That is quite a big issue we have at the moment. There are quite Alastair is keen to encourage more people to get a lot of facilities, but there are more teams than involved whenever he can. “We are always on the facilities. There is work on a new 3G Park in East End lookout for volunteers, we’ve actually just taken on Park, Dunbartonshire Community Trust are leading 2 seventeen year olds as volunteers to help one on that with the help of the council, but that has hit of our teams and we have put them through their the buffers at the moment in terms of progress. The coaching badges. There is a whole range of activities new park was announced about a year and a half that we need to cover as well from an administrative ago and we’re still not there, so we are fairly limited point of view and we are actively looking for in terms of facilities. The demand is enormous from coaches for all teams including the disability team. amateur teams and professional like Dumbarton FC. The disability team is something we want to grow I think an ideal facility would be an indoor half size to create a different age group of younger kids for Astroturf pitch that the community could use.” FOCUS SCOTLAND | 27


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SUPPORT IS OUR SPORT SCOTLANDS SEARCH FOR 15000 VOLUNTEERS

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ant to be part of the 2014 Commonwealth Games? The Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee recently opened the official 2014 Volunteer Centre, beginning the search for the 15,000 volunteers needed to help support the Games.

here in Scotland.

Building on the success of the Games Makers volunteer programme during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Glasgow 2014 is seeking its own team of friendly faces to help deliver the largest sporting and cultural event ever hosted in Scotland.

Not all of the roles will be high profile or in the frontline and many might be away from the athletes. But, they are all crucial to making sure the Games run smoothly.

The Volunteering Programme plans to engage a diverse, inclusive and committed group of volunteers to support Glasgow 2014 across all strands of the Games.

Lord Smith, Chair of Glasgow 2014, who along with Clyde, the 2014 Games Mascot, opened the Volunteer Centre, said:

Roles available will range from volunteers to welcome athletes at the airport or at the Athletes’ Village, assist in the dining areas, driving athletes and officials seamlessly around the city, help behind the scenes or by directing people at the venues.

“One of my lasting memories of attending the London 2012 Olympics is the immense contribution made by the Games Makers and now we are looking to find up to 15,000 people of our own to help deliver a successful Commonwealth Games

A range of more specialist roles will also be available to ensure that the sport competitions run smoothly – these roles will all require volunteers to have some previous experience or to hold qualifications in sport or first aid.

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But the vast majority of roles just need friendly people, who are committed to helping make this the best show that Scotland has ever seen.

Games. One of its first tasks will be to support the anticipated 1,000 interviews per week for the huge range of volunteer roles on offer – interviews commence in April 2013. Lord Smith, added “I would urge those considering being a volunteer to register their interest online at the first opportunity and for them to begin to think about how they personally could assist Glasgow 2014 in making this an event to remember.” Applications for volunteer positions in 2014 formally open to the public in mid-January 2013. The application process is all completed online. To make sure everyone can get involved, Glasgow 2014 has been working with a number of organisations including the Scottish Library Information Council (SLIC) to arrange nationwide support for anyone wanting to play their part.

The programme has received the backing of a large number of agencies and organisations across Scotland including Enable Scotland and the network of Third Sector Interfaces, who will help publicise the opportunity across Scotland. George Thomson, Chief Executive of Volunteer Development Scotland said: “Glasgow 2014’s Organising Committee has worked extremely hard ahead of the launch of what I am sure will prove to be an outstanding volunteer programme. At Volunteer Development Scotland we will do everything we can to promote the wide range of opportunities the Games will create across an array of roles. From our own experience, we know the level of commitment that volunteers make, but also the many rewards that come with that. We are all being asked if we are ready to help make the Games a success and the resounding answer is that we are. I am confident the public will give their time and energy to help deliver a fantastic event.” Located in Glasgow’s Merchant City, the Centre will act as the hub for the volunteering profile of the

One of my lasting memories of attending the London 2012 Olympics is the immense contribution made by the Games Makers..... All volunteers are required to be 16 years or over when applications open in mid-January, be eligible to work in the UK and must be available for at least eight days during the Games themselves between July 23 and August 3 in 2014. Shona Robison, Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport said “I know that Scots love to get stuck in and play their part in making activities in their communities a success, and so I’d like to encourage everyone to consider volunteering for the 2014 Games and being part of something special.” Interested? Ahead of applications opening in mid January, you can register an interest by logging on to www.glasgow2014.com/volunteer. Any questions? The Contact Centre for Glasgow 2014 is available to deal with any volunteering or general queries and can be reached by calling 030 3333 2014 or emailing contactus@glasgow2014.com

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NEVER WASTE A MINUTE FOCUS ON - LAUREN LOCHRIE

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lydebank woman Lauren Lochrie has always recognised the benefits of volunteering, and has used it as a way to gain practical experience during her time of studying and later, employment. Still aged only 26, Lauren’s extensive volunteering CV shows the interesting and exciting opportunities she has already taken on...all leading up to her most recent employed post. While at university, Lauren volunteered in the university garden and with also alongside a PhD student helping with surveys of newts. Throughout her 3rd year of university, Lauren volunteered as an Ambassador of Science with the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Network (STEMNET) Scotland. She visited a range of schools several times a year, giving talks on conservation & biological topics. Graduating from Glasgow University in 2010 with BSc Zoology Honours Degree, Lauren began work with the Scottish Wildlife Trust. Then came one of her more unusual roles ‘Dinosaur Keeper’ at Chester Zoo. A role which gave her the chance to share her knowledge as she engaged the public with props and also gave dinosaur tours. Her interest in all things environmental also led Lauren in 2011 to volunteer time with the Zero Waste Scotland volunteering initiative in Glasgow – one of the duties being attending the BBC Good Food Show to promote the Love Food Hate Waste programme. 2012 brought new challenges as Lauren trained as a guide with a company providing school trips and children’s adventure holidays in UK. Trough this she gained an Activity Instructor/Group Leader certificate which she put to good use later that year working as an Education Ranger at Kelburn Castle & Country Centre for a few months before going on to work as a Summer School Teacher at Edinburgh Zoo. At the end of the school holiday season, Lauren started as a full-time volunteer for RSPB at the Lochwinnoch Reserve in the role of Family and Events Volunteer Officer. Recently, Lauren has used all of her education and volunteering experience to shine through in a recent interview and gained employment with Zero Waste Scotland as a Volunteer Coordinator in the East Ayrshire area. In this post, Lauren will train and support volunteers at local events, promoting the Love Food Hate Waste engagement programme, talking about how to recycle more and helping people reduce their waste at home.

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FOOD WASTE

RECYCLE

Each Year, Scottish households throw away 566,000 tonnes of food and it’s not just peelings and bones – most of this is good food that we simply have not got round to eating.

Recycled plastic bottles can be turned into all sorts of new things, from park benches to fleece jackets. And it’s not just water and juice bottles – you can recycle milk, shampoo and conditioner bottles too.

In fact, over two-thirds of food waste could be avoided if we planned, stored and managed it better.

Recycling Centres & Points – There are a number of council run recycling centres and points, as well as charity donation banks and drop-off points for items such as mobile phones and ink cartridges in all local authority areas in Scotland.

The UK uses 15 million plastic bottles every day

Recycling your plastic bottles reduces the amount of waste going into landfill

This costs us £1 billion a year or £35 for every household, every month!

Planning meals, writing (and sticking to!) a shopping list can save you pounds. Get your portions right and make the most of the food you buy.

Spaghetti Measure – Think ahead about portion sizes to help you plan how much you need, so you don’t cook too much food.

Spaghetti measures ensure the right portion so excess food isn’t prepared and wasted.

Bag Clip – Knowing how food should be stored and how long it can be stored for means you can always enjoy your food at its best.

Salad bag clips keep salad and other items fresher for longer

Shopping List – Planning your meals and food shopping is a great way to get organised in the kitchen and avoid food waste.

Shopping lists allow planning to ensure extra food is not purchased and wasted.

A portion of rice for one adult is about ¼ mug or 75ml

£130 million of meat and fish waste is thrown away by Scottish households every year

£90 million of bakery waste is thrown away by Scottish households every year. That’s enough to make everyone in Scotland a sandwich a day for the next 6 months!

ZERO WASTE SCOTLAND Zero Waste Scotland works on behalf of the Scottish Government to support the delivery of its Zero Waste Plan. By working with businesses, individuals, communities and local authorities, Zero Waste Scotland helps them reduce waste, recycle more and use resources sustainably. Our work is designed to help Scotland meet its ambitious target of 70% recycling by 2025. Moving towards zero waste could potentially boost Scotland’s economy by an estimated £178 million, as well as tackling climate change. VOLUNTEERING Being a Zero Waste Scotland Volunteer can be a rewarding experience. By committing just a couple of hours a month volunteers make a real difference in their local community. www.zerowastescotland.org.uk www.recycleforscotland.com www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

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ONE SCOTLAND MANY CULTURES

Elitsa Stoyanova was brought up in the north east coast of Bulgaria. She went to a language school studying English and German, to later gain a bachelor degree in Tourism. Last year she graduated in MSc International Tourism Enterprise from Glasgow Caledonian University.

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Why did you choose to migrate to Scotland? My partner is Scottish. Back in Bulgaria I studied tourism but after one term a job came along and I left university to work on cruise ships. After five years I left that job to get back to studying, but together with my partner we decided that it will be better if I continue my studies in Scotland. That is why we moved to Alexandria. You didn’t have any problems with language? No, I studied English back home and I worked on the cruise ships for many years so I had the experience with native speakers. My English was good, but I had problems with the Scottish accent, and I still do, especially with the Glaswegian one. However, I’ve found out that the people who I don’t understand, local people don’t understand either, so I do not think it is a language barrier but rather a matter of the accent. If you compared Scotland to Bulgaria, what would you say? Life’s easier here. Bulgaria is an ex-communist country so people’s thinking is different. People in Bulgaria have a very hard life. It seems like they’ve lost hope in the process of getting better, because we’ve been undergoing financial and economic crisis for a very long time. I don’t think a Scottish person would survive on Bulgarian terms. When my partner goes there and I tell him about the minimum wages, he is shocked by how low they are. When you go there to visit it looks like everything’s very cheap, but it’s not if you earn those wages. People earn only enough money to pay their bills, they can’t afford holidays. What do you do in Scotland? I did a Masters degree in International Tourism Enterprise at Glasgow Caledonian University for a year. Unfortunately, I haven’t had a chance to be employed here because I needed to obtain a work permit. As I graduated here I was allowed to apply for a registration certificate, which exempts me from the requirement to obtain a work permit in order to enter employment. That took really long, I waited almost nine months. While I was waiting, I decided to come to the West Dunbartonshire Community and Volunteering Services to register here. I didn’t want to sit at home doing nothing. I started in March volunteering in a

receptionist role and soon I was trained to become a volunteer broker. You’re always busy here, you meet other people, see what their issues are. I’m really glad I volunteer, I would recommend it to anybody. I hope volunteering will get me into employment. Did you volunteer in Bulgaria? I’d never thought of volunteering before I came here, I didn’t believe in working for free. In Bulgaria volunteering isn’t popular. It is different because volunteering has never been really talked about over there. When I tell people in Bulgaria that I volunteer, they ask ‘are there no jobs there?’ My mum understands as she knows it helps me. Most people in Bulgaria think that if you do a job then you’re supposed to be paid. People do not know what volunteering is about, I didn’t know. But when I was put in a position of not being able to work here, in a foreign country, with no friends, I had to do something and I realised that volunteering might be good for me. I’ve benefited a lot from it. I might not be paid for it but it gives me a sense of being useful and I meet new people. It’s good to feel that you’ve helped someone. Who is volunteering for? Volunteering is for everybody who wants to volunteer. It is our choice. I don’t think pushing people into volunteering is volunteering. You do it because you want to do it. Have you noticed any cultural differences between the two countries? People in Bulgaria do not use the word “please” too often. We’re not rude, it is just a cultural difference, and in Bulgaria we use different means of expression in order to show politeness and respect. Here people say please for everything, even if they don’t mean it. We are more direct in Bulgaria. And we don’t drink tea with milk... What do you think about Scotland and Scottish people? In general, Scottish people are nice. I prefer people from the countryside though, they are really nice. In a big city everybody is too busy. And I think Scotland is a beautiful country, the nature... I like going hiking so I think Scotland is one of the best places for it.

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JUST SHWOP.... W

e all know that feeling, that terrible moment when your parents tell you that your older cousin or sibling or insert any distant relation here has donated some clothes to you. It’s a feeling of sheer dread and when the ominous black bag of bad decisions and fashion disasters is brought into your room and then set down with a soft whoosh like a sigh of disappointment.

Through this scarring moment very few people really get over the idea of hand-me-downs. It’s a word which strikes fear into many hearts but thanks to clever clogs Marks & Spencers this is a thing of the past! Good old M&S launched its idea of ‘Shwopping’ earlier this year to try and encourage people to stop throwing away clothing and to abolish the ‘disposable clothing’ culture. Now, what all of you need to know about Shwopping; M&S have teamed up with Oxfam to ensure that all old clothes aren’t just added to the rubbish heaps. Clothes that can be reused will either 36 | FOCUS SCOTLAND

be resold at one of Oxfam’s charming little shops (keep an eye our for their specialist designer outlets, they are well worth a rummage), online or even at festivals. Clothes that can’t be worn again but could be repurposed are sold back to designers to become part of new collections which means that you have contributed to a new collection. Well done, you are now part of the fashion industry with minimal effort! Not only are M&S and Oxfam reusing clothes they’re recycling too; clothes that don’t have any fight left in them, even if it’s ripped, torn or stained beyond the abilities of even the most capable dry cleaner (thank you red wine) then step away from the bin, M&S still want those threads! Items like these are sent to processing plants and the fibres are repurposed in varying ways depending on how damaged they are. Some of them get taken back down to fibres which can


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make loads of things and others go towards making things like mattress filling and carpet underlay, a comforting thought. It’s also handy to know that M&S aren’t just looking for your holey jumpers and stained tops though, they’re also keen to get their mitts on your old jewellery, bags, shoes, and, from the ladies, any old bras as they’re items that are very much in demand in the third world. Just think, you could send that old bra your ex bought you half way around the world instead of just half way down the country to a landfill. Every extra mile away from you is a bonus and it will go to someone who really needs it. What could be better?

You can also Shwop in Oxfam stores and, even better, if you donate M&S clothing in Oxfam you get a voucher for £5 off your next £35 or more spend on clothing in M&S, as if giving to charity wasn’t rewarding enough, they’re just spoiling you now! It’s worthwhile remembering that there are plenty of other charity shops on the high street and they are always really keen for donations, especially clothes, so pick your favourite and get down there with a bag of your hand-me-downs and maybe you’ll find yourself a little upgrade while you’re in.

Every hour there is approximately 114,000 garments of clothing thrown away in the UK Every hour there is approximately 114,000 garments of clothing thrown away in the UK and this is something that M&S and Oxfam are working together to try and stop. Landfills are not a permanent solution and surely anything that’s done to reduce the amount of rubbish we put into them is a good idea. M&S’s aim is to make Shwopping the norm and to get as many people in on it as possible. Shwopping is sort of a clothing revolution, it turns one person’s trash into another person’s treasure. Just imagine, clothes that you had given up on and forgotten about at the back of your wardrobe could become someone else’s favourite garment and that, you’ll have to agree, is kind of amazing. So what are you waiting for? Get down to your local M&S armed with bags of those clothes you keep because you’re waiting to find a purpose for (M&S and Oxfam will find one for you), get them into the Shwop Drop Box and let the good vibes roll. To find out where your local M&S Shwop Box is visit:

So what can you do? Next time you go to have a clear out and you think no one could ever possibly want those skin tight faux leather hot pants then don’t instantly chuck them onto a landfill site (thrown out clothes actually contribute around 500,000 tonnes of rubbish each year) take them down to your local M&S along with any other clothes you want to rehome, pop them in the Shwop Drop Box and then the magic begins.

http://www.marksandspencer.com/ShwoppingStores-Shwop/b/1742543031 For your local Oxfam visit: http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/local-shops You can also find a list of Oxfam’s specialist shops here too, including their designer clothing shops. FOCUS SCOTLAND | 37


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EMPLOYMENT ENTERPRISE INTRODUCE JOBSPOT

J

obspot.org.uk is a new online tool developed for West Dunbartonshire Council by Employment Enterprise Consultancy (EEC) to help local people get back to work. The essential function of jobspot.org.uk is the job matching tool, aimed at West Dunbartonshire residents. This operates by means of the E-Cv. When a person registers to use the service they are prompted to complete an E-Cv describing their skills, experience and qualifications using an intuitive dropdown menu system. The E-Cvs are searchable by employers, who can upload live vacancies and use the search function to specify precise combinations of skills and experience leading them to the perfect local candidate. The whole user experience is supported by EEC staff. Whilst in the past there have been static employer/ client database systems, this is the first time a Local Authority has had a live, online and interactive Job Matching tool which is accessible anywhere, anytime and by anyone. It is currently unique to West Dunbartonshire. Jobspot.org.uk is designed 38 | FOCUS SCOTLAND

to enhance and support the Council’s ongoing commitment to helping local people access the best possible employment opportunities and provide them with a tool which helps them get to the front of the queue in today’s competitive jobs market. Jobspot.org.uk is certain to make a positive contribution to the drive to create 1000 new jobs and training places across West Dunbartonshire. The online Employer Offer brings together for the first time a comprehensive online directory of employability services for employers in West Dunbartonshire. The employer engagement team actively market the offer to employers in the local area. The online offer page is a free information hub. Input from local employability providers is always welcome. So, whether you are a business looking to cut the costs of recruitment, a job seeker looking for the right opportunity or an employability programme looking for more ways to reach employer, Jobspot has what you need. For more information contact EEC at info@jobspot.org.uk.


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RaisingAwareness Bringing Positive Change in Male Cancer Awareness

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

CITIZENSHIP

Change Lifestyle

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Placement While Studying New Services

Helping Others Getting Recognised Retirement

Give Something Back

Into Employment Career Change

SOCIAL CHANGE

Use Spare Time

Stronger Communities

Peer Support

EMPLOYMENT

Broaden Horizons

VOLUNTEER

New Skills

Bringing Communities Together

Meeting New People Use Your Skills

Change Your Community

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION

Volunteer - Choose your destination. Whatever you want to do, wherever you want to go....volunteering can get you there. To book your journey call 0141 941 0886, text the word volunteer free on 80800 or visit www.volunteerscotland.org.uk


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