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Scottish Projects and Partners

Napier University

In order to embed volunteering and all of the benefits it brings deep into the Napier University culture,our partnership with Napier University focuses on enhancing learning, employability as well as personal and social development. A range of resources and services to promote and support student volunteering have been created. Students are actively encouraged to record personal development derived from volunteering. Students are also encouraged to record their hobbies and interests, membership of clubs and societies using a specially designed self assessment tool which is given additional support from the University PDP team.

Promoting development beyond the classroom bucks the trend of previous years where the focus was very much on academic development only. Through building the capacity and understanding of staff ,it is now widely recognised that students engaging in volunteering are likely to have a more rewarding experience and be better equipped to gain meaningful employment.

The transferable skills and attributes students can gain mean that employers and the wider community can benefit from having access to more confident and well rounded graduates.

Napier Partnership visual

Press release

Young People's Panels

There are currently 32 Young People's Panels established in each of Scotland's local authority areas which are made up of 11-25 year old volunteers.

Dundee University

Volunteer Development Scotland’s Research Team and the University of Dundee have worked collaboratively via a previous ESRC Case studentship undertaking detailed research into volunteering. The current research being undertaken will explore informal volunteering.

Job Centre Plus

Participants in volunteering come from all walks of life. Traditionally, not all Jobcentre Plus priority customers engage in volunteering in significant numbers however Incapacity Benefit customers have often used volunteering as a stepping stone to employment. Jobcentre Plus, Volunteer Development Scotland and SCVO are developing partnership working with the Network of Volunteer Centres, local Job Centres and Councils for Voluntary Service (CVS) to increase awareness of the benefits of volunteering to Jobcentre Plus Advisers and customers and to ensure that Volunteer Centres are able to provide suitable opportunities for Jobcentre Plus customers where developing skills through volunteering is a suitable option. As part of the advice available Job Centre Plus have publised a Guide to volunteering whilst on benefits

Project Scotland

Project Scotland offers young people aged from 16-25 to opportunity to take up full-time volunteering placements and since their launch in May 2006 have placed over 1,400 young people into opportunities with 130 organisations. Project Scotland volunteers are able to access the MV Volunteering Awards

Roars Not Whispers

Oxfam in Scotland, in partnership with the Scottish Youth Parliament, have developed a youth dialogue and peer learning programme focusing on political, economic, and social justice issues locally, nationally and internationally. The project, which will work in tandem with the Civicus World Assembly which is being held in Scotland in 2006, 2007 and 2008, aims to establish a youth-led programme that will:

build the capacity of young people to represent themselves and others, take action on issues of concern to them and bring these issues further up the public and political agenda in Scotland and internationally;
work with young people, including those facing particular discrimination, in Scotland to build global linkages with young people from overseas.

A key part of this process is developing a dynamic network of young people around Scotland who will be peer educators for other young people in their areas, motivating them and helping develop their skills. Oxfam and the Scottish Youth Parliament approached Volunteer Development Scotland in 2006 to provide additional support for the peer educators in each local area through the network of Volunteer Centres and the first peer educators completed their training in July 2007.

The Scottish Council Foundation

The Scottish Council Foundation develops leading edge thinking and world class practice to address the strategic challenges facing Scotland and other modern economies and societies in an age of complexity and rapid change. The Foundation has been working with Volunteer Development Scotland to inform thinking on policy developments.

Student Volunteering Scotland

Research carried out in 2000 identified a huge, untapped potential of Student Volunteers in Scotland. Student Volunteering Scotland (SVS) was established in 2002 as a response to this research. Student Volunteering Scotland aims to strategically support, develop and promote student volunteering in Scottish Further and Higher Education Institutions.

sportscotland

There are over 150,000 volunteers involved in sport in Scotland and since 2005 sportscotland has funded 6 Regional Development Officers for Sport who are housed within 6 Volunteer Centres to develop and support volunteers in sport.

Reaching Higher Building on the Success of Sport21

Time Banking Scotland

Time Banking Scotland Logo

Time Banking Scotland is a new and exciting initiative which aims to connect people with their communities and interest groups by exchanging their time and talents in a mutually beneficial way.

Time banking is built on the principle that for every hour of time a person contributes to help another, they receive the equivalent in time credits. These time credits can be built up and exchanged, for example, to obtain help when needed from others.

Time banking values people equally; and by being accessible to all, it is totally inclusive.

Time Banking Scotland is a Joint Venture Agreement between Volunteer Development Scotland and Time Banks UK, enhancing Volunteer Development Scotland's commitment to informing and connecting people with volunteering.

There are currently nine active time banks in Scotland and several others in development throughout Scotland.

Time Banking Scotland aims to support those time banks already established as well as assisting individuals, organisations and communities to set up and run their own.

Time Banking Scotland will be the vehicle linking and supporting time banks across Scotland by providing inspiration, guidance and practical help.

For more information about Time Banking Scotland and how you can get involved, please contact tam.cassidy@vds.org.uk or text 'Timebanking' to 07786 200 350

Youth Scotland

Youth Scotland is 'the network of youth clubs and groups in Scotland' and deliver the Youth Achievement Awards. Youth Scotland, in partnership with Volunteer Development Scotland have developed Youth Achievement Awards for volunteering.

Working in partnership with a network of Area Associations across Scotland, we offer those involved in youth work a range of information, training and support. Our main aim is to help youth workers provide safe and inspiring leisure, social and learning opportunities for young people aged 8 - 18.

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© 2007 Volunteer Development Scotland - Registered in Scotland Company No. 106743, Scottish Charity No. SCO13740

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