Get Volunteering In The South East
we’ve rounded up some exciting volunteering opportunities, so you can find a role that works for you!
Why Volunteer?
Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, develop your skills, and help facilitate some of the great stuff that makes the South East of Glasgow such a great place to be. From one off volunteering to a more regular commitment - there are opportunities whatever the time and skills you have to offer are. Check some of them out below!
Companions, drivers and language Supporters
Amma Birth Companions
About Amma: Amma Birth Companions is a Scottish charity that supports parents in Glasgow who might otherwise give birth alone. They provide care, information, and advocacy to ensure parents experiencing multiple disadvantages can give birth and parent safely and with dignity. Click here to learn more about Amma.
About the role: Amma are looking for several roles designed to suit a range of availabilities and interests. The companion roles are: birth companion, pregnancy & birth companion, postnatal companion, and parent supporter. Amma offers a completely unique doula training. In addition to learning about birth and the postpartum period, their volunteers are taught how to provide culturally safe, trauma informed care and advocacy.
Get involved: The next application window deadline is Saturday 15th July for the companion roles, with the other role applications accepted on a rolling deadline. Click here to get involved.
Chair and members of board
The Glendale Women’s Cafe
About The Glendale Women’s Cafe: The Glendale Women’s Cafe Project is creating a cohesive neighbourhood in Pollokshields by empowering local women. They offer a safe and welcoming space in which women can come together to learn, create, enjoy and support each other. Click here to learn more about The Glendale Women’s Cafe.
About the role: A charity’s board (of trustees) set the strategy for the organisations and make key decisions while overseeing the running of a charity. The people on the board have a range of different knowledge, experience and skills to bring to the charity. The board meets six times a year, usually on a Tuesday during the 9am-3pm cafe hours. The role of chair also has additional responsibilities to ensure the smooth running of the board.
Get involved: The deadline for the role of chair is Monday 31st July. Click here to get involved.
Retail Assistant, Donations Team, Carousel Pack, Mega Sale, and Van Driver volunteers
Merry-Go-Round
About Merry-go-round: Merry-go-round is a boutique charity shop selling everything baby related, at low prices. They work with more than 130 agencies in Glasgow to distribute free essential children’s goods and act as a community space with an events programm that brings people together. Click here to learn more about Merry-go-round.
About the role: Merry-go-round offers opportunities in both their shop and sorting hub which are based in the Southside of Glasgow. Their volunteers cover a variety of roles such as sorting donations, making up beautiful carousel packs, helping in the shop, and delivering stock and packs to their partnering agencies. These roles can accommodate a range of time commitments.
Get involved: Click here to get involved.
Befriending Volunteer
Amina MWRC
About Amina: Amina - The Muslim Women's Resource Centre (Amina MWRC) is an intersectional organisation, based in Scotland, that empowers and supports Muslim and BME women by serving as a vital link between them and the barriers they face everyday. Click here to learn more about Amina.
About the role: Amina operates a telephone befriending project for Muslim and BME women in Scotland who lack a local social support network and are comfortable and able to have 30 minute phone conversations. Volunteers work with women over a period of time to support them to build their confidence and self-esteem in order to empower them to deal with any ongoing challenges they are facing.
Get involved: Click here to get involved.
Youth Summer Kitchen Volunteer and General volunteers
Pollokshields Mutual Aid
About Pollokchields Mutual Aid: Pollokshields Mutual Aid (PMA) is a group of residents in G41, Glasgow, who came together at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to support each other and those in need in our community. PMA opened Pollokshields Community Food Point in April 2020 at 423 Shields Road,run by volunteer community members, The Food Point has developed as a community connection point, where relationships, confidence and skills are built as well as food support provided. Click here to learn more about PMA.
About the role: PMA are looking for a youth volunteer to support their summer hot food project 2-3 times a week throughout the summer holidays. The role is perfect for someone aged 16-19 who has an interest in cooking/catering/restaurants or community food work, and is keen for experience. The timings are 10:00am - 2:00pm on Mondays and Wednesdays in Pollokshields.
PMA also need volunteers to staff The Food Point on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, between 2pm and 5pm; to make deliveries by car or bike; to pick-up food donations by car; or to get involved in regular hot food cooking and community food events.
Get involved: For the youth summer kitchen role, Click here to get involved. If interested in general volunteering, email info@pollokshieldsmutualaid.org.
Home-visiting Volunteer
Home-start Glasgow South
About Home-Start Glasgow South: Home-Start Glasgow South is a family support charity offering support that helps to give young children the best possible start in life. They work with families to help them overcome issues affecting their lives with a range of family support services. Issues like isolation, mental health difficulties, bereavement, family breakdown, addiction, physical ill-health and more. Click here to learn more about Home-Start Glasgow South.
About the role: Volunteers help support families with young children across South Glasgow by providing practical and emotional support. The volunteer training course will ensure you are fully prepared for visiting families. This role requires around two hours a week - click here for more on the role.
Get involved: If interested email theteam@homestartglasgowsouth.org.uk or call 0141 570 8735.
Being Free Project Volunteer
YCSA
About YCSA and the Being Free Project: YCSA supports and empowers young people and their families from BME backgrounds with a variety of needs. They provide holistic, practical, and culturally sensitive support so that young people can become active and valued members of a diverse community. The ‘Being Free’ project is aimed towards Asylum and Refugees and will commence every Thursday throughout the summer. This is a social group that will be taken outside in local areas, weather permitting. The group will give young people a chance to socialise and interact as a group in outdoor spaces. Click here to learn more about YCSA.
About the role: The volunteer would be there to support the group with the programme lead and it would be preferred if they are willing to engage with art, work outside and be comfortable with speaking to young people who attend. Ages of people who may attend range from 16-25years old. Activities may involve foraging, mindfulness, games and discussions to help promote skills that strengthen relationships. The times will be between 2-5pm on a Thursday and will start on 20th July depending on the uptake of referrals made.
Get involved: If interested email programma lead jamilaaubad@ycsa.org.uk.
Various Food Related Roles
Glasgow Food not Bombs
About Food Not Bombs: Food Not Bombs engage in soup and revolutionary chat on Saturday afternoons. It's like a picnic, but bigger, with old friends and strangers (aka brand new friends). We take donated food that would otherwise be unused, cook it and then share it out free to everyone and anyone in Govanhill. All our food is vegan and halal. Click here to learn more about Food Not Bombs.
About the role: Volunteers can either cook at the shared kitchen space in Charing Cross on Saturday mornings, or go to the stall to give out food in the afternoon, or both. There are also some opportunities to get involved in other ways if Saturdays don't suit.
Get involved: Email glasgowfoodnotbombs@gmail.com to start cooking up trouble.
Website & Social Media Volunteer
Greater Govanhill CIC
About Greater Govanhill: Greater Govanhill is a solutions-focused community magazine, that is available both in print and online. The purpose of the magazine is to help to unify the different communities in Govanhill to create a more cohesive identity for the neighbourhood. Click here to learn more about Greater Govanhill.
About the role: : Greater Govanhill community magazine are looking for someone to help with uploading content to their website and social media. This might mean uploading articles from the magazine, or finding community notices and events to share via our online noticeboard. This can be done remotely or from our newsroom but a computer and internet connection is necessary. Hours are flexible to suit the volunteer. Would suit someone interested in developing their skills/experience in digital communications.
Get involved: If interested email newsroom@greatergovanhill.com.
Health Volunteer
Scottish Ballet
About Scottish Ballet Health: SB Health is Scottish Ballet's health initiative. Since 2013, they have been dancing with young people who have faced adversity in childhood and families who live with neurological conditions (Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s and Dementia/ brain health). Scottish Ballet respects the dancer in all Health participants and encourages physical and mental resilience. Click here to learn more about Scottish Ballet.
About the role: Volunteers assist in setting up the space, meet and greet participants, prepare and serve refreshments for social time, help provide practical support throughout the class and partner participants in dancing when required. No previous experience is required, and training is provided. Classes primarily take place at Scottish Ballet headquarters on Albert Drive, Glasgow Southside. Choose from classes during the week or at weekends, depending on your schedule. You do not need to be available for every class in a term.
Get involved: If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please email dancehealth@scottishballet.co.uk.
Festival Volunteer
Pride Outside
About Pride Outside: Pride Outside CIC is an award winning Glasgow based social enterprise, founded by LGBTQ+ couple Ellis and Lou Beardsmore. Pride Outside runs a free LGBTQ+ wellbeing programme which includes yearly LGBTQ+ Wellbeing Festival and improves the wellbeing of over 1,000 lgbtq+ people every year. Their wellbeing programme is based in Malls Mire in Toryglen and is a mixture of public access sessions and sessions run specifically for LGBTQ+ parts of the SE Glasgow population. Click here to learn more about Pride Outside.
About the role: This festival is the first family friend and sober Pride event held outside in nature, and last year over 1,000 LGBTQ+ people benefited as a result of the free wellbeing events and festival. The festival runs in Glasgow on 2nd September and West Lothian on 26th August. Volunteer roles include (but are not limited to) social media, photography, admin, first aid, flyering, stewarding, setting up and clearing up.
Get involved: Click here to get involved.
Tape Letters Project Volunteer
Tape Letters Scotland
About the Tape Letters Scotland project: The Tape Letters project shines light on the practice of recording and sending messages on cassette tape as an unorthodox method of communication by Pakistanis who migrated and settled in Scotland between 1960-1980. Drawing directly both from first-hand interviews and from the informal and intimate conversations on the cassettes themselves, the project seeks to unearth, archive and re/present a portrait of this method of communication, as practised mainly by Potwari-speaking members of the British-Pakistani community. Click here to learn more about the Tape Letters Project.
About the role: As a volunteer, you will work closely with the Community Engagement Officers to conduct oral history interviews with individuals from the Scottish Pakistani community, capturing their experiences and stories of using Tape letters. Volunteers must: have an interest in communication history, migration, and sound recordings; have availability from July 2023 to May 2024, with strong availability in July to November; have tact, sensitivity, and confidentiality in listening to people's stories; be reliable, punctual, and have clear communication skills. It is desirable that volunteers: have experience working with the Pakistani Community, and the ability to communicate in Urdu (additional languages an advantage). Bespoke training on Oral History will be provided by the Scottish Oral History Society, with further training on audio recording, editing, and archiving available for interested volunteers.
Get involved: To apply or request more information about the role description, contact syma@tapeletters.com. Application Deadline: 5pm Thursday 13th July 2023.
Volunteer Work PArty
South Seeds
About South Seeds: South Seeds is a community organisation based in the South Central area of Glasgow. They aim to work in partnership with residents and organisations within the local community to help improve the look and feel of the area. Their mission is to enable Southsiders to lead more sustainable lives. Click here to learn more about South Seeds.
About the role: South Seeds are pleased to announce they’ve been given a 25-year lease for The Old Changing Rooms on Queen's Park Recreation Ground. They are hosting a series of work parties to help transform the building in the lead-up to some eco-friendly renovations! Don't worry if you're not a DIY expert or have experience in gardening - there will be plenty of tasks for people of all skill levels. There are upcoming volunteer work parties on Thursday 13th July (6:00 - 8:00pm) and Sunday 30th July (10:00am - 12:00pm). Click here for more info.
Get involved: Click here to sign up for the 13th July - click here to sign up for the 30th July.