Volunteer with Hourglass Scotland

Hourglass Scotland volunteers are at the heart of our work, putting themselves on the frontline for victims who need support and for all those who want to put a stop to the harm and abuse done to older people.

 

All our volunteers receive full training and support, and have the relevant skills, knowledge and empathy to provide a meaningful and personalised service to those we support.

 

Our volunteers are determined and passionate - always acting with care, respect and compassion.

 

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Helpline volunteers:

We regularly look for volunteers to take calls on our Helpline to ensure we can provide 24/7 service, 365 days a year.

Our Helpline provides free, confidential information, advice and support to victims of elder abuse, as well as others who are concerned about or have witnessed abuse, neglect or financial exploitation of older people.

If the following apply to you, then please get in touch to find out more:

• you are aged 18 or over;

• you enjoy working with older people;

• you have excellent communication skills;

• you can build a rapport with older people, and or people in distress;

• you can provide empathy, advice, support or just be someone who can listen;

• you are willing to undertake extensive training to provide you with the relevant knowledge and skills to handle helpline calls.

You will be provided with full training and support, call-handling software and ongoing support and guidance from our staff and other volunteers. We will cover all out-of-pocket expenses, and provide certificates for completed training.

Rachel, helpline volunteer said:

"Volunteering is a rewarding experience for me with many benefits.  My social needs are satisfied...I feel valued for my contributions and efforts.  I am supported and encouraged without feeling pressured.  I carefully chose the organisation I wanted to volunteer with and it seemed like a natural progression for me to volunteer with Hourglass.  The extra training has been invaluable and out of pocket expenses are paid.  I encourage anyone thinking of volunteering to 'do it'.  Contributing positively to the lives of others is truly satisfying for all".

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Safer Ageing Volunteers

“Our Safer Ageing Support Service offers practical and emotional support, and helps older adults access local services. Our Safer Ageing volunteers work one-on-one with older people over a period of weeks, having regular check-in phone calls and chats. The volunteer helps the older person identify challenges in their life, and access local services in their area to meet those challenges. We provide support with:

• Loneliness and isolation
• Home security
• Scam awareness
• Accessing local services, such as food delivery, transport, and befriending”

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Fundraising volunteers: 

Hourglass Scotland exists to challenge the abuse of older people, to help those who have been the victims of abuse and to strive for safer ageing for all. All of our services are provided free to older people, but we need to reach more and help more. In addition to the critical advice and support given by our Helpline, we also deliver a range of services to directly support older people.

If you can help with any of the following, please get in touch:

• Distributing collection tins in your local community

• Arranging fundraising events, e.g bake sales, coffee morning, sponsored events, etc.

• Supporting our team with funding bids, etc.

 

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Other volunteers: 

We’re always looking for support with other areas too, so if you think you can support us in other ways, please get in touch.

 

You may be able to help us with some of the following:

• Administration

• IT

• Social media

• Research

• Policy work

 

If you are interested in finding out more about any of the opportunities above, please contact volunteers@wearehourglass.org for further information.