For Volunteers

Charity trustees play a very important role in making sure that the charity is run well. They are volunteers who strategically oversee the management, governance and administration of the organisation. Trustees ensure their charity has a clear strategy, and that its work and goals are in line with its vision and mission. A trustee's role in a charity is to make sure that all decisions put the needs of the service users/beneficiaries first and that they don't move away from the organisation's constitutional goals. Trustees safeguard the charity’s assets – both physical assets, including property, and intangible ones, such as its reputation. They make sure that the charity is run sustainably and in line with legal requirements. Trustees are not typically involved in the day-to-day operations of a charity. Instead, they delegate these responsibilities to staff, led by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Trustees act as a ‘critical friend’ to the CEO—offering support while also providing constructive challenge to ensure effective leadership. However, in smaller charities with limited staff, trustees may also take on more direct, operational responsibilities. Check out these open Trustee roles: CILPK Trustee Vacancy for Centre for Inclusive Living Perth & Kinross | Be the Change (Perth & Kinross) Duke of Edinburgh P&K We are looking for a New Trustee with Financial Background | Be the Change (Perth & Kinross) Swansacre Playgroup Charity Trustee - Committee Secretary | Be the Change (Perth & Kinross) Strathmore Community Hub Trustee | Be the Change (Perth & Kinross) CATH Volunteer Trustee | Be the Change (Perth & Kinross) For further information on being a trustee, visit: Become a trustee | Reach Volunteering Roles & responsibilities - SCVO GovernanceWiki OSCR | Guidance and good practice for charity trustees

Employer Supported Volunteering (ESV) is a term used to describe when businesses and organisations support the people that work for them to volunteer in various ways. Where you work, this might be called corporate volunteering, employee volunteering, workplace volunteering or something else! Not only are there different names for it, there are many ways to do it. You might do it as a team building experience or as part of your learning journey, you might get time off work to take part and you might even get paid for some of that time. This could be in the form of a day litter picking, a regular trustee position or a few weeks pro bono support - there are endless ways to volunteer. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of employers offering support for employees to volunteer in Scotland has increased to over half of all employers. It provides many benefits to the employer and to you, the employee, such as mental wellbeing and skill development. For the organisation who hosts these volunteers they gain the opportunity to meet and engage with new volunteers who may continue to support them in different ways. This is particularly valuable when the ESV is based on a longer-term relationship and when there is a skills based volunteering aspect. Does your work have an employee volunteering policy? To find out more, check out these websites: Employer-supported volunteering | NCVO and Employer Supported Volunteering | Go Volunteer Glos or email us at info@thirdsectorpk.org.uk.

For some volunteer roles, as with some jobs, you may need to be part of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups scheme (PVG scheme) to allow you to do it. The Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme helps ensure people who are unsuitable to work with children and protected adults cannot do regulated roles . It's a membership scheme and Disclosure Scotland continuously checks members' criminal history information. It also keeps lists of people barred from regulated roles. As of April 1st 2025, the list of roles included has now grown and become a legal requirement. This means you can get into legal trouble if you are supposed to have a PVG and don't. It is both your responsibility and the responsibility of the organisation you volunteer with to make sure this is done correctly. Not every volunteer role requires a PVG. Be sure to ask if you are not clear! For more information, go to Disclosure Act update - special edition! - Disclosure Scotland or email infobox@thirdsectorpk.org.uk.

You can volunteer while receiving benefits as long as you continue to meet all of the conditions of your benefit. Volunteering is when you choose to give your time to help others without being paid for it. It can help you to develop new skills and try something new and it can help you prepare for paid work by increasing your confidence and experience. Here are a few key points: · Tell the Jobcentre Plus about any volunteering you already do when you start a claim. · If you’re looking for paid work, you may agree with Jobcentre Plus to do some volunteering as part of your activities to prepare for work but be careful, unpaid work is not the same as volunteering. · If you’re getting a benefit, you can volunteer for any type of organisation. However, you cannot volunteer for a close relative, for example: Your parent or parent-in-law; your grandparent; your son or daughter; your son-in-law or daughter-in law; your grandchild; your brother or sister. · You can volunteer for as many hours as you like, as long you continue to meet the conditions of the specific benefit you get. ✨1. What do I tell the benefits office about my volunteering? Before you start volunteering: · How many hours a day you will be volunteering for. · How many days a week you will be volunteering for. · Whether you will be volunteering for the same hours/days each week, or whether they change. · What you will do in your volunteer role. · Whether you will get any expenses. · Anything else you will be given – this may not be money. While volunteering: · If you change the hours or days you volunteer. · If you stop volunteering. ✨2. What are expenses? You are not paid for your time as a volunteer, but you may get money to cover reasonable expenses. These can be things like: · Food and drink. · Travel. · Childcare costs. · Any specialist equipment needed to complete the voluntary work e.g. Craft supplies or PPE. Any reasonable expenses you are paid by the organisation you volunteer with will not usually affect the amount of benefit you get. Any money you are paid that is not to cover a reasonable expense may stop your benefit or reduce the amount you get. 
 ✨3. When is it not volunteering? Unpaid work If you choose not be paid for any work you do, this is not the same as volunteering. Any work you do which someone would normally be paid for will be classed as unpaid work, not volunteering. For example, if you’re working in a business which would usually pay someone to do the work. The money you would normally have been paid for this work may be counted as your earnings. This is called ‘notional earnings’. It may affect the amount of benefit you receive. ✨4. How might it affect conditions of my benefit? As long as your volunteering doesn’t stop you from completing tasks like those listed below, then you are good to go! The conditions for your benefit could include things like: ·Attending a job interview with 2 days’ notice. · Starting work within a week. · Rearranging or giving up your volunteering to start a job. Employment and Support Allowance You can usually work while you are claiming ESA if you work less than 16 hours a week and you do not earn more than £167 a week - But you can do as many hours of voluntary work as you like! Universal Credit If you get Universal Credit, your volunteering can count to up to half the time you agree to spend looking for and preparing for work in your ‘Claimant Commitment’. Example You volunteer for an organisation for 20 hours a week. Your Claimant Commitment states you are to undertake 30 hours a week work search and work preparation activities. That means 15 hours of voluntary work will count towards your 30 hours work search requirement (50% of 30). ✨5. What if I am on a health or disability benefit? If you have a health condition or disability, you can still volunteer. You will not need to have a Work Capability Assessment, just because you start volunteering, and you don’t need to provide evidence from your doctor about your volunteering. You will still need to let Jobcentre Plus know about any volunteering that you are planning to do before you start. Adapted by Emily Skilton from the DWP advice given online at Volunteering and claiming benefits - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and Volunteer opportunities, rights and expenses - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) ; accessed 29/01/2024.

Be the Change Live is brought to you by the TSI Perth and Kinross. Watch our first virtual volunteer fair and learn about three of our amazing organisations and their volunteering opportunities. Janice starts us off by telling us about PKAVS' Walled Garden and Wisecraft projects. Get your hands dirty with gardening or creative sessions as you help a dynamic staff team to support individuals and groups with mental health difficulties. These flexible roles are a great way to give back! If a more structured role is for you, join Sana at the Voluntary Tutors Organisation (VTO) and help children and young people to improve their educational attainments. These roles can be face to face or online and come with lots of training and support to get you going. Close the attainment gap and improve your CV with VTO! The Duke of Edinburgh Association of Perth and Kinross is a small charity who's aim is to get children with additional support needs their Duke of Edinburgh as well as other awards. Whether you can give time to do a one off skill share or want to provide more ongoing support, the Duke of Edinburgh Association would be happy to have you! You could be climbing a mountain, creating a centre piece or doing some gardening, the possibilities are endless! Inspired? All of these organisations and roles can be found right here on Be the Change!