2020 - 2021 Volunteer Centre Western Isles Annual Report Actively encouraging, supporting and promoting volunteering. Working at the heart of our communities since 1997 During Covid, our volunteers and supporters have continued with their invaluable support, swapping face to face therapeutic activities for digital community events and telephone companion calls, and continue to support fundraising to fund our services. Taking on the challenge of mastering digital skills and devices, their involvement has helped to keep people living with dementia in the community stay connected, stimulated and supported with chat, activities and fun, including French conversation, football memories, Gaelic stories and music events.

Ellie Donnelly, Dementia Advisor/Volunteer Coordinator for Alzheimer’s Scotland Western Isles

2 Actively encouraging, supporting and promoting volunteering Contents

4. Manager’s Report

5. Interim Chair’s report

6. About Us

6. Our Trustees

7. Our Staff

8 - 23. Our Work

24. Youth Volunteering

30. ‘Give a Gift, Light up a Life’ Volunteer Campaign

33. Finances

www.volunteercentrewi.org 3 Welcome to our 2020 /21 annual report.

Managers Report

This has been a challenging year for all in Centre Western Isles and we wish her well the third sector as we responded to the in her retirement. needs of our communities throughout the Our thanks also go to Clive Rowlands, our COVID-19 lockdown, in partnership with Chair for 12years who has stepped down to our public sector colleagues. fully enjoy retirement. It has also been an inspirational year as Alongside our goodbyes, we welcomed volunteering played a major role in the Kathleen Duce, our new Development COVID-19 response. Worker (Harris) to our team. Kathleen has We are proud of the work our staff team taken over the post from Kate Langley, who carried out to respond to the changing left in August to take up a new post - we demand on our service to increase our look forward to having Kathleen as part of support for volunteer groups and volunteers our team and to developing our service in as they delivered their essential services. Harris. Volunteers across the Western Isles, and Our team look forward to continuing the rest of the UK, stepped in to fill essential to adapt our service over the coming roles during lockdown, especially to help year in order to develop and encourage the most vulnerable in our communities and volunteering as services reopen throughout the number of organisations we supported the Western Isles. with volunteer guidance and management doubled from the previous year, showing the demand on volunteer involving organisations due to COVID-19. As the volunteering response to the Amongst the challenges of COVID-19, this COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated the greatest untapped resource year also saw some changes within our available for wellbeing is the latent own organisation; Kirsty Macdonald, Joint human potential and talent within Manager, retired after 23years of managing, our people. leading and developing the organisation. Our team and board cannot thank her Volunteer Scotland enough for her service to the Volunteer

4 Actively encouraging, supporting and promoting volunteering Interim Chair’s Report

On behalf of the Board I would like to express my sincere thanks to all the staff at the Volunteer Centres throughout our islands for the commitment and enthusiasm they have maintained throughout what has been an exceptionally challenging year for everyone. Volunteering in its traditional mode of organisation and delivery has not been possible for many Kirsty Macdonald’s retirement presentation by Trustees organisations or volunteers this year and we have had to adapt to new ways of working. However, Very shortly after the year ended Clive, Covid has provided opportunities, as was our Chairman for the past 5 years, retired. demonstrated by the amazing response to Clive steered the Board with a calm, clear the “Sew for Scrubs” project. This, in turn sense of purpose and provided advice and has led on to closer working with the local practical support to the various managers NHS which we hope will bear more fruit in through the years which I know they the coming year. appreciated greatly. Our best wishes go with him as he is free to spend more time The Development Workers have continued with his family, especially his much loved working with both schools and care homes grandchildren. to bring children and older people together in what research has proved to be a valuable I cannot end this report without recording experience for both age groups. During the Board’s thanks to Kirsty Macdonald who the stricter months of lock-down this could retired in October after over twenty years’ only include singing and Scottish Dancing in service to the Volunteer Centre. It is largely outdoor areas, but it was still appreciated by thanks to Kirsty’s vision and determination everyone. that the Volunteer Centre has grown to become such a successful enterprise. We are very grateful for the additional grants and donations we have received from Thank you all for your continuing support for the Hebridean Housing Partnership, the the Volunteer Centre and all that it aims to NFU, CnES and the Scottish Government, achieve. which have enabled us to provide additional support to volunteer involving organisations Christine McKee, Interim Chair to help them adapt their ways of working. www.volunteercentrewi.org 5 About us Volunteer Centre Western Isles is an • facilitate adult and youth volunteer independent local charity with offices and awards that recognise the staff in Lewis, Harris, Uist and Barra. achievements of volunteers We provide information, advice and support • facilitate volunteer awards for to individuals interested in volunteering, organisations who provide the best volunteer managers, voluntary groups, clubs experience for their volunteers and organisations, private and public sector • gather statics and carry out research organisations and companies. into volunteering in the Western We: Isles which we share with local and • offer free, confidential support to national government people who want to volunteer and • constantly work to raise the profile of groups/ organisations who involve volunteering as a positive force with volunteers prospective volunteers, local policy • provide a brokerage service, matching makers and community leaders volunteers to volunteer roles in We are committed to serving our rural hundreds of local and national communities in ways that best suit their organisations needs throughout the Western Isles. We are • support community events that are passionate about volunteering; we support often run entirely run by volunteers and encourage it in all forms. Volunteer Centre Western Isles Trustees

Chair Clive Rowlands Volunteer Treasurer Christine McKee Volunteer Secretary Catherine Burgess Sonja Macleod, Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland Eoin Macneil, Voluntary Action Barra and Vatersay Denise Symington, Volunteer Catriona Morrison CnES Community Learning and Development (Uist) Jo Bagrie, Volunteer Steven Hankinson Volunteer Volunteer Centre Western Isles is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) No. SCO27472

6 Actively encouraging, supporting and promoting volunteering Our Staff Manager We believe that Suzanne Macaulay people are the most [email protected] important part of any organisation. This is why we place Administrator & Finance Officer so much value in Angelique Macdonald support for our staff [email protected] and volunteers. Development Workers (Lewis) Bellan O’Brien [email protected] Marion Wilson [email protected] 95 Cromwell Street, 01851700366

Development Worker (Harris) Kathleen Duce Old Primary School, Tarbert 01859 502636 [email protected]

Development Worker (Uist) Vicki Manchester 41 Airport Road, Balivanich 01870 602604 [email protected]

Development Worker (Barra) Katherine MacNeil Am Bothan, Northbay, Isle of Barra 01871890775 www.volunteercentrewi.org [email protected] Twitter @VolunteeringWI Facebook @VolunteercentreWI www.volunteercentrewi.org 7 What we do Work in partnership We are proud to be one of the six partners that make up the Third Sector Interface (TSI) Western Isles.

Through TSI Western Isles we work to • Providing regular reporting to Scottish support, develop and promote the interests Governments Third Sector Unit on our and work of voluntary and community activities organisations in the Western Isles. We TSI Western Isles is made up of six are funded by the Scottish Government to partners: provide a single point of access for support • Volunteer Centre Western Isles and advice for the third sector. There is a • Voluntary Action Barra & Vatersay network of 32 interfaces across Scotland: (VABV) one for each local authority. • Uist Council of Voluntary TSI Western Isles has responsibility for: Organisations (UCVO) • Supporting and developing a strong • Harris Voluntary Service Third Sector • Volunteering Hebrides • Building the Third Sector relationship • Social Enterprise with community planning Partnership (OHSEP)

8 Actively encouraging, supporting and promoting volunteering What we do Work in partnership

Our role Voice Connect Scottish Government funds Ensuring a strong Third Providing leadership, TSI’s to perform the following Sector voice at a strategic vision and coordination roles: level within local planning to the local third sector To be a central source of structures and nationally to better respond to knowledge about: local priorities, including through partnership and • The Third Sector locally collaboration • Local and national policy and how it might Build capacity affect local Third Sector, Developing the capacity of communities and volunteering, community We want to hear from any organisations or citizens groups, voluntary individual we can support through these roles. • How the Third Sector organisations and social can contribute to those enterprise to achieve agendas positive change www.tsiwi.org

The support, development and representation of local community groups, voluntary organisations, social enterprises and volunteering

Voice of The Sector Support Volunteering TSI Western Isles represent the voluntary We work to build capacity in our local As the Third Sector Interface (TSI) for the sector at a number of local strategic groups third sector by developing the capacity of Western Isles, we promote volunteering and and national network meetings. This means volunteering, community groups, voluntary help organisations and community groups that voluntary groups across the Western Isles organisations and social enterprise to achieve to recruit volunteers through our support for have a voice to these groups and networks. positive change. volunteer involving organisations.

 01851 702632 Find out more at tsiwi.org ✉ [email protected] www.volunteercentrewi.org 9 Our Work Our activities to support volunteers and volunteer involving organisations are broken into the following categories, as defined by Scottish Government: • Building Intelligence • Connect • Build Capacity • Voice Underpinning all activities are actions ensuring that the Volunteer Centre Western Isles is committed to excellence in all that we do and has in place sound governance.

We only managed to continue in Covid because of our volunteers, and the support we received from people, such as Volunteer Centre Western Isles. We are extremely grateful for your ongoing support and advice, especially as we find our new normal, after Covid. Uist and Barra Foodbank

This year, we have: 43 new organisations 189 registered 243 for support volunteering new volunteers from the opportunities Volunteer Centre

We ensure we have up to date volunteering check if they required support and ensure opportunities available to meet a wide range we have up to date details and volunteer of needs and interests. Due to COVID-19, our opportunities. Staff supported organisations to work has adapted and changed. Staff have develop new volunteer opportunities, actively adapted work to meet the needs of volunteers promoted volunteering roles, registered new and VIO’s during the continuing COVID volunteers and matched them into suitable restrictions. Due to restrictions, the range opportunities. of volunteering opps on offer is restricted, We also proactively made contact with which is reflective of the national volunteering volunteer organisations throughout the situation Throughout the year, our staff islands to promote our services and ensure worked to make contact with volunteer organisations are aware of the services the organisations who are registered with us to Volunteer Centre can offer, if required.

10 Actively encouraging, supporting and promoting volunteering Our Work COVID-19 and Volunteering Due to COVID-19, volunteering has adapted and changed. This year, our work has focused on the initial COVID-19 lockdown community responses and then supporting the changing needs of volunteer involving organisations and volunteers. Our staff followed and promoted national guidelines to encourage safer volunteering practices. The volunteer response across the Western Isles, as it was elsewhere in Scotland, was amazing and lockdown in settings support to develop volunteer showed how crucial the such as NHS hospitals, policies and procedures as roles of volunteers are in our intergenerational care groups dealt with changes communities. settings, outdoor community to their services due to Volunteer Centre Western clean ups, charity shops, COVID. Isles operated through home based online To ensure volunteer COVID-19 as part of and phone befriending, involving groups and Scottish Governments Community Support volunteers had a trusted Ready Scotland response. Volunteers with Chest, source of information, we Staff matched the volunteer Heart & Stroke Scotland, developed and maintained requests through Ready family support with Action our COVID-19 portal page Scotland and Volunteer for Children, community at www.volunteercentrewi. Scotland into a wide variety volunteers with foodbanks org and developed a of volunteering, both in and FareShare, Gaelic similar pop up page as a the community in essential conversation buddy, and partnership contribution roles and in home-based home based crafts such to our TSIWI partners at volunteering to support the as making face masks and www.tsiwi.org including COVID-19. scrubs to support care ‘off the shelf’ policies, Staff spent considerable homes. national COVID guidance time sourcing and Guidance and support and volunteer management developing new to volunteer involving documents, such as health volunteering opportunities organisations in this period and safety checklists. able to run throughout included a higher level of www.volunteercentrewi.org 11 Our Work Volunteer Stories

I have been supporting Alzheimer Scotland Western Isles and people with dementia locally for many years, and until Covid 19 was a Volunteer at the Solas Day Centre, Stornoway, helping to welcome people coming for support, and helping with a range of activities. When lockdown started and the Day centre closed, we weren’t able to see people anymore and support them in the normal way. However, I have continued to volunteer in some way, and have kept in contact with some of the people from the Day Centre by telephone calls, (Telephone Companion Calls) which they seem to enjoy, and I definitely enjoy them too. We chat about how they are, how they are feeling, and about shared memories from the town and people we both know and have plenty of laughs. It feels good to be able to support them in this way, and helps reassure me that they are doing ok I sometimes join in with the online community activities (e.g. Gaelic Stories), where people have a good yarn, and it’s lovely to see everyone’s faces, and catch up with them.

Catherine,

Volunteer Friendly Awards Staff carried out a snapshot survey of with Volunteer Edinburgh who are deliver training needs - ‘Support and Training for the training based on a blended online Volunteer Involving organisations’ – along learning model. with an end of year survey to establish • Based on responses to surveys and health the main support and training needs of checks, volunteer involving organisations and -10 VIO’s undertaking ‘Core Skills in used results to plan one to one and online Volunteer Management’ blended course, group training to groups throughout the delivered online in partnership with Western Isles. Results were also used to Volunteer Edinburgh; engaged in this free gain understanding of how staff can support of charge as costs are met by a donation groups, volunteers and volunteer managers given to support volunteering in COVID from and inform our 2021 – 22 workplan Hebridean Housing Partnership priorities. - 10 VIO’s issued with licenses for online Volunteer Centre Western Isles has volunteer management modules by HTSI; developed a new partnership with Volunteer Edinburgh to deliver ‘Core Skills in Volunteer - 4 VIO’s waiting to undertake refreshed Management’ training running in partnership Volunteer Friendly Awards;

12 Actively encouraging, supporting and promoting volunteering Our Work Building Intelligence

To promote volunteering opportunities, our website 189 volunteering www.volunteercentrewi,org is being constantly updated opportunities and refreshed, with all volunteer opportunities listed in registered and the searchable database. promoted on our website Our new website will be launched in August 2021 with

improved functions such as online registration of volunteering opportunities and health checks for organisations and easier registration to volunteer.

E-bulletins were sent to all 34 Volunteer 463 MILO registered contacts related to ensure volunteer involving e-bulletins and organisations had the latest updates sent COVID and volunteering out information. Over this year, many organisations reported feeling overwhelmed with COVID related information and coping with changing restrictions. Our e-Bulletins included updates from Volunteer Scotland and SCVO advice on how changing COVID-19 restrictions affected volunteering and best practice approaches, available training and other relevant updates.

www.volunteercentrewi.org 13 Our Work

34 forums and partnerships attended regularly throughout the • CLD Strategic Review and Planning year Group; • Adult Learning Strategy Planning Group Staff have engaged with community leaders To make sure we have the most and policy makers in this period to raise up to date opportunities possible, volunteering issues, such as attending CnEs ‘Community Conversations for the Third staff linked into appropriate local Sector’ and providing reporting the LOIP forums and networks to support through CPP outcomes groups. the development and promotion of Attending forums and partnerships has volunteering. led to partners increased awareness of volunteer issues and also increased We attend and actively participated in understanding of how to develop forums and partnerships with local and volunteering in partner organisations with national chief officers this year: Volunteer Centre support, as evidenced • Outer Hebrides Community Planning by new volunteer developments with Partnership outcomes groups; local partners and the inclusion of new • Scottish Volunteering Forum Steering volunteering outcomes in local strategic Group; plans. • Cross Party Working Group and related Outcomes Group on volunteering to support the development of the Volunteering for All Volunteering For All - from Framework to Action Plan; • Volunteer Friendly Awards Steering Group; • North Alliance Community Learning and Development (CLD) partnership; North Alliance CLD Partnership meeting

14 Actively encouraging, supporting and promoting volunteering Our Work Covid-19

Volunteer Centre Western Isles continued to develop our scrubs and facemasks project, launched in March 2020 in response to COVID19. The project, described as “One of the biggest stitching projects in local memory” on the islands by a local newspaper, produced over 220 sets of scrubs, 700 mask extenders, 90 face masks and 60 scrubs wash bags which were made by volunteers for local care staff. On the suggestion of our Trustee, Tina Burgess, staff became aware of the need for scrubs and throughout the islands. Staff of materials for scrubs scrub bags from local care worked with local volunteers including fabric, ribbon homes and face masks for in Barra, Uist, Harris and and buttons and full- local community volunteers Lewis to plan and launch an size patterns printed at inter-island ‘Stitching and Stornoway Media Centre. Sewing’ project. A team A dedicated army of of stitchers and sewers volunteers come forward to were linked together by our support local care homes Volunteer Development and stitch. In Uist two care Workers with support from homes – Sacred Heart local shops and businesses House in Daliburgh and who donated resources Trianaid Care Home at and time to support the Carinish, North Uist – placed project, which we linked to a request scrubs to fit each the national ‘For the Love of of their 60 careworkers and Scrubs’ campaign. St Brendan’s Care Home An additional grant offered in Barra also requested by NFU Mutual grant was mask extenders, scrubs and used to support the costs scrubs bags. Care-workers www.volunteercentrewi.org 15 Our Work Covid-19 needing several sets each with the NHS Western to ensure that they can be Isles Pallative Care clean for work and protected team to produce patient from transmitting infection belongings bags to as they look after the more improve the current vulnerable members of our experience for bereaved community. Volunteers also families, carers and staff made scrub bags to allow when patient’s belongings a whole set of scrubs to be are returned to their put straight into the wash families or carers. The new without being handled and bags, which have been mask extenders for care designed by volunteers, staff. Development Workers will replace the current also started to organise plastic bags used to now want to continue to face masks for community convey a more sensitive and volunteer. volunteers. caring approach and allow “The bereavement bags will “There is a team belongings to be returned. This will provide a further help alleviate the feelings atmosphere, and everyone is of dismay and will provide working together to benefit volunteering opportunity for the stitchers and sewers a place to store special the local community. Mask keepsakes that we can look extenders are being made involved in the scrubs project, many of whom at or put away in a safe in Barra and have also been place.” posted to us from all over the UK by volunteers who saw our Facebook posts.” The project continued during lockdown with our Barra and Lewis Workers, Katherine Macneil and Marion Wilson organising local volunteers and coordinating the local business support. Volunteering is ongoing with volunteers continuing to help to make face masks for local community projects. Volunteer Centre staff are now developing a further stitching project NHS Western Isles press release

16 Actively encouraging, supporting and promoting volunteering Our Work Covid-19 Volunteering

During the COVID-19 response, our staff supported a range of community organisations. North Lochs Community Association (NLCA) volunteers run the North Lochs Community Hall and host a wide range of community events through the year. During the Covid 19 crisis they continued their volunteering work in various ways including organising and running a local Foodbank for those in need, delivery of prescriptions throughout North Lochs and coordinating their volunteers to carry out shopping services for those unable to leave their homes. NLCA’s latest community volunteering role was to organise and deliver delicious roast dinners to 163 people in the community over the age of 70. Mr Iain MacAskill, Chairperson of NLCA said:

North Lochs Community Association simply would not exist if it wasn’t for the dedicated team of volunteers we have in our community. Our volunteers assist and utilise their life skills in a wide variety of ways: from networking, organising, fundraising, NLCA volunteer Volunteering is very helping with organised events, and Annabel rewarding, it’s a their input into the everyday running of Mackay, is great way to meet the committee. They provide a valuable seen here new people, and an delivering the opportunity to give service to the residents of North Lochs, dinner to one a little or a lot back and I would like to thank everyone for very grateful to your community. their continued support which keeps gentleman. our association pro-active in North Lochs. I look forward to NLCA going Annabel Mackay, from strength to strength in the coming Volunteer years. www.volunteercentrewi.org 17 Our Work

Examples of new volunteering staff have 44 new supported the development of, includes: organisations • ‘Meet and Greet’ NHS volunteer roles which are our first hospital-based registered volunteer roles. Staff worked with for volunteer NHSWI to develop this role and recruited 10 new volunteers to support support this role in Western Isles Hospital. • A new intergenerational conversational volunteering between local care homes Staff have proactively sourced and and Syrian refugees with ‘Outside the developed new volunteering opportunities Box’; to ensure we have a range of opportunities • Youth volunteer writers for local available during lockdown. Volunteer newsletters and papers to allow COVID involving organisations were supported safe volunteering from home and access to increase their capacity to set up new to Saltire Awards while generating volunteer roles and develop good practice. content for local publications. Focus on mental health Staff provided support and guidance to mental health volunteer involving organisations to develop their volunteer management and policies in order to better support both their volunteers and service users. The Volunteer Centre worked in partnership with Western Isles Association for Mental Health and received funding from the Lodge Fortose to plan a ‘Mental Health First Aid’ for 40 volunteers and organisations planned for delivery when COVID lockdown restrictions allow face to face delivery. Henry W Macinnes, Master of Lodge Fortrose, said: “Our Members recognise that the mental health impacts of lockdown and the inevitable economic contraction will become a real issue. With this in mind the Lodge is working with local voluntary partners to reinforce community resilience through the delivery of mental health first aid training.”

18 Actively encouraging, supporting and promoting volunteering Our Work

Although the majority of groups worked with  Provided 104 this year requested one to one support, organisations Volunteer Manager with guidance Network meetings and support were held by Zoom. on volunteer One focused on management Charity and Thrift and developing shops with specific placements 3 Volunteer guidance and support Network provided along in partnership with CnES Manager Environmental Health meetings Dept. 8 shops from the Butt to Barra attended, held with a shared contact list established for ongoing peer networking and Guidance and support to to 2019/20, mainly on a 1:1 volunteer involving groups and confidential basis. support. and organisations included a higher level of support to develop volunteer policies and procedures as groups dealt with changes to services due to COVID. Volunteer guidance and support provided us based on best practice from ‘Core Skills in Volunteer Management’, SCVO, Volunteer Friendly Awards and VolunteerWiki. The focus of our work changed in many ways this year – we provided guidance and support to nearly double the amount of organisations compared www.volunteercentrewi.org 19 What we do

82 organisations provided with guidance, one to one training or support on volunteer management and developing placements over 189 interactions

Training and good practice in • Worked with TSI Western Isles partners to purchase licenses from Highland TSI volunteer management have for their online training modules, including never been more important in Volunteer Management modules and wider support for third sector groups, order to ensure volunteers are including governance and funding. well supported and safe. We The Core Skills in Volunteer Management remain committed to training training delivered by Volunteer Edinburgh engaged 10 organisations from across and good practice guidance in the Western Isles, free of charge, as costs volunteering. were met by a donation from Hebridean Housing Partnership to support COVID-19 volunteering. Due to extremely positive We provide training to volunteer involving participant feedback, a further course is organisations. COVID-19 restrictions led to planned for September 2021. us adapting and changing our training and group / face to face training is not currently possible. I have just finished the Volunteer Based on responses to surveys and health Management course. Really good checks, the Volunteer Centre developed and very useful, it has motivated online and blended learning to meet me to dramatically improve our identified training needs. To do this we: volunteer documentation as well as giving me info and perspectives • Established a new partnership with on aspects of managing Volunteer Edinburgh to allow Western volunteers that I hadn’t really Isles organisations to access their ‘Core considered before. Skills in Volunteer Management’ blended course, delivered online with individual Volunteer Manager, Isle of Lewis participant support.

20 Actively encouraging, supporting and promoting volunteering Our Work

During the COVID-19 response, the Volunteer Centre Western Isles worked with local community groups and organisations who responded to needs within our communities. One of these organisations is Foodbank, which was set up to help those in need within the community throughout the Covid-19 crisis, with support from Community Learning and Development Worker, Sarah Campbell. Alice Macmillan who lives Barvas is one of their fantastic volunteers

How long have you been a volunteer? 14 months and still volunteering at the food bank.

What do you undertake as a volunteer at the food bank? I fill parcels, make deliveries, order stock, check dates on goods, receive donations, take requests and deal with emergency requests.

What do you enjoy about volunteering? Would you recommend someone to become a volunteer? Knowing I’m there to help people in need and building up a relationship Yes definitely, it’s been good with people we support and working as part of a team but their families. I also feel that I also giving something back to my am offering something to the community and to help others community I live in. when they are in need.

www.volunteercentrewi.org 21 What we do

During lockdown, Doreen Macneil in Barra crocheted over 500 ear savers for people wearing face masks in St Brendan’s Hospital, the Barra Medical Practice and national hospitals. She also made 30 rabbit teddies and 30 penguins which were donated to the Naval Children’s Charities.

It certainly helped me during the last year to think I was actually doing and making toys and ear savers that would help and console children and for nurses and care workers that have to be wearing face masks continuously at their work.

Doreen Macneil

Baby blankets and hats were made by busy volunteers Cuirthir Craft Club in Barra this year. The items were sent to Al Sabeem Children’s Hospital in Yemen. The group also made adult hats which were donated to local foodbanks and the Stornoway Fishermans Mission.

22 Actively encouraging, supporting and promoting volunteering What we do Youth Volunteering

•  91 Awards issued 14 primary across the year, schools worked including awards with to support for pupils who Callanish award volunteered during volunteering Callanish Awards lockdown. Our Callanish Awards are given to under 12s for group or individual volunteering

Despite the barriers to volunteering due to safely following COVID-19 guidance. COVID-19 restrictions, Volunteer Centre Callanish Awards Development Workers worked to ensure young people received the accreditation Our Callanish Awards are given to under they deserved for their volunteering whilst 12s for group or individual volunteering.

Rowan Reid, receiving her Callanish Award for her work with the Sir E Scott Eco – Committee www.volunteercentrewi.org 23 OurWhat Work we do Youth Volunteering

• Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there website and available youth volunteering was a reduction in available youth opportunities. volunteering placements during this year. • Staff promoted the refreshed Saltire A combination of this and the changes to Awards and promoted to strategic the national Saltire volunteering scheme Education staff and schools; 24 new resulted in a reduction to last years 196 Saltire participants registered. Saltire awards. Saltire Drop in’s will resume across • All 150 saltire registered youth volunteers Secondary schools when restrictions allow. received e-bulletins on the new Saltire

• New youth volunteering opps developed by staff in line with current covid regulations included environmental volunteers, home based crafts, journalism, social media for community groups and stylists roles in local charity shops, all promoted through school and local press.

Case Study: Saltire Awards in the Nicolson Institute Two groups of S1 pupils at the Nicolson beautiful Christmas cards for residents at Institute meet weekly to carry out Bethesda Hospice. volunteering work on various different Here we have one of the pupils in the projects. During Christmas 2020 they group with the packages ready to post out. volunteered their time to design and make Well done to every one of you!

24 Actively encouraging, supporting and promoting volunteering Our Work Youth Volunteering

Harris Trophy Winners 2020 At the Sir E Scott School virtual Leavers’ Assembly on 4th June 2020, the Volunteer Centre Trophy for Excellence in Volunteering was awarded jointly to Catherine MacDonald and Lauren MacInnes, both S6. As well as volunteering with the Board Games Club, Sradagan Club, leading choir practices, the girls have both been active in Girlguiding Harris as young leaders. Both Lauren and Catherine have completed over 175 hours of volunteering for their Saltire Awards.

Stornoway Primary School Trophy presentation for Volunteering Excellence, June 2020 Isla Ovenstone was presented with the Stornoway Primary school ‘Excellence in Volunteering’ trophy in recognition of her input with our intergenerational visits to the Failte Centre and our Covid-19 Intergenerational visits to Trust Housing Lewis Street and Matheson Road Stornoway. www.volunteercentrewi.org 25 Our Work Youth Philanthropy Initiative (YPI Scotland) We continue to facilitate • The delivery of the YPI for local charities. the YPI programme in programme during YPI pupils are linked into partnership with the Wood lockdown represents a Saltire Awards and are Foundation with all 4 local great deal of work by supported to volunteer secondary schools during pupils, school staff, the post YPI. An example of a this financial year, with Wood Foundation and our Nicolson Institute Gaelic pupil mentoring support staff. We are delighted all YPI presentation can be from CalMac. 4 schools took part this viewed here https://vimeo. year resulting in £12,000 com/489934014

• Staff have supported the schools to deliver a revised programme in line with lockdown guidance, carried out Programme Development Sessions, support to contact wide range of local charities, facilitation of finals, cheque issuing and plan evaluations.

The Wood Foundation put together a We were totally gobsmacked to hear new awards programme very quickly that Emma and Isla from Sir E Scott had to support the disruption to our YPI chosen WICCI for their YPI Challenge and programme in a large number of schools WON!! They did a superb job completing during lockdown. The ‘Your Community their presentation under lockdown and are a Fund’ chose 50 successful submissions to real asset to their school and community. receive £4000. Western Isles Cancer Care Initiative Sir E Scott schools final was unfortunately disrupted due to lockdown so entered a submission to show the work of Western It’s clear the young people have really Isles Cancer Care Initiative. Pupils enjoyed the role they can play to help researched and put together a video and the world outside their front door while were successful in winning a £4000 grant they’ve had to remain at home. for Western Isles Cancer Care Initiative – a huge well done to the group! Sir Ian Wood

26 Actively encouraging, supporting and promoting volunteering Our Work Promoted and Promote and celebrated volunteering on celebrate volunteering 24 interactions during this •  Staff nominated Class 4a from the Stornoway Primary in the ‘Generations Working Together Award’ in February for their reporting period amazing intergenerational work during lockdown; • Celebrated volunteering during National Intergenerational Week in March, Volunteers Week in June and #IVDay on social media in November through local press and social media

Youth Volunteering • New national Youth Volunteer Guidelines and associated training promoted to all 400 MILO registered VIO contacts. • Volunteer Centre staff have undertaken Train the Trainer for the Guidelines and will roll out sessions in the coming year to embed the recommendations of the Youth VIP report locally and encourage volunteer involving organisations to engage youth volunteers. The first sessions will be delivered to CLD and Skills Development Scotland staff in the summer. www.volunteercentrewi.org 27 Our Work COVID-19 Intergenerational volunteering Due to COVID-19, our youth and intergenerational work adapted and changed. We continued to build intergenerational links during lockdown through work with schools and care settings. Volunteer Centre Development Workers organised letter writing, pen pal projects, outdoor performances by Hub pupils, video messages and ongoing communication between older and younger volunteers. This provided a social connection between the generations during lockdown.

28 Actively encouraging, supporting and promoting volunteering Our Work

Pupil Comments – Stornoway Primary - Intergenerational Project #generationchange “We got to build up a good relationship with the older generation. It felt good dancing and singing to them during Lockdown. I missed seeing them. I wasn’t able to see my grandparents as they live on the Mainland so it was nice that we could cheer up the ladies and gentlemen at the Trust Housing.” “I really enjoyed spending time with the older ladies and gentlemen. I really enjoyed finding out what their life was like as a child especially finding out what toys they played with. I used to be quite shy but going there and being with them built my confidence. We loved writing letters to them and sending Christmas cards.” “They were always happy to see us and we made them smile.” “The value of generations working together cannot be put into words. Intergenerational partnerships develop a greater understanding and respect between generations. It allows individuals to gain mutual respect for one another whilst recognising the value of a community made up from different generations. It provides opportunities to gain new skills, values and knowledge together and from each other. The joy and happiness that both generations get from working together is so rewarding for all.” Class teacher www.volunteercentrewi.org 29 Our Work Give a gift, Light up a Life

Spreading a little Community groups and organisations that successfully ran a Give a Gift, Light up a Life happiness at Christmas by projects throughout Lewis, Harris and Uist in developing and promoting 2020 included NHS Community Navigators, North Lochs Community Association, Lochs micro volunteering. News and Pairc Community Council, Action for Children, Barvas school staff, Harris AIM: Distillery staff, mPower and Alzheimer’s. • Developing and promoting micro volunteering • Building social cohesion and strengthening community links. • Support for third sector groups and community organisations to positively engage and impact on their communities

The Volunteer Centre ran a Christmas campaign project in partnership with NHS Western Isles Community Navigators in 2019. Due to the success of this project, staff decided they would like to take this idea further and promote it throughout our communities for Christmas 2020. For our 2020 Christmas project, staff encouraged local groups and organisations to spread a little happiness and kindness after what was a very difficult year for many following the national COVID lockdowns. The Volunteer Centre team designed and produced an information leaflet with a step-by-step planning list which groups and organisations could use to plan their own ‘Give a Gift’ project. This leaflet was then emailed widely and promoted through social media and local press to community organisations and groups throughout the Western Isles. Groups were encouraged to use the guide and adapt the idea to their areas accordingly.

30 Actively encouraging, supporting and promoting volunteering Our Work Case Study – Lochs ‘Give a Gift, Light up a Life’ The community newsletter project within their areas. a message in each card. ‘Lochs News’ was one local NLCA adapted the ideas in Over 75 names were put group who worked with our step by step guide and forward by community our Development Worker agreed the target groups members. NLCA also (Lewis) to run their own in their area. They asked donated funds and used ‘Give a Gift, Light up a Life’ community members for this to purchase gifts. Gift project in Lochs, Isle of nominations of people bags were put together Lewis. Our Development they felt would appreciate by volunteers and hand Worker supported the group knowing that they are delivered, following all throughout the process. being thought of over COVID-19 guidelines. The Lochs News team the Christmas period and Pairc Community Council approached the community who may appreciate a agreed they would like groups that led on the little gesture of kindness to light up the lives of community volunteering after a difficult year due every household in their response throughout to COVID-19. The group community. They also made Covid-19 within their also approached their local a financial contribution parish. As a result of this, school, Sgoil nan Loch, and along with Lochs News with North Lochs Community asked for pupils to design which volunteers purchased Association (NLCA) and Christmas cards to go gifts. These Pairc Community Council with the gifts. NLCA volunteers agreed to run the volunteers handwrote

www.volunteercentrewi.org 31 Our Work Case Study – Lochs ‘Give a Gift, Light up a Life’

gifts were wrapped and hand delivered to every household in the Pairc area. Feedback from those receiving gifts was overwhelmingly positive: “It put a smile on many faces within the communities.” 2020 had been a hard year for many and this project let people, including the most vulnerable in our community, know that there are others out there thinking of them. This was such a successful project that VCWI intends to promote it again next year with the hope that more community groups will work together to Gift a Gift, Light up a Life.

Sgoil An Taobh Siar Christmas Appeal Contribution 2020

Staff at the school saw VC promotion of Give a Gift Light up a Life and as a team donated items which were then distributed to folk within their community

32 Actively encouraging, supporting and promoting volunteering VOLUNTEER CENTRE WESTERN ISLES SCIO STATEMENT OF BALANCES

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Unrestricted Restricted At 31 At 31 funds funds March 2021 March 2020

£ £ £

Bank and cash in hand 103,337 7,559 110,896 103,442

Funds Opening Funds 97,066 6,376 103,442 108,464 Surplus (Deficit) for period (6,271) 1,183 7,454 (5,022)

103,337 7,559 110,896 103,442

www.volunteercentrewi.org 33 Get in touch

Volunteer Centre Western Isles is an independent local charity with 4 offices and staff throughout the Western Isles. Please drop in or contact us for further information about any of our services. Lewis 95 Cromwell Street, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, HS1 2DG 01851700366 [email protected] Harris Old Primary School, Tarbert, Isle of Harris, HS3 3BG 01859502636 [email protected] Uist 41 Airport Road, Balivanich, Isle of Benbecula, HS7 5LA 01870602604 [email protected] Barra Am Bothan, Northbay, Isle of Barra, HS9 5YQ 01871890775 [email protected] Visit or email www.volunteercentrewi.org [email protected]

We are proud to support the Third Sector as a partner in the Third Sector Interface Western Isles (TSIWI), funded by Scottish Government as part of a Scotland-wide network of TSI’s.