History

Welcome to the Volunteer Centre Dundee web site, part of the Volunteer Centre Network that's trying hard to create a Scotland where everyone who wants to volunteer can do so. Originally established in 1997 as "The Volunteer Information Point", Volunteer Centre Dundee is an independent voluntary organisation that provides a 'Volunteer Centre' service in Dundee by:

• Gathering up to date information about local volunteer opportunities
• Putting people in touch with organisations where they can volunteer
• Providing information and advice to those who work with volunteers
• Promoting and publicising the values of volunteering

Community Volunteer Initiative

In 1998, with regeneration funding, we set up a local volunteer centre in Midcraigie and Linlathen area after a successful pilot project; The Community Volunteer Initiative (CVI) was formed. Originally based in The Hub, CVI moved in 2004 to share premises with our Lend-a-Hand project. CVI has focused on raising awareness and developing community volunteering. They have worked with many local groups to help them to increase their capacity to recruit, support and retain volunteers.

Lend-a-Hand

In 2003, CVI undertook research into local volunteering needs in the Mid Craigie and Linlathen areas and was the basis for a successful application for funding from the Unemployed Voluntary Action Fund (UVAF). In 2004 we set up our Lend-a-Hand project; a good neighbour scheme that helps people do things that they can’t manage themselves with help from local volunteers. This project is funded until May 2007.

Strategic growth

2005 saw an increase in the staffing at Volunteer Centre Dundee.   As well as our existing funding from the Scottish Executive we’ve accessed funding from Millennium Volunteers, Sportscotland, Working for Families, Regeneration & the Voluntary Action Fund. This growth has been in response to the Scottish Executive’s Volunteering Strategy for which we are a key partner in delivering. The strategy focuses on four strands;

• Involving more Young people in volunteering;
• dismantling the barriers to volunteering and closing the opportunity gap
• Improving the volunteering experience;
• Monitoring, evaluation and ongoing policy development.

The new roles created were for a Training and Development Worker, Youth Development Worker, Family Support Worker, Regional Development Office for Sports Volunteering and an Information Worker.

Charleston Better Connections Project

2006 has seen a successful bid for funding from the National Lottery’s Fairshare money. This project, based in Charleston , is a befriending project focusing on bringing together young and old to reduce isolation and increase access to services.