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The benefits of volunteering

You can make a huge impact when you volunteer with Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland

Our amazing volunteers are at the heart of everything we do. We couldn’t do what we do without you!

Volunteering with us can have a huge, positive impact on your life, at the same time as making sure people across Scotland with chest, heart and stroke conditions get the support they need to live life to the full.

Wondering whether volunteering is right for you? Here are just a few of the wonderful benefits volunteering can bring.

The impact of volunteering

Our incredible volunteers make a huge impact on what we do. You can help us continue to make a difference to people’s lives in Scotland by volunteering today!

Over 4,000 volunteers making a difference every day across Scotland

Volunteers bring over £2.5 million of value to our organisation

Over 180,000 hours contributed by volunteers each year.

Helped our shops raise over £6 million to fund our services

You can make a difference

At Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, our aim is to make sure there’s No Life Half Lived in Scotland. Our volunteers are a vital part of this. Over the next five years we want to reach and support an additional 175,000 people per year by 2028 and we can’t do it without you.

By volunteering, you’ll be changing someone’s life. Whether you support our service users or sort stock donations in our charity shops, you’re directly helping someone who desperately needs help and support.

Every time you volunteer with us, you’re helping us get one step closer to making sure no one has to face their recovery on their own after a stroke or a heart attack or diagnosis of a chest or heart condition.

Our volunteers are so valuable. Not only will you help to bring over £2 million of economic value to Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, you’ll also bring skills, knowledge, experience, friendship and laughter – and you can’t put a price on
that!

Freya is Chris’s ray of sunshine

For Chris, 70, of Springfield, near Cupar, life looked bleak when he was discharged from hospital after his stroke last March. He lived alone and had no close family left to chat to. But all that changed when he was paired with Kindness Volunteer Freya, 18, of Kelty. The duo now speak twice weekly and have become firm friends.

“I was completely on my own. Then Freya started calling me twice a week. We have such a laugh and a joke, and I really look forward to her calls. We’ve become great pals,” explains Chris.

“Her calls have been so good for me. It cheers me up no end knowing there is someone at the end of the phone.

“I call her my wee sunshine because she just brightens up my day! I don’t know what I’d do without my calls with Freya.”

Read Full Story

“I don’t know what I’d do without my calls with Freya.”

How volunteering can benefit you

Volunteering has a wealth of benefits for you, as well. We’re here to support you and help you learn, grow and develop throughout your volunteering journey with us.
Whether you’re looking to improve your employability, your skills or your social life, just a small amount of your time can make a huge difference to your life.
Did you know having a volunteering role on your CV can result in a 73% higher chance of being recruited? We welcome everyone from students to those changing directions later in life. The skills you learn while volunteering with Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland can help you discover a new career you love!
Volunteering also provides the opportunity to discover new talents that you didn’t know you had and gives you the chance to learn new skills. From practical skills like cash handling or event organisation to emotional skills like listening and befriending, there’s so much to learn.
If you’re feeling isolated or suffering with your mental wellbeing, volunteering is a great way to give you a confidence boost. We’ll help you find a role that’s right for you, so you can meet new people, make friends, give back to your community and feel a sense of belonging.

“Going to the meetings and volunteering as a driver has brought me out of my shell and given me confidence.”

Peter’s coming out of his shell

Peter from Edinburgh first started volunteering with Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland as a driver, collecting service users and taking them to and from their support groups.
“I’m not the most sociable or most outgoing person, particularly when I first meet new people, so I thought driving would suit me down to the ground,” says Peter.
“At the first meeting, the coordinators asked me to sit in with the group. And that was it. I became not just a driver but part of the group.
“What I’ve enjoyed most is seeing people who have had a stroke start to improve. I have the opportunity to get to know new people and can honestly say they have all been lovely.
“Going to the meetings and volunteering as a driver has brought me out of my shell and given me confidence.”
Peter’s Story

Become a volunteer

Whatever your reason for volunteering, we’d love to have you as part of our team! If you’d like to find out more, get in touch using the contact form, or apply online now using our volunteering opportunities finder.
Find opportunities

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