WHO WE ARE

 We offer a range of both universal and targeted programmes and sessions, focusing on building strong family foundations, promoting self-esteem, developing support networks, enabling positive parenting and child development and promoting improved health and well-being. Over the years, the organisation has continued to grow and expand its service provision across the local area and currently delivers a dedicated Family Support Programme that focuses on the health and well-being of local families.

Amina - The Muslim Women's Resource Centre (Amina MWRC) is an intersectional organisation, based in Scotland, that empowers and supports Muslim and BME women by serving as a vital link between them and the barriers they face everyday.

We envision a world where Muslim and BME women are fulfilling their aspirations to the fullest.

In the UK, Muslim and Black & Minority Ethnic (BME) women are one of the most disadvantaged groups with the poorest access to health, housing, and financial support, have the highest unemployment rates, and face discrimination on multiple levels because of their gender, ethnicity, and religion.

How the Story Began...

ApparelXchange CIC was established in 2018 by our Founding Director Izzie Eriksen, a mother of two, who was experiencing first hand the huge volume of clothing waste generated just from school uniforms. This inspired her to set up ApparelXchange, which combines sharing knowledge and enabling people to take responsibility and action for the clothing they use. 

The vision is to create a sustainable clothing system for young people, integrated in every community.

Social Enterprise with a Mission 

Our mission is to reduce the impact of clothing on our planet by providing sustainable clothing services and influencing consumer behaviour through knowledge and empowerment. 

We hope to disrupt traditional retail formats by showing that preloved items can benefit both the planet and your pocket, and that sustainable fashion should be an option for everyone. 

More Than Profit

Like traditional businesses, we need to make a level of profit, but the difference with a social enterprise organisation is that we are committed to reinvesting this within our social mission. The pricing of all our products and services covers our costs including wages, rent and utility bills. We are careful to keep our prices affordable which means we run our operation on very small margins. We need to grow our customer base to be financially sustainable. Would you share our message with friends and family? Word of mouth is the most powerful way to make the change we want to see!

How we Work

We use unwanted clothing and footwear donations as a value resource. Nothing should go to waste. 

Donations are quality checked, cleaned and prepared for resale on our bricks and mortar shop and our online store.

Families can then shop secondhand with us and receive free clothing from us when times are challenging. 

Schools can get support from us, share education opportunities with us and grow greener alongside us. 

Social Mission 

As part of our social mission, we create employment opportunities, support families in need by providing clothing packages and work strategically to influence the clothing sector's inequalities in the UK. 

We are a real living wage employer, provide long term unemployed opportunities and support personal skills development through our volunteering programme. 

Our clothing & footwear package service is subsided using public and private funding along with our own resources to cover the costs of those preparing and distributing the packages. 

We also aim to educate and influence policy makers and consumers about consumerism and socio-economic challenges linked to the fashion industry, empowering everyone to make a difference. 

Be My Eyes is a free mobile app with one main goal: to make the world more accessible for blind and low-vision people. The app connects blind and low-vision individuals with sighted volunteers and companies from all over the world through a live video call.

Since we launched in January 2015 5,440,677 volunteers have signed up to assist blind and low-vision users. Be My Eyes users can request assistance in over 180 languages making the app the biggest online community for blind and low-vision people as well as one of the largest micro-volunteering platforms in the world! Every day, volunteers sign onto Be My Eyes to lend their sight to blind and low-vision individuals to tackle challenges and solve problems together.

The Be My Eyes story started in Denmark in 2012 with Hans Jørgen Wiberg, a Danish furniture craftsman, who is visually impaired himself. Through his work at ‘The Danish Association of the Blind’, he recognized that blind or low-vision people often needed a little assistance to solve everyday tasks. However, it wasn’t until a blind friend told him that he used video calls to connect with family and friends, who could help him with these tasks, that Hans Jørgen got the idea for Be My Eyes. He believed that the technology of video calls could be used to visually assist blind or low-vision individuals, without them having to rely on friends and family, but using a network of volunteers.

In April 2012, Hans Jørgen presented his idea at a Danish startup event, where he got connected with a team that was ready to make Be My Eyes a reality. On January 15th 2015, the Be My Eyes app was released for iOS, and within 24 hours the app had more than 10,000 users. Since the release of the iOS app, an Android version has been in high demand. The Android version was finally released on October 5th 2017. In December 2017 Be My Eyes was chosen as Google Play Best Apps of 2017 in the categories; “Most Innovative”, “Best Daily Helper” and “Best Hidden Gem”, and in May 2018 Be My Eyes won the Google Play Award 2018 for “Best Accessibility Award”.

In February 2018, the feature Specialized Help was launched with Microsoft as first partner company. Specialized Help enables blind and low-vision users to connect with official company representatives for accessible and efficient customer support. Be My Eyes now offers a variety of corporate solutions besides Specialized Help, including Be My Eyes for Work, Corporate Volunteering, Be My Eyes Experiences and Be My Eyes Careers.

About Us

We use participation in our Big Noise orchestra programmes to change lives by fostering confidence, discipline, teamwork, pride and aspiration in the children and young people taking part.  This enables the children and young people to reach their full potential, and lead successful and fulfilled lives.  This philosophy has a knock on effect for their families and the wider community in general. 

Our teams provide an intensive orchestral programme for school-age children and young people.  We use a variety of immersive music teaching methods delivered during school time, after school and during the school holidays.  We also provide opportunities for growth such as trips and residentials.  Regular performances help to keep the wider community as involved as possible.  There is no charge for the tuition, instruments, healthy snacks, trips and t-shirts.

Altogether there are more than 2,500 children and young people engaging regularly with the three established Sistema Scotland centres.  In addition to the Big Noise orchestras attended by children up to 11 hours each week, we run Baby Noise and Adult Noise programmes which enable the Sistema Scotland family to reach as many as possible in the communities where we are based.

Big Noise Govanhill was established in 2013, and currently engages with almost 800 children.'

Why should I volunteer with Big Noise Govanhill? 

We believe every child and young person deserves the same opportunity to succeed and so we provide free, immersive, instrumental music tuition to pupils and pre-school children. This leads to an enhanced ability to learn in school, improvements in emotional wellbeing, confidence and esteem, as well as the acquisition of a range of social and life skills.  To achieve this, volunteers are vital for our Big Noise Centre in Govanhill.  You can become a positive role model in their lives and someone they look forward to spending time with.  It’s really rewarding work where you will see children grow into proud young people with a sense of accomplishment

We are a model for a better way to do business, one that is ethical and sustainable, not focused on profit but the impact of social good we can add to society. We use business principles through the sales of a product line of candles not for profit, but in order to fund our social impact. This ensures the work we do is sustained and not vulnerable to inconsistent grants and funding.

We partner with two local charities, the Women's Support Project and Hemat Gryffe of Glasgow Womens Aid to support their beneficiaries in women's refuges through peer support and skills workshops that are led by our members. BrightHer was founded to fill in the gaps of services to domestic abuse victims that often leaves their emotional needs behind. The nature of abuse isolated victims from support networks, disempowers them so that they believe they are not capable of rebuilding their lives after their abuse and trauma. We work to rebuild their confidence and their support network through empowering workshops that give them life skills and activities to help them heal and prepare for their new life.

If you are interested in entrepreneurship or helping vulnerable communities, there is a place for you here!

Who we are

We are Scotland’s health charity supporting people and their families across Scotland with chest, heart and stroke conditions. We want to make sure life living with a chest or heart condition or after a stroke is a life lived to the full. We will fight for better health for everyone and work to make sure there is help and support in every community.

What we do

We provide vital services to support people and their families who are living with effects of serious chest and heart conditions and stroke. Our services are focused on making sure everyone in Scotland gets the care and support they need, when and where they need it. To ensure we reach more people, we will double our income, double the number of our volunteers and double the amount of people we support through our services. These services include rehabilitation support, specialist nurses, community groups, advice and information. Find out more here.

We have a new research strategy that will fund new research projects to continue the fight against chest, heart and stroke conditions and to improve the treatment, rehabilitation and long-term support of anyone affected by our conditions.

We also work hard to fight for better health services for people in Scotland. Find out about our campaigns and how you can make a difference.

Help us to ensure no life is half lived in Scotland. Join Clan CHSS and support us to fight for better health in Scotland.

About CodeYourFuture

We believe in a future where everyone has a real opportunity to lead a thriving life. 

CodeYourFuture (CYF) is a UK based non-profit organisation that trains refugees and other disadvantaged people to become web developers and helps them to find work in the tech industry.

CYF students are trained in full-stack web development by professional volunteers developers from the industry, putting a strong emphasis on collaboration and product development through tech projects.

CYF graduates work in companies like FT, BBC, STV, Ticketmaster and startups like Adzuna, Sensible Object, tlr and WeGotPop.

Our Values

1. We believe in creating a supportive family where everyone belongs
2. Everything we do, we do with kindness and respect
3. We believe in the equality of all voices
4. We firmly believe that through challenge, people can achieve their best
5. We empower our students and volunteers, and they represent us 
6. Everything we do creates a real impact in the world

Our Working Principles

• Empower volunteers through defined roles & responsibilities
• Events and classes with agendas and with assigned leaders running different sections
• Create interactive events that encourage the participation of all students and attendees
• Ensure interaction with students and attendees in smaller groups to promote collaboration and discussion
• Encourage feedback from all students and attendees after every event
• Create social spaces where people can meet and socialise - discussions are essential in any class or event

We currently have three projects:

- The Challenging Violence Against Women (CVAW) project work with men to challenge behaviours and beliefs about violence against women, including honour-based violence and FGM. The CVAW team also offer one-to-one support with refugee men. 

- The Asylum Seeker Housing Project (ASH) works with asylum seekers to understand their housing rights and advocate for human rights in Home Office provided accomodation. We have a team of caseworkers and volunteers working to deliver outreaches and drop-ins on understanding your rights to asylum seekers. 

- The Wellbeing Project supports refugees and asylum seekers with ESOL classes, wellbeing walks and activities, and digital IT classes to reduce isolation and bring the community together. 

We encourage inclusivity, the preservation of local buildings and, where appropriate, express views acting as a voice for the community and liasing with appropriate bodies and agencies. 

The Community Council 

Community Councils are the most local tier of statutory representation in Scotland. They bridge the gap between local authorities and communities, and help to make public bodies aware of the opinions and needs of the communities they represent. Local authorities consult Community Councils about planning applications and licensing matters as well as responding to local issues raised by the Community Council. The membership is elected from the local community, and is on a voluntary basis. We receive a modest budget from the local authority to cover administration costs
 

We meet at 7pm on the second Monday of every month, except July. Currently our venue is St. Bride's Episcopal Church, 69 Hyndland Road. Members of the public are welcome to attend as observers and may speak if they receive the prior consent of the chair.

We believe that people who are homeless and socially excluded have something to offer. We encourage people to use their skills to change themselves – and change the world!

The Emmaus community in Glasgow opened in 2006 and now operates a residential community of 27 former homeless men and women (“companions”) and a recycling/reuse business with two retail charity shops – Partick and Hamiltonhill  in Glasgow. 

We work closely with other organisations in the area to support those people who are homeless or trapped by poverty and to help them to develop skills and self-respect through working and contributing.

As well as working for the community business, companions are supported in whatever way they need to address the issues that have brought them into Emmaus, and encouraged to look outside themselves, working in projects to help others in the neighbourhood, and much further afield.

Emmaus offers homeless people a place where they can feel safe and secure, where they can enjoy companionship and the support of a community.

Each person has his or her own comfortable room, whilst living and working in the community. Everyone is accepted for who they are now, not judged on what they might have been. There are no conditions as to length of stay: a person can stay for as long as they need.

Above all, Emmaus is a way out of the humiliation of homelessness; a way that offers hope, care and a future.

Emmaus Communities offer these people much more than just food or shelter. We provide a lasting solution that restores self- esteem and confidence.

Who we are

ENABLE Glasgow is a membership organisation, working with people with learning disabilities, their carers, and other supporters to ensure people with learning disabilities in and around Glasgow have the best possible opportunities to get the most from life.

We do this by providing a range of services that reflect the needs and aspirations of the people who use them.  We don’t aim to become a large service provider – rather, we help develop services that our members tell us they want and need.

Another key part of our work is to support our members and supporters to campaign on issues that affect them, locally and nationally.  We provide information and advice, and a forum through which people with learning disabilities and their carers can find mutual support.

ENABLE Glasgow prides itself on being an organisation that is directly controlled by its members, supporting people to have a direct role in the services they rely on.  We are also part of the national ENABLE Scotland network.

What we believe

• We believe that everyone with a learning disability should be able to have a say in designing and running the services they need, even if they can’t always speak for themselves. 
• We believe that everyone with a learning disability is different and services that suit one person won’t necessarily suit others. 
• We believe that the best services are services which let the people who use them have a direct say over how they are run. 
• We believe that people with learning disabilities having a decent, safe, and fulfilling life is a basic human right, and that how any society respects this right is a reflection of how it respects human rights in general.

What We Do 

ENABLE Glasgow runs a range of services, including supported living (with both intensive and less intensive support), training for work, opportunities to make an economic contribution to the community, and social support. 

We also provide a range of social opportunities for people with learning disabilities, and host forums through which they can have a say in the issues that are important to them.  We  provide support services to carers, as well as supporting our members to campaign on a wide variety of issues.  We have almost 400 members, and provide direct services to more than 200 people.  Please check out the rest of our site for more details.

About Us

Equal Futures is a charity which was founded by a group of parents with a relative with a learning disability or autism spectrum disorder. We refer to these individuals as our focus people, and due to the unique viewpoint of our founders as parents, we are committed to supporting the family as a whole. Just like our founders, we want to support adults aged 16 and over with a learning disability or autism spectrum disorder to lead a good quality of life.

Many families feel isolated; unsure where to ask for help.

Most people with a learning disability will have social care services to provide support for daily living. But there is often a lack of understanding in these services that people want more than this.

Equal Futures was created to support families. We can build short-term Smart Circles of Support or self-sustaining lifelong Circles of Support around individuals and their families.

Everyone wants friends too – this is where Equal Futures can help.

We recognise the importance of social connections for a good quality of life. Consequently, we offer 1-to-1 befriending for people with a learning disability or autism. This involves matching the focus person with an adult volunteer befriender. The befriender will then accompany the focus person to activities, clubs, and events in their local community, where they can make social connections.

We also offer regular social events for our focus people and their families. Social events are supported by our volunteers and emphasise our welcoming Equal Futures Community in which everyone can feel a sense of belonging.

We provide support for people aged 16 and over and work across 10 local authority areas: Glasgow, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scottish Borders, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, Perthshire, East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire.

We do not require a formal diagnosis of a learning disability or Autism Spectrum Disorder as we know this can be a difficult process for families.

The GUU have been selected as hosts for the 2024 iteration of the tournament, unanimously voted for by the European Debating Council. Glasgow will thus be playing hosts to over 600 participants competing to win the title of European Champion. the event has received significant support from senior university management, and is also supported by the office of the Lord Provost of Glasgow. 

Volunteers will play a crucial role in the success of the championshop, contributing to logistics, participant assistance, and overall event organisation. 

Who We Are and What We Do

Food Train is a registered charity, voluntary organisation and social enterprise. Since 1995 Food Train has been making daily life easier for older people, providing vital services to those who are no longer able to manage independently, through age, ill health, frailty or disability.

Food Train makes hundreds of grocery deliveries every week, ensuring those most in need have access to fresh groceries. Teams of dedicated local volunteers across the regions also go that extra mile by helping with household jobs, delivering books through our library service and providing much needed friendly social contact and meals through our Meal Makers and befriending services.
 

Our Growth

Following 15 years of successfully supporting older people throughout Dumfries and Galloway, in 2010, Food Train embarked on our ambitious project to make our services available to older people in other parts of Scotland. With support from the Scottish Government, Community Food and Health Scotland and the relevant health and social care partnerships, we are delighted that Food Train services are now available in many more areas.
 

Our Vision

In order to fulfil our vision for all older people in Scotland, we endeavour, in partnership with our public and independent sector partners, to continue growing and expanding our services and support for older people to enable them to eat well, live well and age well at home.

Victoria Park is one of the largest and finest parks in Glasgow. Located in the west of Glasgow, Victoria Park was officially opened on 2nd July 1887 and has been providing the local community with a place to explore and relax for over 100 years. As Friends of Victoria Park we want to make sure it’s well cared for and improved at a time when the budget for parks is under severe pressure. We keep in close touch with Glasgow City Council to highlight maintenance issues. We seek funding to make improvements for example for new play equipment. 
 

Glasgow Flower Gardens is a community run project, made up of local people with a wide range of ages and backgrounds.  We presently have sites across Glasgow's West End, and grow mainly Scottish flowers, cutting out 'flower miles' to introduce unusual and beautiful flowers for volunteers, charities, and the general public. 

Our flower focus is on unique and traditionally Scottish blooms, especially ones with a scent. 

Are you interested in growing plants? Do you want to learn new skills and get to know others living in your community? Whether your skills are in gardening, IT, accountancy, marketing, or if you are just keen to get involved, let us know your level of experience, when you are available to volunteer, and how you would like to help!

We're Glasgow Marrow, and we save the lives of people with blood cancer.  Working on behalf of national blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan, we are part of the student-run branch of the UK's largest stem cell register.  We recruit new potential donors to the stem cell register, in the hope they will one day be a match for someone in need of a lifesaving stem cell transplant.  We run events across Glasgow and in 2018/19 we signed up over 750 new donors.  We also run regular fundraising events to raise vital funds to allow Anthony Nolan to carry out its lifesaving work.

About us

What we do 

Every year,  RDA Glasgow Group provides equine therapy to around 400 children and adults with disabilities from across the Greater Glasgow area. We provide 36 hours of riding and carriage driving sessions per week and rely on the help of over 100 volunteers to deliver our service.

Why we do it

Balancing on a horse works thousands of muscles, and the horse’s movement mimics a walking pattern in the muscles of the rider, which provides a highly effective form of physiotherapy. It also offers psychological benefits. This combination of physical and psychological benefits makes equine therapy appropriate for a very wide range of disabilities, from autism and Asperger’s to cerebral palsy, visual or hearing impairments to learning disabilities.

Our history

Starting life in Bearsden as The St Mungo Group of the RDA in 1967, the Group became the Glasgow Group of the Riding for the Disabled Association in 1987, moving to a purpose-built facility in the Summerston area of Glasgow. A member group of the national Riding for the Disabled Association, we are dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities across Greater Glasgow through the provision of opportunities for riding and carriage driving.

Our centre

The centre was officially opened in 1988 by HRH the Princess Royal, President of the Riding for the Disabled Association. The purpose-built facilities include stabling for 20 horses, indoor and outdoor arenas, tea bar, office, meeting room and accommodation for the yard staff.

Our riders

We cater for riders with all types of disability, from the age of three upwards, providing access to the physical and psychological benefits that riding can offer.

Our classes

The aim of our classes is to teach to new skills and foster independence by encouraging riders to take charge of their horse. Riding takes place in small classes indoors or outdoors, depending on the weather.  Our activities allow riders to experience the physical, sensory and psychological benefits that riding offers, which in turn helps to increase confidence and self-esteem. 

Nightline is a confidential listening and information service run by and for students of Glasgow, Strathclyde, and Caledonian Universities. We offer both information and support throughout the night from 7pm to 12am midnight, and we aim to be open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during term-time. 

You can contact us using our online chat for just about anything, whether you have a personal or academic worry that is affecting your life, a question about how to find your exam timetables, or simply a listening ear.

Glasgow Students' Nightline is a member of the national Nightline Association. This ensures that our Nightline is operating according to best practice as decided on by the Nightline Association, mental health professionals, legal advisors, the Samaritans, and the Helplines Partnership.

ANONYMITY

We will not ask you for any details about yourself and we do not disclose information about ourselves or other Nightline volunteers.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Anything you call about will be kept completely private within the organisation, with the exception of calls relating to acts of terrorism and in certain circumstances related to harm and safeguarding situations.

NON-JUDGEMENTAL

We treat every call and every caller the same, putting aside any personal opinions or prejudices. We accept you without judgement.

NON-DIRECTIVE

We will not tell you how to solve a problem or give you advice. We are there to listen and help callers in exploring their own emotions, situations and options. Callers decide what they want to talk about and we will give you a safe space to do this.

NON-ADVISORY

Nightline gives the caller space to make their own decision, and supports them in this rather than telling them what to do.

SUPPORT

We strive to support callers and our fellow volunteers at all times

Glasgow University Environmental Task Force launched in early 2019 and is a student-led, staff-supported initiative that works alongside our local residents, helping make Glasgow a greener, cleaner place for everyone.

We work in partnership with local community groups, taking part in activities such as litter-picking and tree planting.

The group has a number of focuses including outreach work with schools, networking events with industry professionals, social activities, workshops, and international collaborations.

FemEng also successfully pioneered ‘FemEng in Rwanda’, the University’s first student-led learning project in collaboration with the University of Rwanda. This initiative brought together women studying STEM subjects at both universities with the common goal of encouraging more high school girls in Rwanda to pursue further education in the field of STEM. This has lead to the introduction and planning of a future project ‘FemEng in Malawi’ which was launched in 2020 and aims to reach the same levels of success as the previous trips to Rwanda.

We run tabletop RPG’s such as dnd on tuesdays and regularly host board game events and occasional war gaming. We also participate in the NSGRC which is the national student gaming and role playing championships.

About GUSH

Glasgow University Service to the Homeless (GUSH) is a long-established, student-led initiative.  GUSH offers students the opportunity to work in partnership with Glasgow's community, to help the city's homeless.  Every Thursday and second Sunday, we meet with Emmaus Glasgow and Help4TheHomeless in Glasgow City Centre, to provide hot drinks and food for those who need.  We also run events throughout the year, including our Christmas gift giving, bake sales, clothing sales, quiz nights, and other fundraising activities.

Why volunteer with GUSH?

This project offers you a great way to get involved with your community, to work alongside like-minded peers, and meet the residents and neighbours of your city. You'll also have the chance to become a shift leader - any volunteer can take on this role, once you've gained appropriate experience - with added organising and leadership responsibilities. This volunteering opportunity is also Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) eligible, meaning it is a certified, extra-curricular activity which can be recognised on your transcript when you graduate. 

Glasgow University Students' Representative Council exists to promote the interests of students to the University and beyond, alongside providing a range of support services as well as social and personal development opportunities.

The SRC's aims are grouped under three key headings:

Representation

Support and Well-being

Volunteering and Community

Representation

Council

A team of up to 49 students are elected each year to represent UofG’s 33,000+ student population to the University including academic officers, student welfare officers, general representatives and four sabbatical officers who make up the executive.

Class Reps

Every class will elect at least one class representative to provide feedback on their course and learning experience to the University.

Campaigns

The SRC campaigns, challenges and lobbies on behalf of our students within the University and at national level.

Support and Well-being

The Advice Centre

A team of professional advice workers who  provide free, confidential advice, information and advocacy on a vast range of subjects including accommodation, academic, well-being employment and financial issues. 

Events

The SRC runs a number of support and welfare events throughout the year including Black and LGBTQ+ History months, De-stress activities, a RAG week and many more.  

Welcome Point

GUSRC run The Welcome Point where you can go with any general questions on a range of subjects. 

Secondhand Bookshop

The second-hand book shop stocks a variety of up-to-date materials at low prices. Check the online stock database to see what’s available. Also check online for any COVID-related service updates.

Student Job Hub

The SRC also work with the University Careers Service to provide the Student Job Hub: your one-stop shop for finding part-time work.

Postgraduate Club

For any Postgraduate students, you need to check out The Gilchrist Postgrad Club: a social space run exclusively for PG students by the SRC & UofG Food: featuring a café, regular events and a great bookable space.

Volunteering and Community

SRC Volunteering

SRC Volunteering is a service provided for all students and offers you the chance to undertake a wide range of volunteering opportunities both on and off campus. The service provides a valuable link with and input into the local community. You can register online for their volunteer database and they will help you to find a volunteering opportunity that best suits you.

Clubs & Socs

The SRC supports over three hundred clubs and societies via affiliation. Societies offer the opportunity to meet like-minded students and gain useful skills. GUSRC also offers clubs financial support and advice, as well as guidance to students on setting up new societies. Find the full list of clubs online.

Student Media

The SRC’s multi-award winning student media network includes a newspaper (The Glasgow Guardian), magazine (GUM), radio station (Subcity Radio) and television station (GUST). Whether enjoying their content or getting involved in production, student media at Glasgow is well worth checking out. All are free to join and participate in.

Who we are 

Our aim is to provide a forum for our members to interact on a professional and social level. ?

What we do

Our association works with the veterinary school board to coordinate charity fundraisers, social events, and educational opportunities throughout the school's diverse body. The association supports and represents all of the students, clubs, and societies of Glasgow University's exceptional veterinary school. We are here to listen and take action! 

GCP works with individuals and families in the asylum and refugee community in Glasgow.  Although based in Govan, we provide support to New Scots throughout Glasgow.  We offer a range of services including advice & advocacy, food insecurity support, digital inclusion, community social groups, English classes and support community members to access a variety of informal learning and wellbeing activities, facilitating opportunities for community members to build new connections in the communities they are living in.

GOW - What's in a Name? 

GOW is the collective acronym for the Gibson Street, Otago Street and Westbank Quadrant 'triange community', so called, because the streets join to form a triangular backcourt. The group provides a fantastic example of what can be achieved when Glasgow West End residents put their heads together to transform an ugly and neglected backcourt into an attractive area they can be proud of.

A Brief History of GOW 

Inspired by a one off clean up organised by students the GOW community group formed in 2001 as a response to local residents' wishes to tackle a host of problems. The main area they wanted to tackle was the backcourt, which like many other backcourts in Glasgow was very neglected.

Not only were the bin sheds were dilapidated and unsuited to modern levels of waste generation but chronic fly-tipping had resulted an accumulation of mounds of discarded rubbish.

The backcourt was pretty unsavoury as along with the overspill from the bin sheds came unwanted guests in the form of rats. Another hazard was discarded needles from drug users who bedded down in basement areas alongside dumped household appliances, baths and mattresses.
All in all, the GOW triangle was a forbidding and ugly area.

In 2000, a group of students from 97 Otago Street decided to have a clean up and posted around notes inviting residents to come along and help. Armed with heavy-duty black bags donated by Glasgow City Council, they and other residents made some inroads into the dreadful mess, filling a huge number of bags.

GOW community group tentatively formed in late 2001 and in February 2002 had their first public meeting held in an empty local shop. The aim was to find out what the residents wanted from the backcourt and to find out what was possible.

New Dawn...later that year

With the assistance of Kelvin Clyde Greenspace, both in terms of practical help (cutting back of overgrown trees and bushes) and advice (how to obtain funding, a bank account and organise GOW etc.), the group gained confidence in realising a backcourt intended to be used by all, not just abused by a few.

A survey and consultation report was produced identifying and prioritising the problems faced and the desires of the residents for improvement of the communal space.

Some of the main items on the GOW residents' wish list included :

• A solution to the overflowing bin sheds
• Some landscaping of the existing 'flowerbeds' and a 'green space' to enjoy
• A more secure and better lit area to prevent bin raking and non-residents using the area

The opportunity to recycle

Other backcourts in the city faced similar problems to GOW and as a result of an initiative taken by Kelvin Clyde Greenspace an umbrella body was formed in 2003. This was the Sustainable Backcourt Initiative (SBI) which included five Housing Associations as well as GOW residents Group. In addition to identifying common problems and engaging with Council Services in an effort to solve them, SBI obtained funding to commission a feasibility study for 4 backcourts in the City. This included GOW which is privately owned whilst the others provide predominantly social housing.

In 2005, City Design Cooperative, a landscape architect and urban design practice won the tender to produce the feasibility study with costings for the renovation of the 4 backcourts.

At the SBI Conference held in October 2004 to present the findings of that study the initiative came to the attention of the Scottish Executive Tenemental Recycling Group. Glasgow City Council was included in this pilot and the SBI backcourts were also incorporated in the Glasgow scheme using the now familiar blue bins.

The pilot ran for the 2005-6 financial year and in addition to physical renovation and improvements there was a community approach to encourage residents to recycle a range of items so diverting them from landfill. Delays in planning permission until late 2005 caused some problem for researchers but all the demolition, reconstruction, landscaping and clean-up work was completed by March 2006 and the scheme proved to be viable.

GOW is an amazing example of what can be created through community involvement, dedication and hard work.

Greater Pollok Services was set up by residents to bring opportunities into Greater Pollok, in employment, training, and support services. We evolved during Covid, as we quickly responded to emergencies and now have a Volunteer Coordinator who recruits and supports lots of community activity to help our community get back up and running.

About Us

The Inclusive Homework Club was founded in 2018 to create an educational support hub for people with learning difficulties and from disadvantaged backgrounds in mind. Since then, the impact of the IHC has continued to grow and officially received charity status on the 22nd of June 2020. The Club is currently being ran by Firdaus Ahmed and is funded by BEMIS, the Endrick Trust and the St. Nicholas Care Fund. 

We work with teachers at primary and secondary schools in Glasgow. Teachers refer young people to our Inclusive Homework Club programme to receive extra support. Parents and carers can also contact us directly if they feel their child would benefit from additional help. 

Our Mission

Our team of volunteer tutors provide literacy and numeracy support to students in one-to-one and group sessions. The support not only helps children succeed academically, it also helps them to build confidence and reach their potential. It's heartwarming to see the smiles on children and young people's faces as their confidence grows.?

Educational support from school and at home is often not enough, especially for children that require additional support. Our mission is to tackle barriers to learning and ensure every child receives the individualized learning support they need to reach their full potential.

We dream of a world where every child gets the same educational opportunities. 

At each local centre IntoUniversity offers an innovative programme that supports young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to attain either a university place or another chosen aspiration.

Every young person should know that being LGBT+ is something to be celebrated. Be the one to make that happen by becoming an LGBT+ ambassador.

Sign up to begin training with us. We have in person training coming up in Glasgow in September 2024 and online options throughout the year. Please note that you must identify as LGBT+ and be age 18-25 to become an ambassador.

The training takes place over two days (online or in person). This relaxed training will connect you with other young LGBT+ people and give you the skills and knowledge to use your voice to affect change.

You’ll choose opportunities throughout the year to deliver secondary school talks, use your voice, develop skills and find community. Not only is the Ambassador Programme life-changing, you’ll also help improve LGBT+ young people’s lives.

You’ll be able to continue volunteering every year until you’re 26. You’ll get loads back too: our ambassadors participate in exclusive employability and skills training from prestigious employers, and can join our year-long LGBT+ career mentoring scheme. More than that, Just Like Us ambassadors are part of a nationwide community of 300+ other LGBT+ young activists who support and learn from each other.

The kind-hearted Kiltwalk community have taken big strides for charities close to their hearts and together with The Hunter Foundation, have managed to raise a staggering £42.5 million to date. All funds raised have been distributed to 3,330 Scottish Charities.

We know that young people sometimes need some extra help to achieve their full potential, and we believe that providing support outside of school can really help young people to do better in the classroom, while also developing their broader skills. We also believe that learning should be a great adventure! So working together with local schools, families and volunteers, we deliver unique real-world learning projects (such as published books, films, and apps) in our online learning environment. 

We are an enthusiastic, fun and friendly group of students looking forward to bringing joy to children who are going through tough times and organising lots of fun events and activities around Glasgow!

Perhaps best known for dressing up in costumes and going into hospitals to meet children with illnesses or disabilities we want to make sure every child has the opportunity to enjoy their childhood. We endeavour to be professional, forward-thinking and well trained but hold at the forefront of our practice that fun is the number one priority for both children and volunteers. 

Our Mission

We exist to support Glasgow families, to make life easier, and reduce the financial and environmental impact of raising children.

We are a social enterprise and registered charity.  Our aims are threefold; to save families money by stocking great children’s goods at low prices, to support families in need with free goods and to provide a supportive space and events programme for families.

This is the full description for the provider, what they are about, what they can offer volunteers and so on.

Our Vision

A society where health, well-being and harmony is supported within active communities.

Our Strategic Goal

To empower individuals and communities to lead practical and sustainable food related activities that improve health and well-being and which help build stronger, more cohesive communities.

Our Values

• Equality: We will undertake creative positive action to improve the position of people within the communities of North Glasgow and surrounding areas who are marginalised and who experience oppression.
• Collaboration: We believe the voluntary and community sector is strongest when it works together and that its future will be shaped through collaborative working and this will be the key to the way we work.
• Passion:  We believe voluntary action is built on the passion of individuals and communities to make a positive difference.
• Participation: We value and recognise the contribution our volunteers and members make to supporting our service delivery and in influencing the way we do things.
• Quality: We are committed to providing high quality services and through listening to service users and stakeholders to make improvements to our services.
• Working together: We are committed to working in a happy and healthy organisation, in which we all respect each other, offer feedback and work to improve our key human resources – both staff and volunteers.
• Ethical Business: We will seek to make our charitable work self-sustaining by engaging in social business activities which enhance the social responsibility of local businesses and align to our other values.

Our History

North Glasgow Community Food Initiative (NGCFI) has operated as a non-profit making organisation since June 2001. It was initially established by students from Student Action For Refugees (STAR) at Glasgow University, under the name of the North Glasgow Food Co-op. It was set up in response to research carried out by the Glasgow Asylum Rights Campaign who had identified a need for the local provision of cheap fresh fruit and vegetables in order to encourage its consumption and a need for projects that were intended for use by the whole community. In the first year the project was run entirely by volunteers and in September 2002 the project received funding from Integration Resources to take on staff to support and develop the activities. The organisation then changed its name to the ‘North Glasgow Community Food Initiative’ and broadened its focus to include expanded fruit and vegetable sessions, a delivery service, an allotment project and cookery activities. It has been growing ever since!

In September 2005 we became a Company Limited by Guarantee with Charitable Status. In 2006, we were one of only two organisations to win the prestigious Dame Sheila McKechnie Award for Community Food Initiatives, administered by the Food Standards Agency in London. In October 2009, NGCFI and Milton Food Project merged. In March 2010 we were benefited from a Third Sector Enterprise Fund grant from the Scottish Government. In 2011 we began ground works at our community garden in Milton, soon winning an award for sustainable working. In June 2012 we launched our Healthier Eating Royston Experience funded by the Big Lottery Fund.

NGCFI Strive to increase our Social Enterprise Activity and take on new opportunities for partnership to help achieve our social and community aims. NGCFI are continuing to carry out feasibility, planning and development of social enterprise opportunities across North Glasgow with an aim to increasing revenues while also making for a more sustainable organisation that will be able to withstand the potential changes in the voluntary and third sectors.

Volunteers are the heartbeat of our movement to end poverty around the world.  Volunteer in an Oxfam shop and you'll join a powerful movement of people united by one goal - an end to poverty, for everyone.  Window dressing, serving customers, organising pop up shop events, sorting donations, managing our social media - we need people for all kinds of roles.  And you'll join a friendly team at the heart of your community.

Possobilities – Serving North Glasgow

Over the last 33 years, Possobilities has developed into one of the most respected voluntary organisations in Glasgow. We have a proven track record of offering support and respite to disabled and vulnerable people in our community.

We’re all about promoting independent living.

We give members with disabilities access to the resources they require and support them to grow, learn and develop so that they can achieve their goals within society rather than feel isolated in their own homes. Our purpose-built centre at Possobilities gives them confidence to grow in a safe environment at their own pace while also encouraging them to try new things.

Our members come from every age group and have disabilities in various forms and we understand that disability can limit opportunities. We go out of our way to break down those barriers. 

Possobilities is able to offer support through social groups and community-led assets in a welcoming environment. This allows us to give our members what they need to allow them to participate in activities and social circles. 

We care for more than 1,200 new patients, their families and carers each year in the hospice, at home and in the community. Wherever you choose to receive your care, we are here for you and your family for every step of the way. Being referred to a hospice can be daunting. Our welcoming team is here to make the experience as easy and comfortable as possible.

We will help you gain skills and give you an invaluable insight into our essential work.

The Byres Road shop is a modern, contemporary and urban street store, unlike any other charity shop you've ever seen - full of vintage treasures, gorgeous greenery and creativity!

We're looking for volunteers to join our team so we can raise money and awareness for Save the Children. Activities include customer service, visual merchandising, sorting through donated stock for treasure and working as part of a vibrant and diverse team. We welcome applications from people with a wide range of skills and experiences. You don’t need any retail or shop experience as full training will be provided. 

We know that our shop teams are stronger when they are inclusive and representative of their communities. Everybody can make a real difference. People come to us for all sorts of reasons, from all backgrounds, we will do what we can to find a role which works for you.

We're open all week and can accommodate different days and times -  so get in touch, we'd love to welcome you to our Team! 

Smart Works Scotland has supported thousands of women into employment since opening its centre in August 2014, and we are opening another centre in Glasgow in October 2022.

The women who come to Smart Works are referred from Job Centres, mental health charities, women's refuges, homeless shelters, the prison service, care service, and youth organisations. 

We offer three services:

Career Coaching - this is for any unemployed woman looking to secure an interview. We'll help you with personalised one-to-one coaching with a skillled volunteer who will provide you with practical tips and next steps to secure an interview. 

Interview Preparation - If you're unemployed with a confirmed interview we can help you feel confident and prepared with a personalised dressing session to find you a high-quality interview outfit, yours to keep. You'll also receive a one-to-one interview coaching wth a skilled volunteer coach.

Second Dressing - once you get the job we'd love to see you again for a second dressing where we'll help you build a capsule wardrobe. 

Starter Packs Glasgow have been helping individuals and families across Greater Glasgow for the last 21 years.  We provide over 60 items in our packs such as crockery, kettle, toaster, pots, pans, bedding, towels, toiletries and cleaning products.  They are available by referral to anybody experiencing poverty, often after being homeless, fleeing domestic situations, moving on from the forces, prison or care.  Our packs help empower people to build a new life with dignity, ease their financial burden, and alleviate poverty and the mental and physical ill health that can be caused by it. They allow people to settle into their new home more quickly, reducing the chances of having to leave the tenancy – helping to break the cycle of homelessness. 

STAR (Student Action for Refugees) is the national network of students building a more understanding and just society where refugees are welcomed and can thrive in the UK.

Our student groups based in colleges and universities and a central team of experts, work together at a number of levels to bring about lasting change. We:

• Volunteer locally working directly with refugees, building understanding and connections
• Campaign nationally for policy change and equal access to higher education for refugees
• Learn about refugee protection and the asylum journey in the UK with experts and peers

Our impact

In 2019-20, we:

• Supported 53 STAR groups across 39 towns and cities.
• Worked in partnership with SolidarityNow to support the establishment of student-led groups at Greek universities.
• Responded to 300 support requests from prospective students with a refugee or asylum-seeking background.
• Supported universities with scholarship development, including the launch of nine new scholarships.

Our vision

Our vision is a society where refugees are welcomed and can thrive as equal members of the community.

Our history

In 1992, students at the University of Nottingham were inspired by the idea of a society that welcomed refugees – so they decided to create one. Andy Davies (then a politics student, now Channel 4 home affairs correspondent) approached the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva, pitching the idea of a network of student societies aimed at supporting refugees.

Andy was asked to set up a pilot scheme, and in 1994, the first STAR group was set up, with support from UNHCR and the British Refugee Council. Then-social policy student Elly Hargreave became a co-founder of STAR, growing the movement with groups in London and Edinburgh established by 1996. 

Elly went on to found STAR as a registered charity in 1999 to support a national network of students campaigning, volunteering, and learning together. In 2008, the launch of our Equal Access campaign marked the start of our work improving pathways into higher education for refugees. Today, our network of informed and committed students bring about lasting change by volunteering locally with refugees, campaigning nationally for policy change, and learning about refugee protection in the UK with experts and peers.

Surge runs projects to develop street arts, physical theatre and circus in Scotland.  We work with artists, performance companies and educators at all levels of experience.  SURGE Festival is our annual festival of Physical Theatre, Street Arts and Circus and takes place each summer and brings new Scottish work and cutting edge international performances to the streets, theatres and unusual spaces of Glasgow. 

We work for and with communities, helping them come to life by walking, wheeling, and cycling to create healthier and happier lives for everyone.

The benfits of walking, wheeling, cycling, and healthy places aren't experienced in the same way by everyone.

We prioritise work with people and in places that challenge this.

We involve people with different and seldom-heard voices, to develop solutions that work for everyone.

We keep questioning and asking if we can do more. We know we can't do this on our own so we work closely with others.

We're talented, creative and dedicated people -

Our work wouldn't be possible without the commitment and dedication from our 650 colleagues, 3,000 volunteers and 30,000 supporters - we all work together to make change happen. 

Govan faces tremendous economic and social hardship. So, named after the ship building barons, The Glasgow Barons have been helping make music in Govan since 2017 with schools, community groups and local people. We bring diverse audiences together in a wide range of local venues, be it Fairfield Club, Govan & Linthouse Parish Church or the Billiard Room Sessions in the Pearce Institute.

Local groups build music programmes with our support, such as our asylum-seeking Musicians In Exile and The Linties’ golden oldies singalong group. We also support local singer-songwriters and rappers to tell Govan’s story. We pay local folk to support our charitable objectives. We align closely with the Govan-Part NSPCC Together for Childhood and other local partners to maximise and sustain our impact.

The Glasgow Barons are based in Govan where our Artistic Director is also a resident and community councillor.

Our ambition is a future where every person with sight loss has the confidence and support they need to live 

Nature, Beauty & Heritage for Everyone

The National Trust for Scotland is the charity that cares for, shares and speaks up for Scotland’s magnificent heritage. We’re Scotland’s largest membership organisation and we’re independent of government.

Since 1931, we’ve pioneered public access to and shared ownership of some of the most magnificent buildings, collections and landscapes in Scotland. We care for ancient houses, battlefields, castles, mills, gardens, coastlines, islands, mountain ranges and the plants and animals which depend upon them.

Together, the places and objects in our care tell the stories of Scotland and the Scots: how our people travelled and interacted with the wider world, taking with them their energy and values and returning with new ideas and treasures. Without our involvement, many of these places and things would have been lost forever to the passage of time, development and the elements.

Scotland is exceptional in its nature, beauty and heritage, and everyone should have access to this.

As we look to our centenary in 2031, we are working to fulfil our vision of Nature, Beauty and Heritage for Everyone, and continuing to care for Scotland’s special places for future generations.

About Us

With our communities we'll change society to make it more inclusive for everyone, help people hear better now and fund world-class research. 

Our communities are huge: 

• 1 in 5 of us are deaf or have hearing loss
• 1 in 7 have tinnitus 

If our work doesn't directly impact you, it will almost certainly be making a difference for someone you know and love. 

We work with our communities and partners across health, employment, research, government, and more to change life for the better.

Volunteer With Us

Volunteer with us and make a valuable difference to people who are deaf, have hearing loss, or tinnitus. Any contribution you make, no matter how small, can have a big impact. 

Since Donald Watson founded The Vegan Society in 1944, volunteers have played a vital role in getting us to where we are today. Volunteers add so much value to our work, bringing with them a fresh perspective and a range of valuable skills and abilities. Because of volunteers we are often able to be more creative, more responsive, and more ambitious in what we do. 

Volunteering with The Vegan Society can be a wonderful opportunity to meet new vegans, practice your skills, gain experience and get that sense of satisfaction from knowing you are helping more people to go vegan and stay vegan. 

Who we are…

Education is the most powerful way of improving people’s lives. The VTO believes that that all children should have access to educational support, irrespective of family circumstances.

We recruit, train, place, resource and support volunteer tutors, to give one-to-one educational help and guidance to children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

We believe that one-to-one interaction with an adult away from the classroom is an effective mechanism of supporting children’s education.

What we do…

The VTO tailors its activities to individual needs and objectives, so that support is specifically focused on each pupil’s problem areas. By assisting those children who need help with their schoolwork, but whose parents/carers cannot afford private tutoring, the aim is improvement in their educational attainment. The relatively informal, but dedicated individual support provided by the VTO has been found to be very effective.

The VTO is now in a position to build on its experience and develop a comprehensive approach focusing on the areas of greatest need, the areas of our towns and cities where the greatest attainment gap exists.

“The most important thing about the VTO is that you do not need to be an education specialist to get involved. The organisation was set up, from the very beginning, to train and support ordinary people who want to do something very practical to support children. Find out how you can become a volunteer as a tutor.

Whether you're living with or affected by these conditions, no one should face HIV or hepatitis C alone. And we want to make talking about and taking care of your sexual health a part of everyday life.

First established in 1989, our many services have grown over the years to incorporate support groups, one-to-one mentoring, social outings, education sessions, and workshops to name just a few. Find out more about the support and advice we offer here. 

Through our work, we're also:

• reducing new HIV and Hepatitis C infections
• getting people diagnosed 
• smashing stigma
• tackling health inequalities
• promoting good sexual health

What is WISE Mentoring? 

We offer weekly group mentoring and 1:1 mentoring sessions for children aged 9-11 across primary schools at the end of the school day. We also run drop-in sessions for previous attendees, to further the impact of the mentoring they have received, and family days, which welcome both children enrolled in the mentoring projects and any other families and community members who wish to join.

Why is this important? 

We know that children need to grow up loved, safe and respected to be able to unlock their potential. However, we know that there is a lack of support and enriching activities for many and that there is less and less funding for youth work available. We want to continue responding to this need by providing a safe space and running enriching, educational and supportive projects which will help children develop their self-esteem, to be able to make positive and healthy decisions, and to grow in all aspects of their wellbeing and character.

We help children and young people to understand important issues about the world: the environment, world debt, global conflict and sustainable development. The work we do supports our young members to build a peaceful, fairer world, and to develop their own ideas, their self-confidence and their skills.  We work to ensure that young people’s voices are listened to and amplified, so they can take an active role in shaping our world and their future.

Every week thousands of volunteers and young people meet in school halls, community venues and a host of other places. There they learn about big ideas through fun activities like singing, camping, playing and debating.

We are increasing our use of online tools to deliver our programmes for young people and connect our young members with their peers across the UK and beyond. Follow the links to find out more about our work in Scotland and Wales.

Our Vision

Our vision is for young people to shape their future by shaping their community.

Our Mission

Our mission is to enable young people to empower themselves by promoting the following:

• Human rights
• Active citizenship
• Volunteering 
• Lifelong learning activities

Our Added Value

We bring both youth empowerment and human rights perspective to the achievement of social and economic objectives. We regularly break new ground in the field of lifelong learning and youth engagement and we champion and promote the interests of young people and their right to be involved in decision-making processes that impact on their lives.

Our Values 

• We are a Youth Lead organisation.
• We are open to all young people.
• We communicate clearly.
• Our Services develop young people by adding to their skills, knowledge and building confidence.
• We build in time, learning from what we do.
• We celebrate the achievements of young people.