Alzheimer Scotland is committed to raising awareness of dementia and making sure the right care and support is available across the country.

We are committed to taking every opportunity to speak about dementia and our work, raise awareness of Alzheimer Scotland and make sure that the active voice of people with dementia is heard.

We need project and engagement volunteers to help make this happen. In this section you can kind out more about this type of volunteer roles:

  • Dog Day volunteers
  • Dementia Circle volunteers
  • Digital media volunteers
  • Engagement volunteers.

Dog Day volunteers

This role is suitable for people who own a dog. As a team, you and your four legged furry friend will support Dog Day events within Alzheimer Scotland centres and witness first-hand the benefits animals have to people with dementia. Our Dog Day events are there to be enjoyed by anyone living with dementia, including their families and friends and during the course of the Dog Day event, volunteers may have direct one to one contact with people living with dementia.
This role is varied but is likely to include: supporting Dog Day events with your dog and spending time and communicating with people living with dementia, their family and friends in a group or one to one setting. You and your dog must be willing to complete training and assessments for this role, as well as Dementia Friends training.

What skills are required for this role?
A passion for working with animals is a must, as is being great with people, friendly, caring and a good communicator. Your dog must also feel comfortable being around groups of people, although training will be provided. Dementia Circle volunteer

Dementia Circle volunteers

Our Dementia Circle volunteers enable people living with dementia and/or carers to view and discover how technology and everyday living products can be used to benefit their lives. By technology we are referring to products that could use a plug, WiFi or Bluetooth connection. Everyday living products would be other things that could be used around the home, such as reminder boards, coffee cups, clear storage jars etc. Dementia Circle volunteers won’t recommend specific products but will demonstrate a range of options that individuals can consider or seek alternative products at their own discretion. Volunteers will also undertake administrative duties and convey messages about Dementia Circle resources.

What skills are required for this role?
An interest in technology would benefit this role, however training will be given. Volunteers should have the ability to learn information and then convey this in a simple manner and having basic IT skills would help.

Engagement volunteers

Our engagement volunteers help us to gather and share the local views and experiences of people living with dementia and their carers. Engagement volunteers may also be asked to represent the views of Alzheimer Scotland, people living with dementia and/or carers at other externally organised meetings and events.

What skills are required for this role?
Excellent listening, communication and interpersonal skills are essential for this role. Volunteers must feel confident sharing the views and experiences of people living with dementia and/or carers at events when appropriate and be willing to set up/de-rig events. Volunteers should feel comfortable with basic computer software packages and be able to take/collate notes and feedback at events.

Digital media volunteers

Our digital media volunteers help us to create content and promote our social media blogs, posts, newsletters and website. They help us to increase use of our website, boost our public profile and help ensure the materials and posts we create meet our users’ needs.

Our digital media volunteers will help by:

  • Using a variety of social and digital media platforms to increase traffic to our website and boost our public profile
  • Raising awareness about our work, locally and nationally
  • Sharing our posts and messages
  • Using your skills to proof read, edit and write posts to help promote the voice of people living with dementia and the people who support them
  • Helping us to increase our reach on a variety of social networks
  • Identifying key digital influencers and help us to engage with them to reach a wider audience
  • Helping us to moderate new content within online forums and message boards
  • Acting as content facilitators, helping us to locate, publish and/ or signpost new digital content from other relevant sources

What skills are required for this role?
 Confidence with social media and digital channels is essential for this role as is having a flair for writing compelling content. Digital media volunteers must feel confident with computer software packages and be able to convey Alzheimer Scotland’s tone of voice through all platforms.

As with all volunteering roles, there will be training where required and ongoing support from our Volunteer team. Full role descriptions will be available upon application.

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