The power of volunteering
Volunteers fencing at Insh Marshes (Andy Hay, rspb-images.com)
Volunteers are a crucial part of RSPB Scotland, allowing us to deliver our day to day conservation helping to protect our country’s wonderful wildlife and habitats. But more than that, charities like the RSPB were founded by volunteers, and throughout our long history the role of volunteers, from every walk of life, age and background has shaped the organisation we are today.
Over the past few months the media has been focusing heavily on the positive impact volunteers have on organisations and communities, and how volunteering gives purpose and social opportunities to people that is both rewarding and fun. You may have seen or heard the campaigns on radio stations such as BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 4 promoting the hours that volunteers put in (#1millionhours) and the monetary value of this to an organisation.
So what is a volunteer? Put simply, a volunteer is someone who gives their time and talents to an organisation or their local community. However, it is so much more than this. The benefits of having volunteers for an organisation are huge, and although we do try and put a monetary value on volunteering there are so many other benefits that can’t be calculated. These are things such as stronger communities, community engagement, partnership work and gaining different perspectives which benefit an organisation, and the individual. Volunteers share their skills and experience with organisations and can fill skill gaps within the workforce that you didn’t even realise were missing. Our volunteers are vital to RSPB Scotland – I would say they are priceless, and their talents and skills enrich what we do and how we do it.
Organisations like RSPB Scotland have a ‘compact’ with volunteers to ensure they get something out of it too. Health and wellbeing can be dramatically improved, be it by gaining fitness through physical volunteering on a nature reserve, or area of green space, or happiness through meeting new people and making new friends. New soft skills such as team work and communications can be gained and can be invaluable to a person’s career. Our volunteers tell us they love meeting like-minded people, being out and about on our reserves, and getting the public enthusiastic about wildlife, as well as the many other ways that giving us some of their time enhances their lives.
Volunteers play an incredibly important role in our work and I’d like to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who contributes their time to our organisation. The range of roles is huge, from our Trustees who help govern the organisation, through to those hardy souls who arrange work parties, run our local groups, help campaign for a better environment, enthuse young people, do survey work, or raise funds for the cause.
Scotland's Big Nature Festival (Majdanik Photography)
Feeling inspired? Here are10 ways that you can get involved with RSPB Scotland across the country:
1. Have a holiday with a twist!
Residential opportunities allow you to experience the bustling life of a reserve and make a visible difference. Our residential opportunities can be anything from our Loch Garten osprey project to working on peatland at our Forsinard reserve. Have a working break, learn new skills and meet the staff!
2. Become a pin badge box minder
Pin badges are vital to the RSPB’s community fundraising effort and bring in unrestricted funds to the RSPB. These funds are put straight back to work for birds and wildlife. For more information contact: communityfundraisingscotland@rspb.org.uk
3. Join your Local Group
Local Groups are fantastic way to meet new people, listen to great talks on the natural environment and improve your bird identification skills. Arrange local outings, man a stall at a local flower show, or simply enjoy the company of others who love nature.
4. Give something back with your local WEX Group or as an Education Volunteer
We love inspiring young people to get involved with nature. You can joining our dedicated education teams across Scotland doing outreach work in schools and educating children on our reserves. For opportunities contact: amber.jenkins@rspb.org.uk
5. Become an RSPB office volunteer
RSPB volunteers who help in our offices are amazing! Within the office environment volunteers can help with anything from data management to organising events and marketing. Get involved by finding your local office here.
6. Get out and about on your local reserve
Looking to get fit, improve your practical skills and get some fresh air? Reserve work party volunteering could be the thing for you. Help our reserve wardens manage our 80 plus reserves and create and conserve homes for wildlife. To find your closest reserve look here.
7. Help our science teams carry out surveys
Do you know your birds, mammals or insects? Do you want to put that knowledge to good use? RSPB Scotland is always looking for volunteers to help out with vital survey work. Without you we wouldn’t get half as much covered, and it provides the crucial evidence that underpins all our conservation efforts! For opportunities contact: SHQvolunteers@rspb.org.uk
8. Spread the word
We are always looking for volunteers to help us with public engagement to help us spread knowledge about the work of RSPB Scotland and promote the projects we are doing across the country and overseas. Have you got what it takes to help plan, organise and run events or inspire people about the work of the RSPB? For opportunities contact: SHQvolunteers@rspb.org.uk
9. Get involved with next year’s Big Garden Birdwatch
Volunteering is about doing what you can when you have the time. Big Garden Birdwatch runs every year in January and last year over 42,000 people took part. If you can’t wait until then, look out for Big Wild Sleepout which takes place in the summer.
10. Join in at Scotland’s Big Nature Festival
Scotland’s Big Nature Festival is back on 21st and 22nd May with lots of activities, workshops and talks planned for a fun filled weekend. We are looking for volunteers for the event with lots of roles such as Runners, Stewards and Parking Marshalls. Without our incredible volunteers this event would not be the success that it is.