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community taskforce volunteers

We are offering one-off adhoc assistance to people through our team of Community Taskforce Volunteers

Want to request help from our Taskforce?

Health and Social Care Professional?

Help, just when you need it!

We are a reactive service that aids people by offering trained volunteers to assist with practical tasks over a time-limited period. Our team of 400+ Community Taskforce Volunteers are ready and willing to help!

Anyone can ask for help, whether a friend, neighbour, relative or any professional. We will consider any request within Edinburgh, and if we can’t help, we will point you in the direction of an organisation that may be able to help. We always offer a unique prompt service.

How do I request help?

Our Community Taskforce Volunteers can help with practical tasks that you might need support with, and getting that support is easier than ever. Volunteers will often complete a task on the day of the request with tasks allocated using a postcode match.

Before you begin please familiarise yourself with our Terms of Service, and when you’re ready simply click on the button below to let us know what help you need. We are happy to take a call or email directly by using the contact telephone numbers or email address found below.

Request Help

What tasks can we help with?

What tasks can our volunteers help with?
Shopping collection *
Company on unaided walks
Support after hospital discharge
Prescription collection and delivery
Light waste management *
Dog walking *
Garden tidying
Post Office mailing
Short doorstep chats
Meeting at appointments
* Please note that we are unable to cover the cost of shopping and our volunteers must be provided with cash to cover the goods requested; Light waste management includes e.g. taking bin bags to the street, or recycling; dog walking is provided on a short-term basis only.
Please contact us if you require more information on what tasks our volunteers can provide by emailing taskforce@volunteeredinburgh.org.uk.

Arrivals from Ukraine

In addition, our Community Taskforce Volunteers are aiding with a ‘Meet and Greet’ welcome at Edinburgh Airport with shifts throughout the day from 7.30 to midnight.

This is a partnership offer with the City of Edinburgh Council who offer guidance to displaced people from Ukraine and assist with all information. Find out more on their webpage here.

Volunteer Feedback

Our role is to offer a smile, a welcome and of course, some information. It is wonderful to see them got from quiet, wary and nervous arrivals to smiling, relieved travelers who make every effort to express their gratitude to us – whether they speak English or not.
Although my time on the Welcome Desk is just an infinitesimal element of what is needed to help the people of Ukraine, I do feel that those arriving are strongly comforted by having us there just to say “Hi. Welcome to Scotland. You’re safe and very welcome here”. That thought makes me feel good about what we’re doing. There is nothing difficult about our role and even if we have language barriers, we can still communicate well with those arriving.
Those arriving are so grateful to be met by a smiling face. They have gone through such trauma, lost so much and yet are excited to have made it to the safety of Scotland. We are only a small part of the effort to help, but very much appreciated.
For me it’s being able to help folk who have been through such a terrible experience. I feel I am helping in a small way being a kind face when they come through the doors of either terminal 1 or 2. The smile on the faces of the children when you give them a wee teddy it tugs at your heart.
The most rewarding aspect of this task is seeing the faces of the Ukrainian refugees, of all ages, who we are able to welcome and assist. Initially, a bit downcast and wary, they soon turn to smiles of relief and gratitude. So worthwhile.’

What about safety and security

Our volunteers will always offer a personal connection for those needing assistance.

All our volunteers carry electronic identification or a letter from us to verify their identity, and have been checked and verified by us and Yoti†. Each and every one of our volunteers also receives training and guidance on their role.

So please get in touch and we will see what we can do. If you have any more general questions about the service you can contact us at taskforce@volunteeredinburgh.org.uk or by calling 0131 561 8309 or 07958 540 438.

* Please note that we are unable to cover the cost of shopping and our Community Taskforce Volunteers must be provided with cash or alternative payment method to cover the goods requested.
† Volunteer Edinburgh are working with Yoti to provide digital identification for our volunteers. You can find out more about this collaboration and our new electronic volunteer identification here.