VOLUNTEER SUPPORT
As part of CLEAR Buckhaven and Methil’s environmental improvements and regeneration we welcome volunteers to help with our efforts. We offer inclusive, positive and productive activities that benefit individual volunteers and the community. Health and wellbeing benefits for individuals, through our meaningful work in community projects, can make a positive impact on people’s lives.
We ask partner organisations supporting clients to engage in our activities to bring a positive and encouraging attitude. We try to build a productive work ethos with our volunteers and it is helpful if support staff can contribute to this.
We understand that the skills of support workers may not be in tree planting, wood work, bike repair or gardening but our staff will be on hand to demonstrate and support. We have a range of activities from admin tasks, gardening, food production, bike repair and wood work. We ask that support workers and volunteers are suitably dressed for the work environment and can help in providing boots for committed volunteers.
VOLUNTEER JOB DESCRIPTIONS
Environmental Volunteers
CLEAR offers opportunities to volunteer in its ongoing environmental programme. This is often seasonal work, especially busy between October to March but with other sessions over the summer and run on either Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10-3.30, supervised by a CLEAR staff member or lead volunteer. You don’t need any knowledge or experience of environmental work just readiness to get stuck in to help the planet and enhance your own community. This work is outdoors (though there is shelter if the weather turns) and involves some physical exercise. The range of task include planting spring bulbs, native saplings, fruit trees and flowering shrubs, carrying out maintenance and pruning work in the woodlands and orchards, carrying out litter picks, harvesting fruit and similar.
Community Gardening Volunteers
CLEAR offers opportunities for local people to volunteer in its two community gardens (one in Buckhaven, one in Methil). These sessions run on Wednesdays and Thursdays every week from 10-3.30, supervised by a CLEAR staff member or lead volunteer. You don’t need any knowledge or experience of gardening but it would also help. This work is primarily outdoors (though there is shelter if the weather turns) and involves some physical exercise. The range of tasks include planting seed in seed trays, potting up, planting, watering, pruning, composting, harvesting, weeding, grass/hedge cutting and many similar. This activity is interesting and varied, changes over the seasons, helps both physical and mental health and wellbeing and tends to be sociable, working alongside others. In addition, some tasks are carried out beyond the gardens, for example tending shrub beds in parks and similar.
Community Workshop Volunteers
CLEAR offers opportunities for local people to volunteer in its community workshop at 47 Sandwell St. These sessions run on Wednesdays and Thursdays every week from 10-3.30, supervised by a CLEAR staff member or lead volunteer. Some previous knowledge or experience of these skills would be useful but enthusiastic starters might also find it useful. The small workshop has tools and equipment for woodwork and crafts of various types, and also a well-equipped bike workshop carrying out repairs for the wider public. We would like to recycle more wooden pallets to make such items. The wood workshop produces a range of different items such as planters, bird/batboxes, signs, garden furniture and of course. Most of the work is carried out in the workshop or yard, but also involves work outdoors in the two community gardens and other sites installing items producing or carrying out repairs.
Street Champion/Litterpicking Volunteers
CLEAR is looking for individual volunteers to join our Street Champions. There are about 15-20 active at present, part of a growing national movement, going out at least three times a week around their immediate neighbourhoods and collecting rubbish to make the place more attractive. Many take the litter home and sort and recycle it. Usually CLEAR can supply a litter picker and hoop but many just use bags for life or plastic bags. CLEAR itself started by local people picking litter and all the founder members still do this regularly after 15 years. It’s an enjoyable outdoor activity, promotes better physical mental health and makes a visible, immediate difference. Unlike the other group activities, you just do this at a time that suits you but you are also welcome to join in some larger community litter picks we organize throughout the year,
These activities are interesting and varied, changes over the seasons, helps both physical and mental health and wellbeing and tends to be sociable, working alongside others. Volunteers can also take pride in helping improve our community to make it a better place to live.
Cheryll’s Story
I came across CLEAR at the Artisan Market in Leven.
My friend and I were attracted to the jams and chutneys. We tasted the pressed apple juice and bought blackberry ice cream made from the produce CLEAR grows. We were having a laugh with Billy who volunteers and we liked the idea of learning to grow and learn with these easy going folk.
To let you understand, my Mum had just passed away and due to Covid 19, I lost my job I had held for 8 years, it felt I didn’t know myself any more. I knew I needed to push myself to fill the void. My anxiety levels were so high when I walked through the gate at Methil for the first time but I reminded myself that this was my chance to learn more about the plants I use in my Aromatherapy and how to grow them.
The Thursday team accepted me immediately. We help each other a lot. We have painted the big fence, prepared the area for the new Kids train station, learned how to propagate shrubs and herbs and worked out in the Community planting bulbs and trees.
Top things about volunteering with CLEAR is that we are creating community unity and improvements; all levels of the organisation are hands-on; being involved in all aspects of the cycle of growth and learning what we can do personally to prevent climate change.
CLEAR is a great stepping stone for anyone who has lost confidence and wants to take the first step in finding it again.