Business Hours

The GATEWAY is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, and we can be reached by Email – vsg@vsgwl.org – Telephone (01506) 650111 – or Fax (01506) 650222.

West Lothian Volunteer of the Year Awards 2010

Volunteers from the Rosebery Centre receiving their award from Angela Constance at last years Volunteer of the Year Awards

Hilcroft Hotel, Whitburn, Monday 22 November 7pm – 9.30pm

Please take this opportunity to nominate a friend, colleague or organisation that you feel is worthy of special mention for their voluntary work within West Lothian. Click for further details

Training and Meeting Rooms for Hire  

For more information download our leaflet or contact vsg@vsgwl.org (preferred rates for members).

Training Courses

The GATEWAY is running the following free training courses:

Monday 13^th September               Roles & Responsibilities of the Management Committee

Tuesday 14^th September              Volunteer Recruitment and Retention

Tuesday 28^th September               Charity Finance and Accounting

Each course is free of charge** and will run from 9:30am to 12:30pm on the date stated.

Places will be allocated on a first come first serve basis.  Where there is high demand for a course we will keep interested parties on a waiting list and if there are any cancellations, those on the waiting list will be contacted on a first come first serve basis.

**Please note that although our courses are free if you cancel your place within 48 hours of the course start time we will charge a £10 cancellation fee.  Places cancelled out with this time period will not be charged.

To book your place, please complete the  booking form (a separate form for each delegate and each course) and return it to Leigh Walker at the Voluntary Sector Gateway West Lothian, 36 – 40 North Bridge Street, Bathgate EH48 4PP.  Alternatively you can fill in the word document and e-mail it to vsg@vsgwl.org

Efficiencies and Smarter Working Workshop

In the light of the current financial situation facing voluntary sector organisations and the expectations of West Lothian Council, as a major funder, that the voluntary sector address the issues of efficiencies and smarter working as a preparatory exercise to meet the anticipated reduction in funding for the period 2011/12 through to 2013/14 Voluntary Sector Gateway is organising four one day workshops that will focus on Efficiencies and Smarter Working.  The workshops will be interactive, non prescriptive and allow maximum participation.

The cost of the workshop is £20 per person for member organisations and £30  for non members . To enrol please complete a booking form and return it to Voluntary Sector Gateway.  (Places will be accepted on a first come, first served basis.)  Ideally Managers, Senior Officers and Board Members should be looking to participate. Click for further Details

Each one day workshop will train up to 25 voluntary sector representatives.  The workshop starts at 9.30 through to 4.00 pm, lunch and refreshments will be provided.

Dates: October..…… Thursday 7th

……….October ……...Wednesday 27th

……….November…. Thursday 18th

……….December….. Wednesday 8th

Venue: Regal Community Theatre Bathgate.

Register a Volunteer Opportunity

If you would like to register a volunteering opportunity on the national database, VBay, please click here and complete and return the form to vsg@vsgwl.org or return by post.

Schools Mentor Training

Volunteer Mentors having completed their mentor training

Voluntary Sector Gateway West Lothian, in partnership with West Lothian Council’s “More Choices, More Chances” team, is running a year long pilot project for 14 to 19 year olds who are recognised as under-achieving at school or, in the case of the 16 to 19 age group, unsuccessful in finding employment. The focus of the pilot will be to provide trained Volunteer Mentors to work with individuals for at least two hours per week.

As a Volunteer Mentor you will be trained and supported throughout the pilot year. Training will take place at the Voluntary Sector Gateway in Bathgate from 6pm to 9pm over two evenings on Tuesday 14th, and Thursday 16th of September. Soon after you complete your training you will be matched to a young person who will have read your profile and asked to meet with you. All the young people, like you, will have volunteered to participate in the Mentoring Programme.

If you would like to get involved in this project, contact Maureen Mancini or James Penman on 01506-650111 or Email maureen.mancini@vsgwl.org

Please fill a Shoebox and help bring Joy this Christmas

Some people have so little that the things we take for granted are luxuries that they can’t afford to buy. To give someone a new hat or scarf when they have never had new clothes brings great job and laughter. This year the Gateway is supporting the Blythswood Care Shoe Box Appeal and will accept donations on their behalf. Shoeboxes will be distributed to Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, India, Moldova, Pakistan, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine. Find out more by visiting www.shoeboxappeal.org. For Christmas delivery your shoebox should be at the Gateway by FRIDAY 05 November or dropped off at our stall during the Charity Market on Saturday 30 October at the Regal Community Theatre, Bathgate. If you would like to go that extra mile, a donation of £2 or more in an envelope in your box will help meet shipment costs.

The Community Toolkit

This resource has been developed for and with the help of community groups to help improve skills and knowledge and bring benefits to local communities. There are guidelines on a range of topics, including setting up and running a community group, legal requirements and good practice, planning and fundraising for a particular project and where to obtain useful statistical data on the local area.

To access the Toolkit click here

………….Participants in a recent First Aid course at the Gateway