#MEAction Scotland Volunteer Network

What is the Volunteer Network?

At #MEAction Scotland, we want to ensure that our campaign reflects the needs of the whole ME community across Scotland. We want to be able to amplify your voices and make sure your stories are heard.

Our campaign is run by a small core team of volunteers who meet weekly. Hundreds more support us on social media, and we know many of our supporters would love to help but don’t have the time or energy to contribute to the day-to-day running of the campaign.

The Volunteer Network is a way for our supporters to contribute to our campaign on an occasional basis when they feel able to do so. It also helps us to tap into the wealth of experience, skills and wisdom within our community.

Who can join?

Anyone in Scotland with experience of ME, whether you have ME yourself or are a carer or friend. We welcome people of all ages and from all across the country, including those with mild, moderate, severe and very severe ME. Most of the tasks are things that could be done from bed.

What does volunteering involve?

Volunteering tasks are occasional and varied, ranging from sharing your healthcare experiences to writing to MSPs, or even attending events with us in Parliament. You choose when and how much you contribute — so you never need to take on more than you can manage. We know your health must always come first. 

We’ll let you know by email when we’re looking for help and you just reply when it’s something you’d like to do. We value every contribution, big or small.

Some of the ways our volunteers have supported us in the past 2 years include:

Any information you disclose to us for the purpose of campaigning can be anonymised using a pseudonym of your choice.

When you offer to take on a particular task we ask that you always represent and uphold the good name of the charity.

How will we support you?

Your main point of contact with #MEAction Scotland will be the Volunteer Coordinator, Judith Stark (address below). If you volunteer for a task, your name may be passed on to another volunteer member of the campaign team who can give specific support for that task. 

We appreciate everyone has different ways of working and different needs. Our team all have experience of ME and understand you may need to break tasks up, talk things through on the phone, or do things outside of ‘standard office hours.’ If you do have any particular access requirements please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you. 

#MEAction Scotland will refund any travel or other expenses related to your volunteering. These should be agreed in advance.

How can I join?

For further information or to join the network please email the Volunteer Coordinator, Judith Stark at scotlandvolunteers@meaction.org.uk.

Data protection

#MEAction Scotland respects your privacy and values the trust you place in us. Any information you disclose to us will be kept securely by #MEAction Scotland for up to a maximum of three years, and used in ways which are agreed by you. It will not be shared with a third party without your consent unless we have a statutory obligation to do so and there are concerns for your safety, where we have a duty to report this to the relevant authority in order for appropriate action to be taken. For more information on how we use your data see the Privacy Policy on our website. 

If you change your mind and want us to stop using your information and delete it from our records, you can get in touch with us at any time at scotlandvolunteers@meaction.org.uk.