Volunteer at Cats Protection North Ayrshire Branch
Without volunteers, our branch simply wouldn't exist. Our amazing, friendly volunteers are a diverse group with a shared love of cats who fit volunteering around their home lives and personal commitments. Some of the team have been with us since 1999.
We're often looking to welcome new volunteers to join our busy team.
As well as meeting great people you will make an incredible difference to the cats of North Ayrshire.
If interested in joining the team, please contact us via email at enquiries@northayrshire.cats.org.uk and our volunteer champion will be in touch.
We have a number of roles within the branch which include:-
Cat Welfare related roles
Cat care volunteer - this role would involve volunteering on a rota basis at one of our cat cabin locations. Feeding the cats, cleaning their cabins, enriching their experience through play, exercise and handling until they are happy and confident enough to find their forever home. We normally have 3 cat cabins in one location. Access to a car would be necessary as some of our cat cabins are rural. Mileage would be repaid at a set rate per mile. This role would take 2 - 3 hours one day a week.
Fosterer support - this role would involve delivering supplies of cat food and litter from our central store to our foster team. Also sometimes assistance is required for vet runs for foster cats too. Access to a car would be necessary as some of our cat cabins are rural. Mileage would be repaid at a set rate per mile. This role would take around 2 - 3 hours one day each week.
Cat admissions volunteer - this role would involve arranging and collecting cats into our care, adhering to the guidelines in respect of the welfare of the cat. Completing the appropriate paperwork and settling the cat into our care. An understanding of the varied reasons on cat relinquishment, and ensuring you are empathetic to those giving up their cat would be a requirement. Access to a car would be necessary as some of our cat cabins are rural. Mileage would be repaid at a set rate per mile. This role would take around 2 hours perhaps once or twice a week or a fortnight. It all depends on the capacity we have to admit cats.
Cat administrative volunteer - this role is all about ensuring that all details of our adopted cats are up to date. This can be a remote role, team interaction through WhatsApp and access to a laptop a necessity. A good understanding of IT would be a benefit. This role would take around 1 hour a week.
Adoption related roles
Adoption team volunteer - join the team who deal with the adoption enquiries. These vary on a day to day basis. Calling prospective adopters and discussing adoption, taking into account the 5 welfare needs of the cat. This can be a remote role, team interaction through WhatsApp and access to a laptop a necessity. All of our adoption paperwork is now prepared and sent electronically. A good understanding of IT would be a benefit. This role would take around 2 - 4 hours a week spread over certain days.
Publicity volunteer - keeping the website up to date with current photos of the cats in care. Before and after photos are invaluable in recording the difference in a cat in our care. This role would probably take around 4 hours a week - perhaps split into 2 times a week. Of course, that depends how lost you get in with the cats.... its quite addictive! Access to a car would be necessary as some of our cat cabins are rural. Mileage would be repaid at a set rate per mile.
All our volunteers have access to many training courses to ensure that they are up to date with the knowledge they need to help make a difference. We have certain polices and guidance in place and our policies are there to keep our cats, our people and the whole charity running well and effectively. They apply to volunteers and employees, and through training and over time you’ll become familiar with many of them
These are:
- Data protection
- Confidentiality
- Social media
- Computer security
You can find out more about volunteering for Cats Protection here.