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Volunteer Zone

Getting Started with RHET

Volunteers are vital to our work and help us engage with many more young people. We appreciate any time you can give to help us.

Here are five simple steps to follow to get volunteering with RHET:

  • STEP 1 Contact your Local Coordinator to let them know you are interested.
  • STEP 2 Your local coordinator will get in touch via phone or email to find out about more about you, your reasons for volunteering and the skills you have to offer.
  • STEP 3 You will meet up with your Local Coordinator who will provide further information about the opportunities in the local area.
  • STEP 4 If, after finding out more, you and the coordinator are happy to proceed, we ask all new volunteers to fill in an application form and complete a disclosure check*.
  • STEP 5 Your local coordinator will be in touch to let you know if your application has been successful. If your application is unsuccessful, you will be offered feedback and signposted to other organisations as appropriate.

*Any personal information you give to us will be processed in accordance with the UK Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR.

RHET will use the information to process your request and to provide any relevant further information.

Volunteer Application Form

If you have spoken to your local coordinator you are now ready to fill in the volunteer application form.  Below you will find a digital version of our volunteer application form.

If you would prefer to print and fill in a volunteer form please click here for a printable version.

Please complete ALL sections of this form carefully:

Your Local Coordinator
You MUST speak to your Local Coordinator before proceeding to fill out this form. Visit the Contact Details page via the sub-menu link for more information.
Personal Details
Role Matching Information

Volunteer role which you are considering – please tick all applicable boxes. For further information on the roles we have available, please contact us via phone or email

Help us give young people the chance to visit a farm. We will help you with the risk assessment of your farm and make all necessary arrangements for these visits for you. You decide how many visits you would like to do. As a host you are not responsible for being in sole charge of the children on the visit. This responsibility lies with the teacher in charge. You are there to share your knowledge and engage the children. Visits generally last for no more than a couple of hours.
If you like sharing what you know with the younger generation, this is the role for you. Classes particularly want to hear about your life and your farm but our speakers prepare and deliver talks on a pre-arranged topic relating to food, farming or the countryside within a classroom setting. We can help set you up through providing training and offer ongoing support. The classroom speaker is not responsible for being in sole charge of the children. This responsibility lies with the teacher in charge.
Help us make a trip to the Highland Show a memorable one for children. This role involves helping with children’s tours and children’s activities in the Education Centre, as well as assisting the visiting public with enquiries.
Help us lead events like Food and Farming Days (day long sessions with many different sessions happening for school groups to rotate round) and assist with structured activities at agreed events. This is great fun and involves hands on opportunities.
The principal role of a committee member is to support the work of the Countryside Initiative. This involves attending committee meetings throughout the year and also involves assisting with education events such as stewarding at Food and Farming Days and possibly contributing to fundraisers for the Initiative.
Help us find the funding we need at a local level to ensure RHET can continue to deliver farm visits, events and talks for children.
Preferred Location of Role
Please select all that apply













Type of farm (please select all that apply)






















Next of kin details (for contact in the case of an emergency)
Recommendation

Please provide the contact information for an individual (not a family member) who would be able to support your application

PVG Checks

In accordance with the Scottish Government Code of Practice for registered persons and other recipients of disclosure information, if anyone is “teaching, educating or instructing” then this is classed as regulated work. If someone is carrying out regulated work then a PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) check is recommended as best practice. If you are volunteering in a regulated role, we will ask you to complete a PVG form. Please select the appropriate options below.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974) (Exemption Order 1975)

There is a pre-established period of time after which a person is classed as rehabilitated and their conviction is ‘spent’. As your role may involve supporting vulnerable groups, it is necessary under the above order to ask the following:

By checking this box you are stating your agreement
Volunteer Policy

The Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET) works principally with farmers to enable Scotland’s young people to learn about food, farming and the countryside through customised resources and a flexible programme of experiential learning activities. We also work with other partners to deliver world class learning opportunities for all of Scotland’s young people aged 3 to 18 about, in and through the Scottish agricultural environment. These learning opportunities focus on farming and food production, outdoor learning for all, countryside (including forestry and estate management and environmental awareness). It is RHET’s policy to appoint the most suitable volunteers and to provide equality of opportunity at all times. We do not discriminate against people because of their age, sex, marital status, ethnic origin, nationality, sexual orientation, trans-status, political beliefs, adaptable needs or religion.

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Staying in Touch

By completing this form you agree to your details being held by RHET in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and being used to contact you with information relevant to your role with us.

Declaration

I agree to abide by RHET values and guidelines during my time as a volunteer. I consent to the details I have supplied being held for administration purposes. I understand that my details will never be passed to a third party. Any work I undertake as a volunteer remains the property of RHET.

All data collected is held centrally and used to keep you up to date with what RHET is doing in your area. The information is shared with the RHET Countryside Initiatives throughout Scotland who are all under the RHET umbrella. Your data is not shared with any third parties.

Evaluation

We are always looking for ways to improve the volunteering experience.

If you tell us what worked and what didn’t we can look at how we can make changes.

After each talk you deliver, please be sure to complete our evaluation survey which will be provided by your local project coordinator.

Policies

RHET operate using a number of policies.  If you would like further information these are available to access below.

Privacy Policy

Child Protection

Volunteer Policy

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