A circle of volunteer trainees in a West Lothian community centre, learning to become health advocates
Get involved

There is a place for you here

Why get involved

Our sessions run on people like you

Vibrant Health Advocates - Orion runs on the energy and commitment of people who believe, as we do, that everyone in Livingston's working community deserves real access to health support. Whether you are a health professional with an evening free each month, a local business that wants to support your workforce, or someone who has benefited from our work and wants to give something back, there is a place for you here.

Every contribution β€” of time, skill, or funding β€” directly extends the reach of our evening and weekend drop-ins and keeps our sessions free and open to all. Our volunteers range from retired NHS nurses to former factory workers who attended a drop-in and decided to stay. What they have in common is a belief that no one should be locked out of health information because of when they happen to work.

Ways to contribute

Three ways to make a difference

Volunteer

We train and support health advocates, session assistants, and specialist volunteers including clinicians, physiotherapists, benefits advisers, and interpreters. Volunteering with us typically means one evening or Saturday morning session per fortnight β€” flexible enough to fit around most working lives.

Express interest

Donate

Your donation funds the sessions, the training, the venues, and the outreach materials that make our drop-ins possible. As a SCIO registered with OSCR, we publish full accounts annually β€” you can see exactly where every pound goes.

Make a donation

Partner With Us

We work with distribution companies, manufacturers, NHS teams, and local authorities who want to improve health access for their shift-working staff or service users. Partnerships can range from hosting a drop-in on site to co-funding a specialist health strand β€” get in touch and we will find what works for you.

Start a conversation
Volunteer training session with health advocates in a West Lothian community centre

We train every volunteer from the ground up

No prior health experience is required to become a session assistant or community advocate. We provide full training, ongoing support, and a structured induction so you can be confident from your very first session.

Find out more
Volunteering in detail

What volunteering with us actually looks like

Most of our volunteers commit to one session per fortnight β€” either a weekday evening (5 pm – 9 pm) or a Saturday morning (9 am – 1 pm). Before your first session, you attend a half-day induction covering local health pathways, active listening skills, confidentiality, and safeguarding. Ongoing training is available across all our programme areas.

Specialist volunteers β€” physiotherapists, benefits advisers, mental health practitioners, GPs, pharmacists β€” can contribute in a more focused role, joining our monthly clinics or workshop series at a frequency that suits them. We have a strong track record of integrating NHS staff who want to give voluntary time outside their contracted hours.

Our volunteers tell us that the work is rewarding precisely because it is immediate: you arrive, you talk to people, and you see the difference. There is no bureaucracy between you and the person who needs help. If that sounds like something you want to be part of, we would love to hear from you.

Get in touch today
Our community

The people who make it happen

Volunteer training session, West Lothian community centre
Training day, West Lothian
Advocates supporting workers at a drop-in session
Drop-in session, Deer Park area
Health advocate at an evening session
Evening session, Alderstone community hall
Ready to take the first step?

Find your nearest drop-in session tonight

Whether you want to volunteer, donate, partner with us, or simply find out more about what we do β€” reach out. We aim to reply within two working days.

Get in touch