Volunteer Information
Paths for All recognises that volunteers are vital to help us achieve our aims of a ‘Happier, Healthier, Greener, more Active Scotland.’ Whether leading health walks or contributing to a community path group, volunteers are making a real difference to people’s health by allowing them to a
ccess paths and greenspace where they live. Health Walks are short (10mins -1hour), safe, local, led walks. They are aimed at people who currently do not get enough exercise to benefit their health. Our dedicated Volunteer Walk Leaders encourage and support walkers across the country to become more active in a safe and welcoming environment. Read the Paths for All Volunteer Policy here. Volunteering as a walk leader is good for your health and wellbeing too! Read about our research that proves it .
If you would like to find out more about becoming a Volunteer Walk Leader, go to Find a Health Walk and contact the Scheme Coordinator in your area.
Paths for All provides training, support and insurance to all Walking for Health volunteers. We also produce a Volunteer Newsletter, if you do not receive it and would like to, get in touch and we will add you to our mailing list.
We are keen to hear you views and feedback on your experience as a volunteer. Let us know what we can do to help you in your role. Contact us on 01259 222332 or email us.
Seasons of Mist and Mellow Fruitlessness
September storms have soaked and blown us into October, so it's time to share your ideas on walking in bad weather. Tried and tested approaches from Walking to Health projects focus on keeping everyone active, and if that's impossible due to extreme weather, keeping everyone in touch. Read these great ideas on keeping the beat in your health walks during Autumn and Winter: 
Walking in Bad Weather (21.63 kB)
Volunteer Training
There are a number of training courses available to you as a Volunteer Walk Leader. You will need to attend a local Volunteer Walk Leader training course before you can start to lead health walks with your group. Details of upcoming training courses are available or speak to your local Scheme Coordinator for more details.
Refresher training is also now available for volunteers who were trained some times ago, haven’t led walks for a while or would benefit from revisiting the course and getting an update on some of the key messages. Speak to your Scheme Coordinator to see if there is a course running in your area.
The new Safety Outdoors course is designed to build volunteer's confidence in route planning & assessing and managing health walk groups during a minor accident/emergency. This is an interactive and practical course which will refresh existing knowledge and introduce new ways of working to ensure the health walk is a safe and enjoyable experience for both walk leaders and walkers. The course is suitable for community Volunteer Walk Leaders who regularly lead walks in their community and have completed Paths For All Walk Leader Ttaining. For more information or to see if there is a course running in your area speak to your Scheme Coordinator.
Volunteer Newsletter
We are always on the lookout for articles, ideas, photos, profiles, walking routes, healthy recipes and stories for our volunteer newsletter, 'Footnotes'. If you have got anything you would like to share with other volunteers across the country we would love to hear from you.
Back Copies
Volunteer Focus Groups
A number of Walking for Health Volunteer Walk Leaders took part in focus groups recently to help us find out more about what's working, what could be improved and what resources would be useful. We found it really useful to hear everyone's thoughts and suggestions, a copy of the report from the focus groups is available here. If you'd like to talk to us about your experiences as a volunteer, pass on a good news story or send a suggestion, we'd love to hear from you.
Send us an email or call 01259 222332.
