This project is no longer delivered by Volunteering Matters, but we have kept this page as part of our archive to share learning and impact. If you are interested in discussing this work or exploring similar opportunities, please get in touch with our Partnerships team.

The London Young Ambassadors and Mental Health Ambassadors is a programme delivered by Volunteering Matters in partnership with the Mayor of London.


This project uses social action to enable young people to unlock their potential and make change in their community. Since 2021 we have worked with 78 schools and over 850 young Londoners.

Our storytelling approach means we pick up engagement with young people across several different topics and different start points. Young people have delivered youth social action on areas including sexual harassment, knife crime, mental health, racism, discrimination, poverty, and homelessness.

The impact has not only been great on young people but also schools themselves with over 150 teachers engaged and learning through programme delivery.

By becoming a London Young Ambassador / Mental Health Ambassador young people will build brighter futures for themselves, their peers and communities across London.

  • Weekly workshops to support young people to create their own social action projects, including creating a project and budget plan, and pitching their concept to win up to a £500 grant.
  • Weekly sessions to implement the social action project, supported in person and /or online by Volunteering Matters.
  • Suitable for young people aged 10 – 25 (SEND) and flexible group sizes.
  • Small grants available to build localised community partnerships.
  • On-going support from Volunteering Matters during the academic year 2023/24.
  • Opportunity to take part in podcasts, attend youth summit’s at City Hall.
  • Employability based workshops.

If you’re a teacher and believe your students can unlock their potential to make a positive difference, register your interest by filling out this short form.


This toolkit has been funded by the Mayor of London to support young Londoners’ mental health, which has been designed by Volunteering Matters and young people from across London who are championing positive mental health.



Want to see what youth social action can do? Hear from volunteers and London Young Ambassadors.


Hear from some of our Mental Health Ambassadors from a London school. They share their thoughts and advice. 


Find out more about the work of Team London Young Ambassadors, and youth social action, in schools.


The team from Volunteering Matters facilitated a discussion with a group of 16-19 year olds from Fight for Peace in Newham, London. Fight for Peace is a martial arts and boxing centre that focusses on offering sessions to young people up to the age of 25 within the local community. This podcast features the Youth Leadership Team.


If you’re interested in finding out more about the network.

#iWill Movement
Young people aren’t just the leaders of tomorrow. They have the energy, skills and ideas to change society and the environment for the better today. The #iwill Movement looks to enable youth…

Blaenau Gwent Volunteering Friends
Volunteering Friends is a National Lottery Community Funded project.  Through the engagement of volunteers, we support older people (50+) living in Blaenau Gwent who are experiencing feelings of…

Bloom
Bloom in Nuneaton aims to help women feel less isolated and promote health, well-being, and community connection for those unfamiliar with the UK system, including housing, education, health, and law.

Brighter Futures
Brighter futures support young people across Scotland to access volunteering opportunities in their local community. We work closely with local charity partners to re-engage young people and work…

Back to top of the page