Community
Projects

Futures Matter
Futures Matter trains and supports volunteer leaders to devise and run volunteering initiatives for the benefit of their local community in Ipswich.

Knowledge Equals Opportunities (KEO)
KEO recruits and trains volunteers to empower families with young children to take more of an active role in their child’s education.

Match and Mentor
Through our fantastic volunteers, Match and Mentor provides support for individuals with learning difficulties and additional support needs to volunteer.

Milton Keynes Volunteer Driver Service
Milton Keynes Community Car Service provides a door-to-door service which aims to help people access key appointments

Norwich Community Mentors
Norwich Community Mentors sees young people paired with a fully-trained volunteer mentor at key stages of their development. The project is designed to improve social mobility across Norwich.

The Loop
The Loop gives beneficiaries the opportunity to become volunteers. It enables participants to access the social group as and when they need support, progress onto the Goals Group when ready and take their learning further within the Projects Group.
Case Studies

NORTH LANARKSHIRE BEFRIENDING PROJECT: Clare’s Story
Clare's young person never failed to make her laugh, and even though she was apprehensive about the training, she says she couldn't thank staff enough for the support.

Get Out Get Active: Asmita’s Story
Following a difficult start in life, Asmita has found real purpose, positivity and friendship through volunteering with the Get Out Get Active programme.

EVS Full-Time Volunteering: Anna’s story
Anna was an EVS Full-Time Volunteer with Volunteering Matters in South East Wales, where she befriended older people and people with disabilities.
Reports

Toolkit: Youth Volunteering and Social Action in Health and Social Care, 2nd Edition
A toolkit to help health and social care organisations engage with young people as volunteers. It is designed to foster and support ambitious work through practical advice, easy to follow guidance and inspirational case studies.

Priorities for the Plan
Now the NHS has turned 70, and with the Government preparing a long-term plan for the service in England, a broad range of leaders in charities and voice organisations have come together to offer our views on what should happen next to improve health and care – within the NHS and beyond.
News

Job Bridge – the new Erasmus+ project
Volunteering Matters CE and president of Volonteurope, Oonagh Aitken, gave her update of the new Erasmus+ Project ‘Job Bridge’.

Grandmentors shortlisted for the National Mentoring Awards 2019!
We've made the final shortlist for the National Mentoring Awards 2019 with our Grandmentors programme!

Norwich Volunteers – we need you!
We've got a new opportunity for Norwich volunteers to make a massive different to a young person's life.

Grandmentors launched in Milton Keynes thanks to the Freemasons
Thanks to the Freemasons Grandmentors Milton Keynes will reach even more young people leaving care.

WASSUP scoops Third Sector Award!
Our project WASSUP has won the Third Sector Award for Volunteer Team of the Year!

Mind Matters shortlisted in the Children & Young People Now Awards
Mind Matters have been shortlisted in the Advice and Guidance category of the Children & Young People Now Awards 2018!

People’s Postcode Lottery takes a Sporting Chance
Staff from People’s Postcode Lottery went to visit Sporting Chance in Stockton to see first-hand the sort of projects their funding supports.
Blog Posts

After education: Why should I volunteer?
This month has been an exciting and nerve-wracking time for students across the UK; those in Scotland received results for their Highers, and UK A-level results were released last week. Whatever your next move, whether you’re happy with the results you received or whether you missed out on the opportunities you had planned, we think … Continued