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Volunteering Opportunities
SAFE Males – PEER MENTOR VOLUNTEER (GWENT)
Volunteering Matters’ SAFE males project is aimed at males aged 16-35 in Gwent who have a learning need or disability. We need your help in creating fun interactive sessions.
Reports

Rural Isolation of citizens in Europe
Over the course of a two year campaign on rural isolation, Volonteurope has been gathering evidence and good practice from the European voluntary sector.

Rural isolation of citizens in europe
This brief aims to introduce the problem of rural isolation, reflect on its realities and negative impact and assess its different dimensions.
News

Thank you again to players of People’s Postcode Lottery!
£750,000 is helping us to reach thousands of vulnerable older people at risk of loneliness and isolation across the UK!

Volunteering Matters receives funding boost from players of charity lottery
We have been awarded £600,000 in funding from players of the People’s Postcode Lottery to support our work in tackling social isolation and boosting the health and wellbeing of older people across the UK.

Volonteurope builds bridges between young volunteers and big business
VolontEurope, together with partners from several EU states, is launching a program called European Volunteer Inclusion Program (EuroVIP) to help reduce youth unemployment in Europe.
Blog Posts

Government Guidance Regarding Volunteering in England
Statement on Government Guidance Regarding Volunteering During Covid-19 We expect Government guidance will soon be issued for organisations and groups, to support them in understanding how to involve volunteers safely and effectively during Covid-19. This will be in addition to existing Government guidance for volunteers, updated in light of the new national restrictions in England, … Continued

Paul Reddish reflects on Danny Kruger’s report, ‘Levelling Up Our Communities.’
Shifting power to communities and volunteers: Let’s get started This summer we’ve witnessed first-hand the incredible efforts of people in communities, volunteering their time to support others in need during this pandemic – this included emergence of mutual aid groups, neighbours supporting one another, more formalised roles like NHS Responders and volunteers through charities … Continued

New from #CharityConnect: 5 brilliant business offers
Gethyn Williams on the free, skilled volunteer support available for your charity right now.

Need skills urgently to support your charity’s efforts? Let us help.
We can now help connect your charity with the businesses who have come forward to support charities with their skills and expertise.

Volunteers are doing things differently
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic we’ve quickly adapted, identifying new ways to make sure our amazing volunteers can keep supporting their communities. We’re massively privileged to have the trust and regular contact with isolated older people through our projects and programmes. So we’ve utilised this contact to reach out and use the creativity … Continued

Grandmentors: Does it work?
A comprehensive two-year evaluation by Manchester Metropolitan University on Grandmentors explores whether the programme works for young people leaving care.

How can volunteering support better civic engagement?
Public Affairs Manager Martin Jones gave us his thoughts on the House of Lords Select Committee on Citizenship and Civic Engagement.

Why volunteer?
Volunteers make a massive difference to people and communities all over the UK, from providing advice to troubled families, helping children to read, or empowering people with disabilities.

What motivates our volunteers to keep going through the night in Blackburn?
Volunteering Matters works with Nightsafe, a local youth homeless shelter based in Blackburn, to place volunteers at the shelter overnight, to ensure that the beneficiaries can access the care and support they need.

Volunteers are a precious resource for refugees – a constant reminder that they are not alone
In 2015 more than a million refugees crossed into Europe. This migration surge has drawn attention to the inadequacy of the current asylum system and of the response given by governments to the crisis.