More than 10,000 people over the age of 50 volunteer with us across the UK, in many different ways.
We develop, support and run brilliant volunteering projects for and with people over the age of 50. Like Grandmentors which matches 50+ year olds as mentors for young care leavers, or Sporting Chance, which gets male volunteers out and active, and Help at Hand, which matches volunteer befrienders to some of the most isolated individuals in the community.
We also support many people to start and lead their own projects through the Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme (RSVP). Celebrating its 30th birthday this year, RSVP responds to local community needs, enabling people aged over 50 to take a lead role in both setting up and participating in volunteering activities that improve the health and wellbeing of others in their community – running sports clubs, employability skills workshops, patient driving schemes, knitting groups and much more.
We currently have more than 240 volunteer-led RSVP groups running across the country, and are always keen to help people start their own in response to local community needs. Nearly 500 of our RSVP volunteers are Volunteer Organisers (VOs), acting as team leaders to the RSVP volunteers in their areas, responsible for managing a team of up to 40 volunteers. Please get in touch if you’re interested in starting your own RSVP programme.
Take a look at all our projects, programmes, and RSVP coordinated activities below.
(Photo courtesy of Ageing Better Middlesbrough)
Active & Connected Communities improves quality of life for older people by supporting them via one to one befriending and encouraging them to become more socially active within their community.
Cars4Carers is a Pembrokeshire based social car scheme that provides transport for unpaid carers via volunteer drivers, whether it is a food shopping trip, or just going out to socialise.
Get Out Get Active (GOGA) is a UK wide programme, funded by Spirit of 2012 that aims to encourage disabled and non-disabled people to take part in and enjoy activity together.
Grandmentors is an innovative mentoring project pairing volunteers aged 50 and over with young care leavers to empower them to achieve their full potential.
Our handyperson service runs in Stirling and Clackmannanshire and involves older volunteers who complete small and minor maintenance jobs that some older people cannot do by themselves.
Heather’s Hair is an RSVP project that creates hairpieces and weaves for people experiencing hair loss due to chemotherapy or other reasons.
Learn Together Scotland hopes to close the attainment gap by involving older volunteers from the local community in Primary and Secondary schools in Edinburgh and Midlothian.
Learning for Life Together is an intergenerational oral history and social action project, linking older people (aged 50+) with a class of young people at a school near Dundry Slopes in Bristol.
Lifelines project in Brighton brings together people aged 50+ both as volunteers running activities and as participants in the wide range of volunteer-run activities.
Milton Keynes Community Car Service provides a door-to-door service which aims to help people access key appointments
Volunteering Matters is working with other experienced organisations as part of the Newport Support Partnership to provide help for isolated people and carers living in the Newport area.
Norfolk Knitters and Stitchers provide support to charities at home and abroad with hand knitted items as well as creating a community & friendship for isolated individuals.
One Small Step Befriending Project ran from 2016 - 2018, and with the power of volunteers, aimed to tackle isolation suffered by hundreds of isolated adults over 50 in the Stockton area.
Driving schemes are a lifeline to some older and more vulnerable people living in the UK who may not be able to get around easily.
RSVP in Forth Valley encourages and assists older people to use their skills and experience to volunteer and keep active in retirement.
Our knitting groups, are growing increasingly popular with over 5,000 social action knitters across the UK producing in excess of 50 big bin-bags worth of knitted goods per month
Our Retired and Senior Volunteer Programmes (RSVP) offer volunteering in local schools across the UK, for people aged 50+, where they can support pupils with with reading, maths or specialized subjects.
RSVP West is a key region for our RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme) and covers Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Bath & North East Somerset.
Sporting Chance invites older men in the North East to join in activities and exercise groups from walking football to arm chair exercise, Aquasize to reminiscence sessions.
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.
Volunteer Centre Newcastle acts as a connector between people and communities with a database of opportunities across the city.
Welcome Friends improves quality of life for older people by supporting them via one to one befriending and encouraging them to become more socially active within their community.
Volunteering Opportunities
Grandmentors is an innovative project that sees older volunteers use their lifetime of skills and experience to support vulnerable young people leaving the care system. This opportunity is for Grandmentors Warwickshire.
Volunteers support and befriend people who may be isolated or lonely in the local area by making home visits and helping to organise and run social activities in community settings such as sheltered accommodation, day centres or libraries.
The Supported Swimming Group at Clapham Leisure Centre needs volunteer swimmers! They are a friendly group of adults who would like more experienced swimmers to help out.
Becoming a volunteer driver provides a door-to-door service for those who need it, and aims help people in maintaining their health, independence and reducing social isolation.
The role of the Get Out Get Active Session leader assistant volunteer will be assisting our lead coach in putting on ‘Sporting Memories’ reminiscence therapy sessions to elderly members of the Roehampton community.
Grandmentors is an innovative project that sees older volunteers use their lifetime of skills and experience to support vulnerable young people leaving the care system. This opportunity is for Grandmentors Wiltshire.
Grandmentors is an innovative project that sees older volunteers use their lifetime of skills and experience to support vulnerable young people leaving the care system. This opportunity is for Grandmentors Stockton.
Our handyperson service runs in Stirling and Clackmannanshire, involving volunteers who complete small and minor maintenance jobs for older people. Some older people struggle to do small jobs at home by themselves. It can be expensive or challenging hiring a professional to do such a small job. Our service means older people stay independent and …
Continued
Learn Together Scotland is looking for volunteers aged 50 and over to support on literacy skills building in their local community.
Active & Connected Communities aims to recruit volunteers to develop community social groups and activities to alleviate isolation in the over fifties.
Active & Connected Communities aims to recruit volunteers to develop community social groups and activities to alleviate isolation in the over fifties.
Active & Connected Communities aims to recruit volunteers to develop community social groups and activities to alleviate isolation in the over fifties.
Active & Connected Communities aims to recruit volunteers to develop community social groups and activities to alleviate isolation in the over fifties.
Active & Connected Communities aims to recruit volunteers to develop community social groups and activities to alleviate isolation in the over fifties.
Active & Connected Communities aims to recruit volunteers to develop community social groups and activities to alleviate isolation in the over fifties.
Active & Connected Communities aims to recruit volunteers to develop community social groups and activities to alleviate isolation in the over fifties.
Active & Connected Communities aims to recruit volunteers to develop community social groups and activities to alleviate isolation in the over fifties.
Active & Connected Communities aims to recruit volunteers to develop community social groups and activities to alleviate isolation in the over fifties.
Active & Connected Communities aims to recruit volunteers to develop community social groups and activities to alleviate isolation in the over fifties.
Active & Connected Communities aims to recruit volunteers to develop community social groups and activities to alleviate isolation in the over fifties.
Active & Connected Communities aims to recruit volunteers to develop community social groups and activities to alleviate isolation in the over fifties.
Active & Connected Communities aims to recruit volunteers to develop community social groups and activities to alleviate isolation in the over fifties.
Get Out Get Active (GOGA) is an exciting programme that supports disabled and non-disabled people to enjoy being active together.
Get Out Get Active (GOGA) is an exciting programme that supports disabled and non-disabled people to enjoy being active together.
The Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme (RSVP) in the South West provides opportunities to older people or those in or approaching retirement to volunteer in a primary or secondary school.
The Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme (RSVP) in the South West provides opportunities to older people or those in or approaching retirement to volunteer in a primary or secondary school.
The Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme (RSVP) in the South West provides opportunities to older people or those in or approaching retirement to volunteer in a primary or secondary school.
RSVP knitting groups provide an opportunity for older people to be social and is also a opportunity for older people to still feel useful in retirement and give back to their community.
RSVP knitting groups provide an opportunity for older people to be social and is also a opportunity for older people to still feel useful in retirement and give back to their community.
RSVP knitting groups provide an opportunity for older people to be social and is also a opportunity for older people to still feel useful in retirement and give back to their community.
RSVP knitting groups provide an opportunity for older people to be social and is also a opportunity for older people to still feel useful in retirement and give back to their community.
Sporting Chance supports men aged 50+ to keep active both physically and mentally and creates a strong community to reduce loneliness in volunteers.
Grandmentors is an innovative project that sees older volunteers use their lifetime of skills and experience to support vulnerable young people leaving the care system. This opportunity is for Grandmentors Ipswich.
Grandmentors is an innovative project that sees older volunteers use their lifetime of skills and experience to support vulnerable young people leaving the care system. This opportunity is for Grandmentors Folkestone.
Get Out Get Active (GOGA) is an exciting new programme that supports disabled and non-disabled people to enjoy being active together.
The Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme (RSVP) in Clackmannanshire provides opportunities to older people or those in or approaching retirement to volunteer in a primary or secondary school.
Our volunteer drivers help anyone who needs assistance with getting to hospital & health care appointments. Together we can assist with helping older or vulnerable people maintain their health, independence and reduce social isolation.
Volunteering Matters is working in collaboration with other experienced organisations to provide help for isolated people and carers living in the Newport area - specifically in this role supporting carers with their travel needs.
Newport Support Partnership is working with local partners to provide help for isolated people and carers living in the Newport area - specifically in this role, help around the home.
Volunteering Matters is working in collaboration with other experienced organisations to provide help for isolated people and carers living in the Newport area - specifically in this role, befriending isolated carers.
RSVP volunteers are all aged over 50 and draw upon on their experiences to lead and develop projects targeting needs in their local community. We have 10,000 volunteers, of which over 450 are Organisers.
RSVP currently have volunteers in more 350 schools around the UK. Our aim is to help more older volunteers take part in this popular programme.
Sporting Chance supports men aged 50+ to keep active both physically and mentally and creates a strong community to reduce loneliness in volunteers.
Newport Support Partnership is working with local partners to provide help for isolated people and carers living in the Newport area.
Newport Support Partnership is working with local partners to provide help for isolated people and carers living in the Newport area - specifically in this role, to befriend isolated members of the community.
Grandmentors is an innovative project that sees older volunteers use their lifetime of skills and experience to support vulnerable young people leaving the care system. This opportunity is for Grandmentors Islington.
Grandmentors is an innovative project that sees older volunteers use their lifetime of skills and experience to support vulnerable young people leaving the care system. This opportunity is for Grandmentors Hounslow.
Get Out Get Active (GOGA) is an exciting new programme that supports disabled and non-disabled people to enjoy being active together.
Get Out Get Active (GOGA) is an exciting new programme that supports disabled and non-disabled people to enjoy being active together.
The volunteer Schools Placement Organiser's role is to liaise with current schools volunteers and programmes within South Gloucestershire to recruit and place new volunteers, and find schools willing to offer placements and provide ongoing support.
Volunteer Project Organisers are needed in all parts of the RSVP West Region which consists of placing volunteers in schools; helping develop our GP surgery-based schemes or helping to co-ordinate volunteers at local surgeries.
RSVP West engages over 1000 volunteers in various volunteering activities including community care, transport services, care homes, ‘older people’ projects and the schools programme.
ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY Twigs Garden Club is all about providing a ‘laid back gardening for all’ approach to gardening. This project is open for all ages, whether you have a large or small garden or just a window box, do come along and discuss your interest, socialise and make new friends. The club is now …
Continued
ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY The Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme (RSVP) works with NHS Forth Valley to develop volunteering in local hospitals. We are looking for older volunteers to carry out support roles in Clackmannanshire Community Healthcare Centre, with the aim of making a visit to the hospital a better experience for patients and visitors. Volunteers …
Continued
Volunteers are here to enhance the patient experience. This is an exciting opportunity to meet people, learn new skills and most importantly, make a difference to people's lives.
Volunteers are here to enhance the patient experience. This is an exciting opportunity to meet people, learn new skills and most importantly, make a difference to people's lives.
Our volunteer drivers help anyone who needs assistance with getting to hospital & health care appointments. Together we can assist with helping older or vulnerable people maintain their health, independence and reduce social isolation.
Our volunteer drivers help anyone who needs assistance with getting to hospital & health care appointments. Together we can assist with helping older or vulnerable people maintain their health, independence and reduce social isolation.
Our volunteer drivers help anyone who needs assistance with getting to hospital & health care appointments. Together we can assist with helping older or vulnerable pn.eople maintain their health, independence and reduce social isolatio
Our volunteer drivers help anyone who needs assistance with getting to hospital & health care appointments. Together we can assist with helping older or vulnerable people maintain their health, independence and reduce social isolation.
Our volunteer drivers help anyone who needs assistance with getting to hospital & health care appointments. Together we can assist with helping older or vulnerable people maintain their health, independence and reduce social isolation.
Twigs Garden Club is all about providing a ‘laid back gardening for all’ approach to gardening.
The Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme encourages those aged 50+ to volunteer and stay active. We are looking for an older person to volunteer as a Walk Organiser for our popular weekly walks in Stirling and the surrounding area.
The Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme encourages those aged 50+ to volunteer and stay active. We are looking for older people in Clackmannanshire who would like to knit items for charity and good causes.
The Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme encourages those aged 50+ to volunteer and stay active. We are looking for older people in Stirling who would like to knit items for charity and good causes.
RSVP knitting groups provide an opportunity for older people to be social and is also a opportunity for older people to still feel useful in retirement and give back to their community.
The Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme (RSVP) in Falkirk provides opportunities to older people or those in or approaching retirement to volunteer in a primary or secondary schools.
Many people rely on our volunteer drivers to help them do everyday things that most of us take for granted. A simple trip to the shops can be complicated, if not impossible, for some people without the support of a volunteer driver.
RSVP knitting groups provide an opportunity for older people to be social and is also a opportunity for older people to still feel useful in retirement and give back to their community.
Walk leaders help run our very popular weekly walks in beautifully, picturesce town of Stirling and the surronding area.
The Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme (RSVP) in Stirling provides opportunities to older people or those in or approaching retirement to volunteer in a primary or secondary schools.
Volunteers support isloated, lonely older people in the local area by making home visits and helping to organise and run social activities in community settings such as sheltered accommodation, day centres or libraries.
Volunteers support and befriend people who may be isolated or lonely in the local area by making home visits and helping to organise and run social activities in community settings such as sheltered accommodation, day centres or libraries.
Volunteers support isloated, lonely older people in the local area by making home visits and helping to organise and run social activities in community settings such as sheltered accommodation, day centres or libraries.
Volunteers support isloated, lonely older people in the local area by making home visits and helping to organise and run social activities in community settings such as sheltered accommodation, day centres or libraries.
Many people rely on our volunteer drivers to help them do everyday things that most of us take for granted. A simple trip to the shops can be complicated, if not impossible, for some people without the support of a volunteer driver.
Volunteers support isloated, lonely older people in the local area by making home visits and helping to organise and run social activities in community settings such as sheltered accommodation, day centres or libraries.
RSVP knitting groups provide an opportunity for older people to be social and is also a opportunity for older people to still feel useful in retirement and give back to their community.
Sporting Chance supports men aged 50+ to keep active both physically and mentally and creates a strong community to reduce loneliness in volunteers approaching retirement.
Looking for people aged 50 and over based in Brighton who want to stay active and involved in their local community. We will support you to run or take part in a huge range of activities - from computer clubs to loss support groups.
David is 79 and has been volunteering as a schools reading volunteer with Volunteering Matters since 2000. He told us about his favourite parts of the role, and shared some stories from his time in primary schools in Wales.
Karen heard about Grandmentors through the local business community, and is already seeing a great difference in her mentee, only a few weeks into supporting her as a volunteer.
Over the past few months the One Small Step Project has had no shortage of updates, and we thought there would be no better time to share them with you than to round up 2017!
Former schoolteacher Diana found an opportunity to use her research and teaching skills again with Volunteering Matters’ Learning for Life Together project
When 90 year old Hartcliffe resident Rose was approached to take part in a Bristol Ageing Better intergenerational learning project, she wasn’t keen on speaking directly with the children, so Volunteering Matters found a way for her to get involved on her terms.
Jeff has suffered from mobility issues for years, and found his health issues made him feel quite low. But through volunteering with Sporting Chance he has felt more confident and outgoing.
Even though Darina works 3 days a week as a property lawyer, she makes time to volunteer when she can with LifeLines in Brighton.
Sandy, 70, from Stirling has been volunteering with our Handyperson Project for the past 10 years and he told us what a day in his volunteer role looks like.
As part of our Older People Focus week, Nora told us about her experience of being part of HealthLink, which supports older people to get to their healthcare appointments.
As part of our older people's focus week, we chatted to one of our long-serving volunteers about her experience as a telephone befriender, and found out what motivates her in her role.
Mary just celebrated her 90th Birthday with the volunteers at Welcome Friends in Wales. Our Senior Development Coordinator in Cardiff told us about it!
Audrey, 53, from Alloa, is a volunteer befriender with Help at Hand Befriending. She was matched with Mouyra, 87 also from Alloa, earlier this year and the pair quickly bonded over their shared love of the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.
Angela volunteered with Active Volunteering Barnet, and she feels she has gone from strength to strength in confidence, happiness and people skills.
"If you’re not sure whether you’re the right person to be a reading volunteer, then think again. Some aspect of your life will contribute something to the school and I believe personality and an interest in education matters as much as personal circumstances. Once you give it a go, stay with it – you’ll get more confident and the rewards will come!”
"I really enjoy my visits just as much as Shirley does. I know that I am helping Shirley and feel privileged to be able to do so."
"Paula and Pam showed us the light at the end of the tunnel."
" Ena knows that I will look after her, take her home at the end of the day and make sure she is safe."
"Mentoring gives us an opportunity to continue to deploy our skills and knowledge, but in a very different environment."
"I love volunteering - it boosts my mood and helps me feel I am doing something worthwhile with my free time. For me, volunteering was a lifeline."
"My befriender, Anne, is worth her weight in gold."
"Volunteering is a great help in deterring feeling lonely or bored."
"Two hours of my time each week doesn’t seem much, but for me it means that on two days there is a purpose to my day – a reason to get up, shower, change and get ‘out there’."
Jan has written a poem about how her Nan inspired her to knit, and why she has continued to knit throughout her life.
"I have found volunteering to be an excellent way of giving something back to people and helping to make their lives a little easier."
"My mental health has improved as a result of being able to talk through my problems with another person in the community."
"Chris has always encouraged me and I feel really supported by his Prime Time project."
City wise recruits unemployed volunteers aged 50+ who want to make a difference in their communities through offering their skills and experience to help others.
"Volunteering Matters to me because it has helped me see the light at the end of a dark tunnel."
"Feeling like a part of the community is so important after retirement."
"Volunteering Matters to me because of the impact it can have on our community and how it makes such a difference to peoples’ lives."
"It’s not just the contact, it is the fact that they are thinking of me which is very special to me"
“Now that I look back on the past 11 years, I find I have so many stories to tell. I will really miss volunteering when I step down this year.”
"My time with Kay has given me some valuable insights into what life is like for many elderly people in the UK."
"Loneliness is something that can affect anyone at any time, and it is projects like this that are so important in helping to stop it."
"Volunteering gives me a great sense of self-worth and belonging – in fact I often think that I get back more than I give!”
"Sporting Chance, its wonderful instructors and the other men have given me my life back."
"I've met all sorts of people. It's great to share all our stories and experience the pleasure in volunteering"
"The feeling of belonging was lost for me and now I have found it again thanks to Tess.”
"I had never lived alone before my wife passed away. Living alone was a big shock initially, but volunteering has helped my well-being a lot."
"I really like the fact that I can hopefully pass on my own knowledge and experience to help the next generation."
This report explores how voluntary and community organisations and Clinical Commissioning Groups can collaborate to deliver Personal Health Budgets.
An external review of the Grandmentors programme, conducted between June and September 2017. The review looks at what Grandmentors offers in the current policy and commissioning environment, and how the model could be evolved for the future.
In general those who could benefit most from volunteering are the least likely to be able to take part in it. This paper from Volunteering Matters looks at what organisations can do to start addressing the equity issues in volunteering.
This research summary presents findings from a rapid literature review by Leeds Beckett University on volunteering, inequalities & public health.
Our Retired and Senior Volunteering Programme (RSVP) in Coventry has been delivering a project tackling isolation and improving wellbeing amongst older people in Coventry through volunteer-led activity.
Retirement is an opportunity for you to use and develop your skills and talents further than you thought possible. Read how volunteering in retirement is becoming more prevalent.
Thanks to the Freemasons Grandmentors Milton Keynes will reach even more young people leaving care.
At this year's AGM we wanted to recognise the incredible individual efforts made by our volunteers, and the impact they make every day up and down the UK. We developed a new set of Volunteer Awards, to cover the full range of our work
Staff from People’s Postcode Lottery went to visit Sporting Chance in Stockton to see first-hand the sort of projects their funding supports.
For the second year, volunteers from our North Lanarkshire Befriending Project, Help at Hand, and the Employee Volunteering team from the Co-Op were honoured at the Royal Garden Party at Holyrood Palace!
This Volunteers’ Week we’re challenging young people across the UK to start their own revolution, and consider not just volunteering, but Full-Time Volunteering.
As thousands of volunteers are being celebrated up and down the country as part of Volunteers’ Week, we of course couldn’t let the moment pass without three cheers for our incredible volunteers!
This month sees the launch of our brand new campaign to change young people’s perceptions of volunteering. Titled ' Revolution You ', our campaign aims to challenge preconceived notions of volunteering and encourage more young people to consider a gap year in the UK.
Both Stockton Council and Wiltshire Council will be teaming up with Volunteering Matters to launch Grandmentors in their area, providing new inter-generational mentoring to young people leaving care.
Funds from the players of the People's Postcode Lottery will continue to help Volunteering Matters tackle social isolation and loneliness in the UK.
KBNe UK, a partner of Korean Broadcasting Network in Europe, are producing a TV documentary about life and opportunities for senior citizens and the importance of the third sector, and sought to highlight our work in the UK. Our RSVP conference provided the perfect backdrop for the production team to meet some of our amazing volunteers.
Margaret is a retired secondary school Head of Art, and has has been teaching an art class as part of LifeLines for local people over 50 for almost 5 years.
She shared some of the work and explained the theme of the most recent project!
Volunteering Matters took over Christchurch mansion in October 2017 to showcase our volunteering projects running across Suffolk.
Green fingered staff members from the People’s Postcode Lottery picked up their shovels to transform the garden at a local hospice in Edinburgh recently as part of their employee volunteering programme.
To celebrate Grandparents Day we caught up with some of our amazing volunteers and staff, grandparents and grandchildren alike, to find out how they’ll be marking the occasion.
We have launched many amazing new projects in the past year, all made possible by talented and dedicated volunteers across the UK. We were delighted to shine a spotlight on some of them at the Volunteering Matters 2017 Annual General Meeting which took place on the 28th of September.
Volunteering Matters is one of 13 organisations selected by the innovation charity Nesta to take part in the Second Half Fund, enabling us to replicate our Grandmentors project in five new areas.
Seven volunteers from Volunteering Matters attended the Queen’s Garden Party at Holyrood Palace on the 4th of July 2017 as a gesture of thanks for their commitment to their roles supporting vulnerable people in the community.
Sheffield over 50s were joined by special guests including Anne Murphy, the Lord Mayor of Sheffield at Longley Four Greens Community Centre this week to celebrate the launch of Sporting Chance.
Volunteering Matters, with support from strategic funding partners, is commissioning an external review of their Grandmentors programme.
Help at Hand volunteers donate over 3,000 hours of time over two years to stamp out loneliness for elderly neighbours
Middlesbrough’s Sporting Chance group star in a film that forms part of a national campaign to expose the growing crisis of loneliness and encourage people to take action to overcome the problem as part of the Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness.
We are delighted to be one of five organisations selected to take part in the Give More Get More programme, receiving an award of £99,335 to develop a new volunteering opportunity for people over 50.
We, as part of a consortium, have been awarded £975,370 from The Big Lottery fund to develop the Rural Wisdom project to run for 5 years.
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.
In 2015, #GivingTuesday broke the world record for the highest amount of money donated online in a 24 hour period. We think this is brilliant – but #GivingTuesday shouldn’t just be about giving money so we are asking our supporters to donate the gift of time by volunteering in their communities.
Last Friday our Sporting Chance project marked its third birthday with a lunchtime party at the Riverside football stadium (Legend’s Lounge) in Middlesbrough.
Sporting Chance, our innovative project that addresses social isolation and poor physical and mental health amongst men aged 50+ in Middlesbrough, has been replicated in Stockton-on-Tees.
Our Women Against Sexual violence and exploitation Speak UP (WASSUP) project, based in Ipswich, has won the Anne Dunford OBE Award for youth participation.
Our Help at Hand befriending project won an ‘outstanding achievement in health and wellbeing’ award at the Stirling Volunteer Awards last night at the Albert Halls.
The Volunteer Friendly Award (VFA) is a fantastic way of showing that your group is good at involving and appreciating volunteers.
Full-Time Volunteering, Sex Matters Too and Volunteers Supporting Families have all been shortlisted for Children and Young People Now awards.
Our Help at Hand befriending project has been shortlisted for an ‘outstanding achievement in health and wellbeing’ award by Stirlingshire Voluntary Enterprise and Stirling Council
Lifelines, a flagship project from the national charity Volunteering Matters, will be expanding across the city thanks to a grant from the Big Lottery Fund’s Reaching Communities programme.
Sporting Chance, a project for men over 50 in the Middlesbrough area became film stars for the day when Leanne from Button Media Management came down to create a great new promotional video for them
Today, over 100 volunteers from RSVP Coventry will come together to mark more than a decade’s worth of work in the city of Coventry.
On Friday 1st May a special celebration was held at the North Norfolk Wool Loft Open Day, at Sheringham Community Centre, to mark the 2000th member joining Norfolk Knitters and Stitchers.
Worries of continued austerity, calling for the next government to acknowledge the value of the volunteering sector given its critical role in helping to promote and sustain the well-being of individuals and communities.
Could our innovative intergenerational mentoring programme for care leavers become a new national norm? Our Head of National Programmes Gethyn Williams and Will Bibby, Programme Manager at Nesta gave their take.
This blog, written by our head of policy and performance Duncan Tree, highlights how volunteering should be instrumental in shaping how health services work in the future. This piece makes up a chapter of the report 'Priorities for the plan' which you can read in full in our reports.
This guest blog from the Director of Personalised Care at NHS England looks at the collaboration needed between voluntary and community organisations and Clinical Commissioning Groups to deliver Personal Health Budgets.
Volunteers are invaluable. For older and isolated members of the community, young people leaving care, for disabled volunteers, for the NHS, and many more. Out Chief Executive Oonagh considers what a world without volunteers might look like.
This Mother’s Day we celebrated a member of our own staff and her daughter – who together show how a passion for volunteering can clearly run in the family!
Our Head of Communications Alison Harvie on how to get that New Year’s resolution off the page and into action.
This week we are focusing on our life changing work with retired and older people. Instead of simply listing all the amazing work we do in this area, we thought we'd introduce the week by asking one of our younger members of staff to sum up why this pillar of work is so important to him, and us.
Chief Executive, Oonagh Aitken, reflects on the recent GOGA conference and considers how volunteers can play a part in supporting disabled people to Get Out and Get Active.
In this blog post we’re looking at the creative marketing tips that we’ve been sharing - you might find something new or different you could consider applying to your volunteer recruitment and marketing!
Being a Volunteer Organiser can be incredibly fulfilling but sometimes people have misgivings about taking on the role, feeling the responsibility might be too daunting. RSVP Publicity Volunteer, Colin Mason, caught up with two Volunteer Organisers to find out more about their experience of the role.