Volunteering Matters Scotland

At Volunteering Matters, we’ve been making a positive impact in Scotland since 1962, using the power of volunteering to transform lives and communities. Over the last 60+ years, we’ve run various programmes engaging thousands of volunteers across different age groups and backgrounds.

From supporting care-experienced young people to providing mentoring for those facing life barriers, assisting parents and families, tackling isolation among older individuals, and contributing to environmental initiatives – our programmes cover a wide spectrum of social issues.

Volunteering with us means being part of something bigger – a movement that has helped reduce inequalities, combat isolation, and build more inclusive communities. Our merger with ProjectScotland in 2021 has expanded our reach across 11 local authority areas, offering support to children, young people, young adults, parents, and older individuals.

We believe in a “place-based” strategic approach, empowering communities to drive change with our support, tailored to meet their unique needs. Currently, we have several ongoing projects in Scotland, each contributing to overcoming barriers, building resilience, and ensuring positive futures for everyone involved.

Explore the impact you can make by checking out available opportunities below!

ProjectScotland is part of Volunteering Matters, set up in 2005, supporting people to develop their confidence and skills to move forward in life.

The problems faced by people in Scotland are becoming more and more complex.

People often have a range of barriers stopping them from realising their potential. We are passionate about people, believing in their ability to positively transform their own lives, as well as the community around them.   

We work alongside people to co-produce their own personal goal plan, which often includes helping people to move into Employment, Higher Education or Training, take part in volunteering with a local charity, or to benefit from a mentoring relationship. 
We work alongside hundreds of charity partners in Scotland, helping them identify volunteers who can support them. 

78% of people engaging with ProjectScotland reach their goals, and go on to something better

Visit the ProjectScotland website 

We are the go-to people for a multi-generational workforce.

Get the Gen is a social enterprise, part of the Volunteering Matters family, which helps businesses with all of the issues around recruitment, retention and development of a multi-generational workforce, starting from young people up. 

We have 16+ years of experience in supporting young people to become work-ready, alongside our expertise in organisational and people development. We are perfectly placed to help our clients and their team become brilliant places to work.  

Our insightful and engaging learning programmes are trusted by over 60 leading UK and Global businesses

Visit the Gen the Gen website

Three young people working outdoor digging with one person with a foot on a spade and the others looking on supportively

In 2023

Volunteers engaged in Scotland though local projects and programmes which are based around the needs of that community

Volunteer roles are available in 11 local authority areas. These are Dumfries and Galloway, Edinburgh, West Lothian, Midlothian, North Lanarkshire, Perth and Kinross, Stirling, Falkirk, Clackmannanshire, Dundee and Aberdeenshire

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Showing 1 – 8 of [63]

Activity Lead (Brighton)

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Activity Support (Brighton)

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Befriender (North Lanarkshire)

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Commonwealth War Graves Volunteer (Barnsley)

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Community Befriender (Blaenau Gwent)

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Community Befriender (Blaenau Gwent)

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Community Befriender (Blaenau Gwent)

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Community Responder (Newcastle)

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Connect+Go Volunteer (Nuneaton, Coventry and Warwickshire)

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Connect+Go Volunteer (Nuneaton, Coventry and Warwickshire)

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Connect+Go Volunteer (Nuneaton, Coventry and Warwickshire)

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#iwill Movement Champion
Activity Lead (Brighton)
Activity Support (Brighton)
Befriender (North Lanarkshire)
Community Responder (Newcastle)
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