Our Power of Youth Charter pledges At Volunteering Matters, we believe that empowering young people to make a difference through youth social action is the key to a better future for everyone. We are committed to ensuring that young people’s voices are heard in decision-making processes that affect them. That’s why we have signed the Power of Youth Charter. This is our commitment to supporting and empowering young people. Here we set out what we have done so far, and what we will continue to do, to fuel youth social action and better involve young people in our work. Prioritise supporting youn ..read more

It’s the start of #iwill Week 2023!   #iwill Week is an annual opportunity for us all to showcase young people’s incredible initiative in making positive change to their communities. This year it runs from November 20th until November 24th.   Young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow; they have the skills, energy, and ideas to improve society and the environment today. This is called youth social action and #iwill Week is about celebrating that.   We are proud to be a key partner in powering the #iwill Movement, empowering and supporting young people to be acti ..read more

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Amanda Naylor OBE as Volunteering Matters’ new Chief Executive, effective of 1st January 2024. Amanda Naylor brings with her a wealth of knowledge, experience, and expertise that will ensure the organisation can continue to bring people together to overcome some of society’s most complex issues through the power of volunteering. Amanda was previously CEO of Manchester Youth Zone, an organisation with a similar commitment to platforming young voices and creating safe spaces for young people to be themselves and reach their full potential. Before b ..read more

Grandmentors volunteers empower young people leaving care by meeting with them regularly and working with them to realise their life goals and ambitions. This is achieved through the power of intergenerational mentoring. Lisa Whitton is a volunteer Mentor with our Grandmentors project in Milton Keynes, who mentors Charlie, a care leaver.  We recently spoke to Lisa and Charlie about their experience of Grandmentors. Their story highlights how the project has helped them in ways they didn’t expect. Lisa told us; “In March 2022, I began volunteering at Grandmentors in Milton Keynes. Prior to ..read more

In a wonderful celebration of youth social action, a vibrant mural with symbolic flower designs has been unveiled on Buttermarket in Ipswich.  Commissioned by Ipswich Central, the mural is part of the #thomaswolsey550 programme and was created by a team of young artists from Suffolk One Sixth Form College, in collaboration with Joel Millerchip, an illustrator and mural artist based in Suffolk. We were thrilled to partner with the Ipswich Social Mobility Alliance to consult with young people of Ipswich on the mural theme ‘Safety’ and what it means for young people in their hometown. Joel ..read more

Jon Mulkern is a volunteer school reader with our RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme) project in the West of England.  Most members work in groups led by volunteer Project Organisers. The RSVP volunteers usually work within a particular geographical area and are involved in one or more areas of activity of their choice. Recently, Jon shared his volunteering experience and why he loves being a volunteer school reader. Jon tells us all about the positive impact on the children and why he recommends volunteer school reading to others. “Each person’s volunteering experience is uniq ..read more

We are excited to announce the launch of a new community experience programme, which has been funded by NCS (National Citizen Service) to support young people in Suffolk. The grant is part of a significant £20m funding package that NCS Trust have awarded to organisations across England to deliver community-based experiences at a local and grassroots level. These new experiences will complement NCS’ existing away-from-home residential offer by providing more opportunities for teenagers to engage in local activities that foster skills development, deepen their understanding of the community, and ..read more

“I will never forget the journey I made on the Boat, and that’s why I really enjoyed this activity today.” The theme for Refugee Week is compassion, one of our values at Volunteering Matters. So we reflect on Survival Stories and the positive impact of art in supporting refugees and people seeking asylum to engage with their new communities. Survival Stories is an Adult Social Action service provided by Volunteering Matters based in Ipswich, Suffolk. It aims to assist individuals affected by Serious Mental Illnesses (SMIs) who face obstacles to accessing traditional mental health services. Thi ..read more

Helen is a volunteer mentor with Hounslow Allies. Allies are volunteers, independent of social workers or other professional in a child in care’s life. They build a relationship with the child or young person (usually between 8 and 16) based on trust and mutual respect, they become a child’s Right Friend, a role model and a supporter who can be invited to attend Looked After Children Review meetings if the child wants them to.  Here is Helen’s story: “Following excellent and ongoing training with Hounslow Allies in April 2022, I was privileged to be matched with a young woman, aged 16, wh ..read more

Youth Engagement Manager 6 Month Contract Job Ref: V450 Hours/Days per week: 14 hours per week – (Flexible days/hours) Salary: £10,000 Start date: ASAP Location: Homebased (travel around West Lothian) Closing date: 2nd June 2023 Interview date and Location: TBC, online Volunteering Matters At Volunteering Matters we use volunteering’s unique power to bring people together and build stronger, more resilient communities across the UK. We bring people together to resolve some of society’s most complex issues.  From social isolation and loneliness; improving health and wellbeing; building ski ..read more