Volunteering Matters

We believe that young people can make all the difference to their communities and their lives through volunteering. Our young volunteers help people with physical or learning disabilities, befriend older and socially isolated people or promote health messages within their community. Young volunteers also have the chance to run their own community projects and even preserve historic buildings through Volunteering Matters programmes.

We have an established history of providing learning opportunities alongside the promotion of volunteering and social action. Founded in 1962 (known as Community Service Volunteers until 2015) we know, through years of successful work, that by investing in people through the power of volunteering we can make a tangible difference; improving health and wellbeing, building stronger more cohesive communities and achieving lasting results.

We believe that everyone can play a role in their community and should have the chance to participate; we build projects and programmes to reflect this. We focus on the needs of four distinct communities; older and retired people, disabled people, vulnerable families and young people.

We engage over 35,000 volunteers every year, and currently have 150 active programmes across the UK. Our programmes recognise and reflect the different level of commitment that volunteers can give – our opportunities therefore range from full-time (35 hours a week), to part-time (a few hours a week or month) and employee volunteering.

Volunteer requirements:

Aged between 18-35 years
Able to commit for 6-12 months on a full-time basis
Willing to relocate anywhere in the UK
Willing to be placed where your help is most needed
Be a UK or EU/EEA national who is resident in the UK
Able to provide two suitable references and willing to undergo a Disclosure and Baring Service check (DBS) if required

What we provide - as a volunteer you’ll receive:

Free accommodation
Subsistence which includes £40 per week to buy food (unless meals provided) plus £35 towards out of pocket expenses
Travel expenses
Relevant training and on-going support

For further information or to apply for our volunteering opportunities vist or website or contact Jen Wynd our Volunteer Manager - details below.