Disabled People

We believe that having a physical or learning disability shouldn’t prevent anyone from volunteering. We work in partnership with local organisations and businesses to help disabled people actively volunteer (via supported volunteering if necessary) and contribute to their community. We offer support placements in many different work environments such as retail, gardening, and hospitals.

We also run flexible training and skills courses, that focus on skills such as socialising, travelling independently, keeping healthy and safe, and many more. Our programmes help to improve social and employability skills, help participants gain confidence and ultimately change lives.

We firmly believe that having a disability should not be a barrier to participating in sport and leading a healthy and active lifestyle. We support the English Federation of Disability Sport #TogetherWeWill campaign and are working with EFDS to deliver Get Out Get Active – an exciting new initiative to boost activity numbers of people with disability getting active in their community.

Active Volunteering Essex

Active Volunteering Essex is a project to support individuals with a learning disability who want to volunteer, but feel anxious about volunteering completely independently.

Active Volunteering Suffolk

This project is no longer recruiting volunteers. Please enter your postcode in the opportunity finder on our homepage to find more volunteering roles in your area.

COVID-19 Response Programme

Our COVID-19 Response programme includes projects operating on a local and national level, with new roles to support the community during the pandemic.

EVS

EVS (European Voluntary Service) is an international volunteer program funded by the European Commission. It enables all young people legally resident in Europe, aged between 18 and 30 years, to carry out an international volunteer service in an organisation or in a public body in Europe, Africa, Asia or South America for a period ranging … Continued

Get Out Get Active

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.

Match and Mentor

Through our fantastic volunteers, Match and Mentor provides support for individuals with learning difficulties and additional support needs to volunteer.
A smiling man

Peer Perspectives Clackmannanshire

Led by volunteers aged 16-25, who have been supported and trained by our team, these young people want to play an active role in their community by championing mental health, whilst developing their own skills at the same time.

SAFE (Sexual Awareness for Everyone)

The S.A.F.E project (Sexual Awareness For Everyone) is for women living in Gwent aged 16 – 35 who have a learning need or disability. The project aims to give vulnerable young people the tools to identify appropriate and safe relationships.

Volunteer Centre Newcastle

Volunteer Centre Newcastle acts as a connector between people and communities with a database of opportunities across the city.

Volunteer Organiser

We’re seeking Volunteer Organisers to support a community response in Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Newport, Pembrokeshire and Flintshire. Right now volunteers are needed help people who are self-isolating and unable to leave their home as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic through telephone befriending. Many of these people are already recognised as those … Continued

Match and Mentor Support Volunteer (Kings Lynn)

Through our fantastic volunteers, Match and Mentor provides support for individuals with learning disabilities and additional support needs to access community activities and opportunities.

Match and Mentor Support Volunteer (Swaffham)

Through our fantastic volunteers, Match and Mentor provides support for individuals with learning disabilities and additional support needs to access community activities and opportunities.

Community Volunteer Mentor, Ipswich

We are seeking Community Volunteer mentors for our Active Volunteering Suffolk project. Active Volunteering Suffolk empowers adults with learning disabilities to take up volunteering placements in different work environments such as retail, gardening and hospitality.  Community Volunteer Mentors support these individuals to complete skills training, improve their social and work skills and gain work experience … Continued

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.

SAFE – Peer Mentor Volunteer (Gwent)

The SAFE (‘Sexual Awareness for Everyone’) project running across Gwent will help improve the personal safety and good sexual health of young women (aged 16 to 35) with learning difficulties through peer led workshops, one to one peer support and through the production and distribution of a SAFE card.

Cars4Carers – Volunteer Driver (Pembrokeshire)

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.

Full-Time Volunteering: Carers’ Support Bexley

The role of a Full-Time Volunteer (FTV) can be very varied, and supporting full-time carers is just one of the ways that FTVs provide incredible support to those they volunteer with. Volunteering Matters has been working with Carers’ Support Bexley for over 20 years (back when we were known as Community Service Volunteers!) and we … Continued

Get Out Get Active: Asmita’s Story

Following a difficult start in life, Asmita has found real purpose, positivity and friendship through volunteering with the Get Out Get Active programme.

Full-time Volunteering: James’ Story

James (whose official name is Chih-Chien Chiang) is a full-time volunteer from Taiwan, who is based in London. He supports a BBC journalist with his everyday routine at work.

SAFE: Rhianydd’s Story

Rhianydd has autism and feels she’s a good candidate to volunteer on a project for people with learning disabilities. She says “I am their peer and they engage with me as I understand.”

Full-time Volunteering: Sandy’s Story

Sandy spent a year as a full-time volunteer on project Vocal, supporting people with learning disabilities to become actively involved in their community by volunteering.

Full-time Volunteering: Larry’s Story

Ever wondered what a full-time volunteer actually does? Each opportunity is different, and we heard from Larry who volunteers for the disability and well being service at the London School of Economics.

Sporting Chance: Jeff’s Story

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.

Vocal: William’s Story

"From volunteering I have been able to accept myself and build my self esteem and confidence and feel like I have a meaning and a reason to get out of bed."

Futures: Tina’s Story

"I have been really excited to see him getting more confident and outgoing over the weeks while he has been volunteering."
futures young disabled people additional support needs volunteering

Futures: Chris’s Story

"His confidence and abilities grew more with each visit and he showed a keen interest in learning new things. He soon started to use his own initiative, and towards the end of his placement he really seemed to enjoy himself."

Volunteering Matters welcomes new Civil Society Minister

Volunteering Matters featured in an article about the appointment of the new Minister for Civil Society, Baroness Barran, in which we stated we looked forward to working with her to ensure that more people can change lives and transform communities trough volunteering.

Speaking out against sexual harassment

Our new project for women aged 16-35 across Gwent who have learning difficulties or autism, empowering them to recognise sexual harassment and abuse

Our Volunteer Awards 2018

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

Volunteers attend Queen’s Garden Party 2018

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!

Volunteering for all – all year round!

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!

We’re challenging young people to start their revolution!

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. 

Ipswich Through the Looking Glass

Volunteering Matters took over Christchurch mansion in October 2017 to showcase our volunteering projects running across Suffolk.
AGM Awards

Volunteers take centre stage at our AGM

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.
#givingtuesday

Volunteering Matters mobilises people power on #GivingTuesday

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.
Spirit of 2012 logo #GetOutGetActive

#GetOutGetActive Launch of £4.5 million grant

Spirit of 2012 today announced a UK wide consortium for its latest campaign #GetOutGetActive which focuses on increasing participation in fun and inclusive physical activity.

Continued austerity a threat to communities

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.
volunteer recruitment active volunteering hackney

Top Tips for Recruiting Volunteers

We share our top tips for volunteer recruitment in a new area, making sure you can stay safe while providing essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

After education: Why should I volunteer?

This month has been an exciting and nerve-wracking time for students across the UK; those in Scotland received results for their Highers, and UK A-level results were released last week. Whatever your next move, whether you’re happy with the results you received or whether you missed out on the opportunities you had planned, we think … Continued

What would a week without volunteers be like?

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.

New Year, Volunteer!

Our Head of Communications Alison Harvie on how to get that New Year’s resolution off the page and into action.

Overcoming the barriers to volunteering

Chief Executive, Oonagh Aitken talks about barriers to volunteering and reaffirms our commitment to ensuring that everyone has the chance to transform their lives and the lives of others through the power of volunteering.

10 years of full-time volunteering with Mencap

Our full-time volunteers have been supporting people living with a learning disability in Stratford-upon-Avon for 10 years. Our Regional Volunteer Manager Jenny Szewiel spoke to Heart of England Mencap Manager John Morton to find out more…