Families

Our volunteers support vulnerable children and families through some of the most challenging stages of their lives. We recruit, train and support volunteers to mentor young people leaving care, befriend children with challenging behaviour and support the families of children with life-limiting illnesses. Our volunteers also support parents with children at risk of neglect and on a ‘child in need’ plan.

With the support of our volunteers, vulnerable children and families are given the opportunity to overcome serious life challenges, rebuild their lives and play a meaningful and productive role in society.

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.

Family Mentors

Volunteers Supporting Families recruits, trains and matches volunteers who mentor and support families with complex needs.

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

RESPECT – Call for volunteers

If you want to be involved in helping your community through the COVID-19 crisis, but are unsure how to get involved, this is your opportunity.  If you are 16-years and older and interested in making a difference, then contact us for more info using the form below.

Volunteers Supporting Families – Support Volunteer (Waltham Forest)

Due to COVID-19 we are still recruiting, but are operating remotely to maintain social distancing. Please get in touch with our team for more details.  Volunteering Matters latest response to COVID-19 Volunteers Supporting Families recruits, trains and matches volunteers to mentor and support families with children at risk of neglect or harm. This could be … Continued

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
Volunteers Supporting Families

Volunteers Supporting Families: Maria’s Story

Maria, 32 from London, works in education as a Sports Premium Lead, supporting primary schools in their development and provision of physical activity, health and school games. She explains how her career inspired her to become a volunteer on the Volunteers Supporting Families project.

Employee Volunteering: Stewart’s Story

“I’m currently working within the Co-op’s Leadership, Talent and Learning team as one of our Lead Learning Designers.  I’ve been in the field of Learning and Development for the past 10 years and it’s something that I’m really passionate about.  When the Skill Share volunteering programme was created by our team in partnership with The … Continued

Family Supporters Edinburgh – Impact report 2021

Family Supporters in Edinburgh offers practical and emotional support to families across the City of Edinburgh, empowering them to face a range of life challenges. We recruit, train and match dedicated, local volunteers to help families every step of the way, spending 1-1 time together on a personalised set of goals chosen by the family, … Continued

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.

Sunshine Cafe celebrates anniversary

Sunshine Café, which acts as a social hub for the village of Leeswood celebrated its first anniversary. The morning’s filling included the usual fare of hot chocolate, teacakes and laughter.

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

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.

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.

RESPECT Project

RESPECT Project – sourcing & donating educational packs to support families’ home-learning. One of the many things we’re doing in response to COVID is RESPECT. Based in Suffolk, our volunteers are creating activity packs for children. These are helping families with home-schooling, especially those who may not have English as their first language. The packs, … 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.

Grenfell Tower and the contribution of volunteers

Gethyn Williams was Co-Chair of the National Network of Volunteer Involving Agencies (NNVIA), and in August he reflected on what we can learn from the contribution of volunteers in the immediate aftermath of the Grenfell Tower disaster.

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.

What did we learn from our volunteers this summer?

This summer, we asked our volunteers, why they volunteer, what they think about the training and support we offer, and what benefits they have gained from the experience. Here, Oonagh discusses the results.