Volunteering Matters

What Volunteering Matters does

Volunteering Matters is a UK-registered charity (charity no. 291222 in England and Wales; SC039171 in Scotland; company limited by guarantee no. 1435877) founded in 1962 and headquartered at 18-24 Lower Clapton Road, London. Operating across England, Wales and Scotland with 251-500 employees, it runs a multi-programme portfolio of community-led volunteering services targeted at older and isolated adults, disengaged young people, refugees and migrants, people with disabilities, and corporate employee-volunteering programmes. Sub-brands include RSVP (people aged 50+), Home from Hospital and Community Support, Good Neighbours Newcastle, Lifelines (Brighton and Hove), #iWill Movement, Brighter Futures (Scotland), PIVOT (Pembrokeshire), Healthlink, Bloom, Welcome Friends, Volunteer Driver Services, Community Connectors, and Sporting Chance.

The organisation is funded almost entirely by charitable grants, government and local-authority contracts, lottery funding, donations, and corporate employee-volunteering partnerships — services are delivered free to beneficiaries. The single largest disclosed funder is the Postcode Lottery, whose players have contributed over £8 million since 2016. The operating technology stack is conventional nonprofit infrastructure (CRM, the Volunteero volunteer-booking app, Zoom, Google Analytics), with no proprietary AI or data product. Distribution is via direct volunteer recruitment, NHS and local-council referral channels, corporate partnerships, and education-sector placements.

Name

Volunteering Matters

Legal name

Volunteering Matters

Website

https://volunteeringmatters.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Volunteering Matters is a UK-registered charity founded in 1962 that delivers community-led volunteering programmes across England, Wales and Scotland, serving older and isolated adults, disengaged young people, refugees, and people with disabilities through grants, donations, and local-authority contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Volunteering Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Volunteer Program Funding, Scholarships & Fundraising Support (EDAIAGAO), Volunteer & Companion Support Services (Hospice Volunteer Programs) (HSABAFAO), Civic Engagement, Volunteering & Leadership Education for Seniors (EDAAAMAK), International & Local Implementing NGOs (HLAJAKAD)

Keywords

• Community volunteering services
• Charity mentoring programmes
• Befriending and social action
• Corporate employee volunteering
• Youth social action

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Charitable Grants and Funding: Volunteering Matters generates revenue primarily through charitable grants, government funding, and trust/foundation support. Major funding includes £8 million from Postcode Lottery players since 2016, government grants from local councils, and WCVA Volunteering in Wales grants.
2. Donations and Fundraising: The organization accepts donations from individuals and corporations to support community programs and volunteering initiatives.
3. Employee Volunteering Partnerships: Corporate partnerships where businesses engage employees in volunteering programs, providing both social impact and community benefit.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Volunteering Matters is a UK-registered charity that designs and delivers a multi-programme portfolio connecting volunteers with community opportunities across England, Wales, and Scotland. The organisation runs projects in mentoring, befriending, hospital discharge support, volunteer driving, refugee and migrant support, and youth social action, alongside structured employee volunteering programmes for corporate partners. All beneficiary services are provided free of charge, with the organisation funded through charitable grants, government contracts, trust/foundation funding, and donations.

Product overview

Volunteering Matters is a UK-wide volunteering charity operating a multi-programme platform that connects volunteers with community opportunities across England, Wales, and Scotland. The organisation runs a diverse portfolio of distinct programmes including RSVP for people aged 50+, the Home from Hospital and Community Support service, Good Neighbours Newcastle, Lifelines for older people in Brighton and Hove, the #iWill Movement for youth leadership, Brighter Futures for Scottish youth, PIVOT in Pembrokeshire, Healthlink, Bloom for Arabic-speaking women, Welcome Friends befriending in Wales, Volunteer Driver Services, Community Connectors, and Sporting Chance. Additionally, the organisation offers an Employee Volunteering programme for corporate partners. Each programme is independently branded and focused on specific beneficiary groups or community needs, with programmes often sharing operational infrastructure such as volunteer management systems, training protocols, and safeguarding frameworks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme): A programme within Volunteering Matters providing opportunities for people aged 50 and over to use their energy, enthusiasm and experience to improve the health and wellbeing of others, reduce social isolation and alleviate disadvantage in their communities.
• Brighter Futures
• Lifelines
• Welcome Friends
• PIVOT (Home from Hospital)
• Good Neighbours Newcastle
• #iWill Movement
• Healthlink
• Bloom

Products and services

• Volunteering Matters Platform
• RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme)
• Good Neighbours Newcastle
• Home from Hospital and Community Support
• Lifelines (Brighton and Hove)
• #iWill Movement
• Brighter Futures
• PIVOT Home from Hospital (Pembrokeshire)
• Healthlink (Brighton and Hove)
• Bloom
• Employee Volunteering
• Welcome Friends
• Volunteer Driver Service
• Community Connectors
• Sporting Chance Stockton

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% of Lifelines participants reported improved mental wellbeing
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Newcastle City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Funding partner and co-creator of Good Neighbours Newcastle initiative. The project recruits, trains, and supports volunteers providing practical and social support to isolated adults in Newcastle.
• Active SuffolkmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Collaboration partner for Community Connectors project in Ipswich. Works with Sport England to understand how people engage with physical activity in local communities.
• Search NewcastlemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner in Good Neighbours Newcastle delivery alongside Newcastle City Council and St Martin's Centre.
• St Martin's CentremajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner in Good Neighbours Newcastle delivery alongside Newcastle City Council and Search Newcastle.
• UK YouthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint delivery partner for the #iWill Movement across the UK. The movement enables youth leadership and social action, growing from 50 partners in 2013 to a nationwide network including primary schools, FTSE companies, and Government departments.
• Ageing Well Brighton and HovemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supporting the Lifelines project in Brighton, helping older people stay connected, active and well through volunteer-led groups.
• Sing WellminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner delivering some Lifelines activities including cultural exchange sessions with international students.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• UK Youth: National youth-work charity and direct co-delivery partner of the #iWill Movement alongside Volunteering Matters. Directly comparable in youth social action and volunteering programmes across the UK.
• Reach Volunteering: UK charity connecting skilled professionals with trustee and volunteering roles in the nonprofit sector. Directly comparable in skills-based volunteering and online volunteer matching, but with a professional/skills focus rather than community-led delivery.
• Do-it.org: UK volunteer matching database connecting individuals to volunteering opportunities - the largest single volunteer-matching platform in the UK. Directly comparable online volunteer recruitment and self-serve GTM motion.
• Royal Voluntary Service: One of the UK's largest volunteering charities for older people, running hospital volunteer, befriending, and community support programmes. Directly comparable in mission (loneliness, health, older adults) and UK-wide operating model.

Broad incumbents

• Age UK: UK's largest charity for older people, running befriending, advice, and community support services. Directly comparable beneficiary population (older isolated adults) and befriending/programme model, but at significantly larger scale.
• British Red Cross: Major UK charity operating volunteer-led programmes in independent living, refugee support, and hospital discharge. Overlaps with Volunteering Matters' Home from Hospital and befriending programmes at much larger scale.
• NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations): UK umbrella body for the voluntary sector, providing infrastructure, policy advocacy, and volunteer-development resources to member charities. Overlaps with Volunteering Matters' sector convening role (e.g., #iWill Movement).

Regional players

• Volunteer Scotland: Scotland's national volunteering infrastructure body, funded by the Scottish Government to develop and promote volunteering. Comparable volunteer-development mission but operating only in Scotland where it overlaps with Volunteering Matters' Scotland programmes.
• WCVA (Welsh Council for Voluntary Action): Principal voluntary-sector umbrella body in Wales and a direct funder of Volunteering Matters' RSVP programmes. Comparable mission and overlapping beneficiary focus, but Wales-only geographic scope.

Emerging players

• Catch22: UK social business running volunteering, mentoring and social-action programmes for disadvantaged young people and adults. Comparable in programme model (mentoring, social action) but with a stronger focus on employability and social enterprise revenue.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCoSJ1et8Dwcn_ajk3j5_Z_Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/volunteeringmatters
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/23228
• Instagraminstagram.com/volunteering_uk
• Xx.com/volunteering_uk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Volunteering Matters