Quick Links For This Page: Aims of The Year Give a Billion Minutes Campaign The Monthly Themes The Year of The Volunteer at Volunteer Centre Southwark Getting your Organisation involved Year of The Volunteer & The Community Channel

The Government has designated 2005 as the Year of the Volunteer. Funding has recently been confirmed and Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Home Secretary David Blunkett are the main champions for the year.

Aims of the year

Increase the number of volunteers, particularly individuals from marginalised groups and young people

Open more volunteering opportunities in the public and voluntary sector

Raise the profile of the work volunteers are doing nationwide

Thank volunteers everywhere for their time and commitment

In addition to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Home Secretary launching the campaign, VIPs, Ministers and celebrities will be encouraged to volunteer at activities and help promote the year.

Give a Billion Minutes Give a Billion Minutes is a new campaign from Year of the Volunteer aiming to raise a billion minutes of volunteered time for good causes by the end of 2005.

Whether you're new to volunteering, or have been doing it for years, there are thousands of ways for you - or your organisation - to get involved.

Give us a minute

So how much can you give? Use the times on the right for some volunteering ideas...

Help others, help yourself

It's your chance to make a difference, while developing your skills and gaining experience.

Click here to visit the Year of the Volunteer website for more information and to register your minutes in the 'Count Me In' section

Remember that whatever you do, every minute counts.

The Monthly Themes

The Year of the Volunteer at Volunteer Centre Southwark

Awards Ceremony.
The Year of the Volunteer got off to a flying start at Volunteer Centre Southwark, as we held our first Volunteering Awards Ceremony for businesses who allow their staff to volunteer, voluntary groups and schools that have supported volunteering. Through the Business Volunteers project at Volunteer Centre Southwark, The Worshipful the Mayor, Cllr Ann Yates was delighted to give out the awards at the glittering event at Glazier's Hall. To read more about the Awards Ceremony click here.

Record numbers of volunteers! Volunteering England are currently offering to stand alone, registered charities with an annual turnover of less than £500,000, a limited number of free Year of the Volunteer merchandise packs.

We have already seen the benefits of the high interest and publicity Year of the Volunteer has created. The number of people registering to volunteer with us has been rising dramatically, breaking records every month. April saw over 530 people in just our small borough of Southwark registering to volunteer, the most ever recorded.

Volunteers' Week
We had lots of exciting stuff happening in Volunteers' Week (1st-7th June), including a volunteer stall on East Street Market and our annual Volunteer Awards Ceremony at Southwark Town Hall. Click here for details

Getting your organisation involved

Free Merchanise Packs

Volunteering England are currently offering to stand alone, registered charities with an annual turnover of less than £500,000, a limited number of free Year of the Volunteer merchandise packs. These are allocated on a first come first serve basis until the stock expires so you’ll have to be quick! For eligibility and the order form, go to: www.volunteering.org.uk/Free_merchandise_form.doc

Funding Stream

The Year of the Volunteer has a funding stream that you can apply to, check out the small grants scheme on the Volunteering England website www.volunteering.org.uk and click on ‘Apply for Funding’. The small grants scheme is available to individuals and groups within the community who are looking to make a difference during the Year of the Volunteer.

Give a Billion Minutes

Register the voluntary time your organisation and volunteers gives to the GIVE A BILLION MINUTES campaign by clicking here. Every minute counts!

Year of the Volunteer and the Community Channel

The Community Channel has linked up with do-it.org.uk to provide viewers with the UK’s first interactive volunteering service, helping them to find volunteering opportunities in their local area. Satellite viewers watching the channel can press the red button on their remote controls to access the interactive service.

Keep checking back during the year for further details of what's happening during the Year of the Volunteer & how you can get involved.