V is investing in an expansion in the number of available opportunities – short-term, part-time and full-time – and in a new national framework for volunteering to increase the quality, quantity and diversity of volunteering opportunities for young people. The v Match Fund brings together private sector partners and charities to create innovative volunteering opportunities. The benefits are clear: by harnessing the creativity and energy of young people, they can bring communities together and find solutions to society’s biggest problems. They can change lives, protect the environment, create safer neighbourhoods, improve the nation’s health and give 16-25 year olds skills, confidence and experience. The v Match Fund matches up to 100% of any new investment in youth volunteering – that’s double the money, and double the impact of the investment. Private companies [large and small], charitable trusts / foundations and individuals are seizing the opportunity to build volunteering initiatives with the promise of more bang for their buck. To date, v has pledges of £32m from the private sector – making a total of £64m that has and will be invested into diverse and high impact projects across England. They want to do more. They want to create opportunities so inspiring that volunteering becomes a valued part of the lives of most 16–25 year olds. They want to reach out to some of England’s most disadvantaged and disengaged young people. They want to create real change in communities, tackling the big issues that the nation’s youth tell them they’re concerned about.

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8 July 2008
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