Volunteering funds

These funds are now closed

Encouraging new volunteers from under-represented groups is a fundamental part of our vision for volunteering.

Our two volunteering funds supported new ways to bring the benefits of volunteering in sport and physical activity to new audiences. We worked with a range of new partners such as the #iwill Fund to invest up to £30 million in more than 30 nationwide volunteering projects.

Each programme was vital to testing and learning what works best to bring new people into volunteering, helping us to reach many more potential volunteers in the future.

A group of women walking - part of the Diversity Matters North West project

Why we invested in volunteers

Every month, 5.6 million people in England give up their time to enable others to take part in sport and physical activity. For some, it’s about giving something back to their community or making a difference to the people around them. For others, it’s a chance to develop new skills, gain experience or make new friends. In many cases, it’s both.

But there are many people who may never have considered the idea of volunteering or social action. We wanted to change that. We wanted to increase the number of people who could benefit from the power of volunteering.

Through our investments, we wanted to help create great new opportunities for people to give their time – to maximise the benefits to individuals and their communities.

Why is working with volunteers important?

We’re working to get more people active across England, regardless of age, background or ability. Within that, the importance of volunteering is immense. It has the power to change lives for those giving their time, and by helping others get active.

What was the purpose of these funds?

Our Potentials Fund targeted young people aged 10-20 years who wanted to give their time, while our Opportunity Fund was designed to attract those aged 20 and above from disadvantaged communities.

Both supported projects for groups where we identified significant untapped potential. We knew that those with lower household incomes, young people, women, disabled people, and Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities were less likely to volunteer in sport, yet they were often keen volunteers in other sectors such as religion or education.

We wanted to see how we could use sport or physical activity to fulfil their motivations. In turn, communities see an even greater benefit when there are more volunteers from their own neighbourhood.

Example projects

She's Ready

Location: South east
Grant: £147,374

Active Life for a Healthier You helps people of all ages and abilities get active and stay active. Their She's Ready project helps women who are experiencing life-changing circumstances and challenges, including disabled women, mothers with small children, those who’ve suffered domestic violence, and retirees.

Two hundred women are being empowered through different levels of volunteer engagement – from occasional volunteering through to running classes and events to increase physical activity in their community. Women are empowered by designing, delivering, and shaping the development of the events, often with the opportunity to train to become fitness instructors themselves.

YMCA Sutton Coldfield

Location: Sutton Coldfield
Grant: £147,374

This project is working with Black, Asian and minority ethnic girls from disadvantaged areas in north Birmingham. The girls are trained and mentored to deliver ‘non-traditional’ exercise sessions in local parks and facilities.

The YMCA aims to get the girls more active, while fostering their confidence and lowering the risk of social problems and poor mental health. The sessions also benefit the health and wellbeing of those around them, increasing physical activity within the girls’ own peer groups as well as younger children and the wider community.

A group of children run towards the camera in a park

My Park

Location: Gloucestershire
Grant: £129,512

Young people just want to have fun. That’s partly the mantra of Play Gloucestershire, which is striving to get kids active and form friendships while they’re at it. The project aims to reach hundreds of local young people living in challenging circumstances in isolated rural areas.

My Park is a three-year ‘social action’ project – meaning it’s powered by the energy and determination of 10-14-year olds who, with guidance and support from Play Gloucestershire, are finding ways to make their local green spaces great places for sport and physical activity.

At the same time these young people are learning about the power of volunteering, campaigning and fundraising.

Investing in People and Culture

Location: North east
Grant: £149,976

Investing in People and Culture use community projects to help marginalised groups integrate into local life and reduce their risk of becoming socially isolated.

We funded a three-year project which recruits refugees as volunteers in deprived areas of Middlesbrough and Newcastle. The project works with a range of partners including Refugee Community Organisations, Middlesbrough FC Foundation, parkrun and Max Training Academy to develop volunteering opportunities suited to the needs of the refugees.

Volunteers are also be provided with training opportunities to improve their employability skills.

A volunteer speaks to a teenage BMX rider

Team100

Location: Bristol and London
Grant: £147,350

Access Sport has an award-winning track record in engaging volunteers from under-represented groups in disadvantaged areas. Over three years its Team100 project is engaging with 300 new volunteers aged 20+ from three deprived sites in Bristol and London. The aim of each 100-strong team (Team100) is empowering local people to come together, be more active, and maximise their individual and community’s potential.

Volunteers are benefitting by developing valuable skills and experience while helping to support local clubs and other community services. Roles include leading a walking or cycling group to school, helping with transport, being a mentor, helping to organise sports clubs’ away trips, administration and coaching.

See My Voice

Location: England-wide
Grant: £122,480

Imagine feeling that because you’re visually impaired, you aren’t being recognised or heard by those around you – especially those in authority. These are exactly the frustrations that many young visually impaired people were expressing to British Blind Sport, and are what drove them to start the See My Voice project.

Through a mentoring, volunteering and leadership programme, a group of 'young leaders' are developing the confidence and skills to enable them to voice their opinions and share their experiences – ultimately with the aim of improving the sport opportunities available to visually impaired people.

Additional resources

Our Volunteering Insight Guide has insight from national surveys on volunteering across all sectors, details on what we know about volunteering in sport specifically, as well as #iwill’s research into youth social action.

You can see our Workforce section for more information on how we’re supporting the 6.2 million adults who are giving their time to support sport and physical activity through volunteering.

Volunteering Insight Guide Download the file - 1.25 MB