Seasons Greetings from Vinspired

As 2010 draws to a close, we reflect on a remarkable year filled with achievements alongside our partners. In this final year of delivering the recommendations of the Russell Commission, we have reached 1 million volunteering opportunities for young people and inspired countless others through our campaigns and capacity-building initiatives.

I was proud to read the evaluation report by the National Centre for Social Research earlier this year, which highlighted that Vinspired, in collaboration with our partners, has created a transformative change in youth volunteering. The report shows that Vinspired not only increased the number of young people volunteering but also funded opportunities that reached a more diverse and socially excluded demographic than typically engaged.

A Year of Big Numbers

This year, we aimed to elevate the profile of youth volunteering, generating £10 million worth of press coverage and attracting over 3,000 fans to our Vinspired Facebook page. Our website, Vinspired.com, now boasts over 110,000 members and connects them to more than 600 voluntary and community partners. In 2010, we also exceeded £100 million raised for youth volunteering through our Match Fund programme.

I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all our partners and supporters for contributing to making volunteering and social action a priority for young people.

Looking Ahead

This year has also brought uncertainty, and we approach 2011 with awareness of the changing landscape. While challenges lie ahead, so do opportunities. We have secured core funding from the Government for the next four years to further our mission of supporting young people to be economically and socially active. Additionally, Vinspired has secured a place on the Cabinet Office’s grant-making framework, making us the third-largest provider in the first National Citizen Service pilots.

As we look to the future, we thank you for your support this year and wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

For more information, check out our Seasons Greetings from Vinspired, explore our Summer of Give, and read about the New Year opportunities for young people.