2 years, 200+ matches: What skilled volunteering can unlock

Two years ago, we re-launched our Volunteer Platform to connect charities with the media, creative, digital and communications skills they need. 

Since then, more than 200 matches have connected charities with professionals who can help them tackle everything from rebrands and impact reports to communications strategies. 

We’ve seen first-hand that a match via our platform is more than just a connection. It’s a charity that with a specific communications challenge and a professional with exactly the right skills to help solve it.

Why skilled support matters

Charities are facing a more difficult communications landscape than ever. Trust is under pressure, misinformation is spreading, and AI is reshaping how people find and engage with information. At the same time, many charity comms teams stay small and stretched.  

Recent CharityComms research found that 44% of charity communicators don’t believe there is a good understanding of communications at senior leadership or board level. But we know that good communications aren’t a nice-to-have; they’re how charities reach the people who need them.  

That’s where skilled volunteering can make a real difference. By bringing in expertise that helps charities tackle a specific challenge, build confidence and strengthen their communications for the long term. 

Two years, one growing community

Since launching in 2024, the platform has grown into a community of: 

• 360+ volunteers who have put their skills behind causes they care about
• 500+ charities seeking the support they need
• 200+ matches, and counting
• 2,600+ hours of professional expertise shared, pro bono 

That’s the equivalent of 370 working days, given by professionals who chose to put their skills behind causes they care about. Together, these numbers represent a community of professionals and charities who keep showing up for each other.  

Social media, marketing and copywriting are among the most common skills on the platform, and some of the most requested by charities too. But we’re also seeing particular demand for film, TV & broadcasting and graphic design, where volunteers are in short supply. If that’s where your expertise lies, charities are looking for your skills! 

Time is often the biggest barrier to volunteering, so every opportunity is built around a specific project with a clear outcome, from a single strategy session to a full rebrand, rather than an open-ended commitment.  

Where can a match lead?

“Think of volunteering as collaborating rather than consulting… you’re likely to learn a lot more than you’re expecting.” 

Genevieve Miller, Strategic Consultant at the Professional Publishers’ Association, joined the platform in 2024 to put her communications experience behind causes tackling inequality.  

Through the platform, she found an opportunity to support Sheffield Futures with its upcoming its 30th-anniversary impact report, and MathsMakers with its comms strategy. That relationship has since developed even further, with Genevieve now an official MathsMakers board trustee. 

Creating a new charity identity

Earlier this year, design agency Red Stone delivered a complete rebrand, entirely pro bono through the platform, for the Association of Charitable Organisations (ACO). The project included an entirely new logo, colour palette, typeface and a full brand toolkit.  

ACO’s new strapline says it all: “We’re more, together.”  

It’s a powerful example of how skilled volunteering can reshape a charity’s entire public identity, not just a single campaign. 

What’s next?

We’re continuing to improve the platform so charities and volunteers can find the right match, faster. Skilled volunteering isn’t just about sharing expertise. It’s about sharing knowledge, building confidence and helping charities move their work forward. 

We’d like to thank every volunteer who has shared their time, skills and expertise so generously, and to every charity that has welcomed their support and trusted us to help make the connection. None of this would be possible without you.  

Could you be part of the next match?