4m worth of funding now available to better tap into the skills and experience of volunteers over 50

The Office for Civil Society, have been working with Nesta and others to launch three new grant funds, which are worth £4million. These funds are to explore how more charities and public services, can better tap into the skills and experience of volunteers over 50. 

With life expectancy in the UK increasing, the funds will provide a valuable opportunity for opening up greater opportunities for more people to volunteer and to share their skills and talents with others in later life.

Three funds now open to application are:

  • The Second Half Fund - Sharing Time and Talents for Life: Will provide grants of up to £250,000 to support the growth of new ways of mobilising the time and talents of people aged over 50 specifically in support of: children and young people, parents and families, ageing well, creating resourceful and resilient local places.
  • Join In Stay In: Will award grants of up to £50,000 and significant non-financial support from behavioural science experts for organisations to undertake Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) to understand what works best to encourage volunteers to continue to give their time regularly.
  • Give More Get More - Exploring Intensive Volunteering: Grants of up to £100,000 to support organisations to trial intensive volunteering placements for people over 50 - approaching or in retirement - that work alongside public services. These might include ‘gap years’, such as those VSO offers for experienced volunteers to give their time abroad.

Expressions of Interest and full details of the application process can be found at: http://www.nesta.org.uk

 

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