Report from VAST Volunteering
Know Your Neighbourhood: InVOLve
A Celebration of Volunteering and New Beginnings: Building Skills, Connecting Communities, Creating Belonging
Know Your Neighbourhood
In January 2023, the government launched the ‘Know Your Neighbourhood’ (KYN) Fund, a £30 million initiative aimed at increasing volunteering and reducing loneliness in 27 disadvantaged areas across England, including Stoke-on-Trent. The fund, which ran until March 2025, focused on supporting volunteering and improving social connections to ensure sustained community engagement.
The objectives of the KYN Fund were to:
- Increase monthly volunteering in high-deprivation areas.
- Reduce chronic loneliness in these areas.
- Identify scalable, sustainable interventions for volunteering and loneliness.
- Enable local authorities and community sectors to implement sustainable systems for volunteering and tackling loneliness.
Project Overview
The project aim was to address the barriers to volunteering faced by refugees and asylum seekers in Stoke-on-Trent. These individuals often experience isolation, inability to work, delays in accessing education, and language barriers, which hinder their integration into the local community. By increasing volunteering opportunities, the project helped participants become part of the community and subsequently reduced loneliness and isolation.
To achieve this, the project conducted outreach sessions at trusted locations such as local support organisations and hotels where refugees and asylum seekers reside. VAST’s experienced team utilised their volunteer brokerage skills to match individuals with suitable volunteering roles. Support mechanisms were put in place, including peer support sessions, one-to-one support, and regular check-ins to ensure ongoing engagement and address any emerging barriers. Additionally, informal volunteering activities were offered to build confidence before transitioning to formal volunteering roles.
VAST led the programme with a proven track record in volunteer brokerage supported by its strong links with local organisations. Collaboration with various voluntary, community, and social enterprise sector organisations was essential.
The project aimed to work intensively with 100-150 individuals, offering tailored support to ensure successful volunteering placements. Sustainability was at the core of the project, placing individuals in established voluntary sector organisations with robust volunteer management in place.
Success was measured through various indicators, including the number of individuals supported, volunteering hours, skill development, and wider community impact.
Our initial approach to connecting with asylum seekers and refugees involved regular monthly visits to ASHA, which played a crucial role in building trust with the individuals who participated. This foundation enabled us to offer short-term, low-commitment micro-volunteering opportunities, further engaging and empowering more individuals to take part.
This report covers:
- Connecting with Asylum Seekers and Refugees
- Project Practicalities and Logistics
- Volunteer Roles and Experiences
- Micro-Volunteering
- Project Insights, and more…
