by Royal Voluntary Service (Gold Sponsor of the AVM Conference 2025)
Like all members of the Association of Volunteer Managers, at Royal Voluntary Service we understand the importance of getting the volunteer journey just right – and the challenges we face as volunteer leaders in enabling volunteers’ invaluable contributions. After all, we’ve been running volunteering programmes for more than eighty years, and like you we’re deeply invested in the communities we serve.
That’s why we’re thrilled to be sponsoring this year’s conference and grateful for the opportunity to tell you a little about GoVo – the innovative new national volunteer recruitment platform we’re launching on 17 October 2025.
Developed with those with lived experience, GoVo is designed to appeal to those open to volunteering but who may struggle to fit a new commitment around busy lives – the six in ten UK adults not currently engaging in volunteering on a regular basis.
In helping to promote both traditional volunteering roles and more flexible, modern alternatives, it allows individuals to search for opportunities by geography, cause, their time available and the type of activity they’re looking for. So if you’re considering refreshing your volunteering offer, using GoVo could be a great way to start appealing to a more diverse group of new volunteers.
A flexible new tool in your recruitment strategy
GoVo is primarily an opportunity finder, focused on brokerage and built very much for the convenience of the modern volunteer. Think of it as a ‘Rightmove’ for volunteering – making searching and connecting easier, giving potential volunteers the simplest and quickest pathway to your door.
GoVo is not a Volunteer Management System – or seeking to replace any VMS or existing recruitment system you already use; but it can supplement and support your existing activities, giving you a national ‘always on’ channel in your recruitment pipeline, helping you to connect with those you may not be reaching through other avenues.
Once a potential volunteer has selected your opportunity and completed the built in identity check, they’re then transported into your own systems to complete their application and onboarding, in line with your regular processes.
Beyond the launch, future phases of development will also connect GoVo with a range of popular VMS platforms, making these early stages even easier for them and more efficient for you. We’re also reaching out to infrastructure partners in England, Wales and Scotland, to explore deeper connection and integration options, creating a stronger overall ecosystem for achieving the goals in volunteering we all share.
Register now to take advantage of the national media campaign
If you’re a registered charity* we encourage you to register with GoVo now and upload some opportunities ahead of the national launch on Friday 17 October. This will ensure you’re ready to capitalise on the major national media campaign we’re running in partnership with ITV and other household name partners in the digital, radio and print media.
Countdown to launch on Friday 17 October 2025
You can register your charity right now and begin to upload your opportunities in bulk via an excel-based template. This short video explains more about the platform, and this more detailed briefing walks Volunteer Leaders through how it works.
Together, lets reach and inspire a new generation of volunteers to ‘click and connect’ with the causes they care about!
GoVo is powered by the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.
* Please note that at launch the platform will only support charities registered in England, Wales and Scotland.
