Link UP cultivates social change by pioneering a new way to volunteer in the community.

We began on a very local level in Battersea as a way to connect people with skills to local causes. Our approach was based on the premise that charitable organisations are providing critical support to their communities but lack resources to bring in the expertise of top talent when it’s needed. These community champions do so much good in society, but people can’t be experts in everything. Why shouldn’t they have access to industry specific expertise to bring about the big changes they’re trying to make for people in their community?

Our co-founders had worked in the charity sector for years and have overseen volunteer programmes and been volunteers themselves. They set out to put together an approach that truly worked for charities and volunteers alike.

Our approach is to connect committed, socially-minded people and organisations to collaborate to bring about local level change throughout London.

We tested in Battersea in 2016, grew throughout Wandsworth in 2017 and then into Lambeth in the summer of 2018. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic our service moved online and opened up to organisations across all boroughs of London.

All of our volunteer engagements are designed to fit around modern, busy lives so each match is shaped with the needs of the organisation and the Skilled Volunteer’s in mind, to ensure that each side gets the most out of their experience.