Thousands of volunteering opportunities are added to do-it.org.uk each month, by major charities such as the National Trust and Oxfam, public sector organisations and over 300 volunteer centres. These opportunities are uploaded via two bespoke products, both developed by YouthNet: the Online Poster System (which allows organisations to add/edit their opportunities online) and V-Base (a volunteering management software product, which also facilitates uploading opportunities). Both of these products continue to be updated and improved in response to feedback from partners.

In 2008, do-it.org.uk launched an alerting service which allows registered users to receive new opportunities direct to their inbox. Website users also have the option to subscribe to a monthly email newsletter which keeps them up-to-date with volunteering news and opportunities.

However, the impact of do-it.org.uk is not limited to a single URL. Syndication of the do-it.org.uk volunteering database means the opportunities now appear on almost 30 other websites, including the National Trust, Directgov, DEFRA and vinspired. Syndication allows do-it.org.uk to bring volunteering to greater numbers of people than ever before.

Website visitors also are encouraged to discuss their volunteering experiences with each other, through the on-site volunteering blogs and via the do-it.org.uk profiles on MySpace and Facebook.

Every year, do-it.org.uk users participate in their Volunteer Satisfaction Survey. According to the latest results, 41% of those who registered their interest on do-it.org.uk went on to start a volunteering opportunity. Furthermore, four in ten (38%) respondents - and 51% of 16 to 25-year-olds - said they would have been unlikely to volunteer if it hadn’t been for do-it.org.uk.

Through technical innovation and working in partnership, do-it.org.uk has become the gateway to volunteering for a diverse and ever-increasing online audience - an audience who will, as a result of using do-it.org.uk, continue to make an impact and improve our society.

Nominated by Natasha Judd, 29 May 2008

The biggest challenge when someone wants to volunteer was deciding how to find WHAT to volunteer for- that is of their choosing, convenient to them and on their terms. In other words it makes it easy. This is exactly what do-it.org.uk does. It is brilliant

Submitted by Sarah Shillito, 30 May 2008

YouthNet's do-it.org.uk website has transformed the volunteering infrastructure in England over the last few years. Now anyone, anywhere, can access a list of volunteering opportunities relevent to their interests and in the geographical area they want to volunteer in.

do-it.org.uk has been introduced and developed with a partnership approach, something that YouthNet excel at.

Submitted by Rob Jackson, 30 May 2008

Great / user friendly site with easy navigation and functionality - provides unrivalled access to info on a wide range of volunteering opportunities as well as inspiring young people to go on to the next step of actually volunteering. Invaluable.

Submitted by Ian Trafford, 30 May 2008

WOW, fresh,modern and creative with a real feel good sense and energy about it. What a great site with an incredible amount of information and content.

The features will really encourage individuals to look further into the site and seek out opportunities. It certainly does what it says on the tin and has clear signposting to the topics within it.

Well done to all involved!!

Submitted by Ruth Sear, 30 May 2008

At a stroke, as an individual you can find out what opportunities there are in your area, or if you are an organisation you can find out what volunteers others locally are looking for. It is a treasure trove and only because YouthNet's do-it.org.uk is a unique resource and has made it all possible.

Submitted by Elaine Willis, 30 May 2008

This is an exciting and creative site which brings a fresh approach to volunteering.It is grounded and reflective of young people's aspirations - and makes volunteering both real and attainable. great work!

Submitted by vera martins, 30 May 2008

I thought the website was great. Easy and encouraging to use. I found a charity near where I live and volunteered for 6 months. I'll definitely use the site again.

Submitted by Laura Billings, 30 May 2008

I wish I'd had access to this website when I started out as a young volunteer over 25 years ago! Todays young people still want to make a difference, do-it.org helps them get connected and has embraced the latest internet technology to produce a resource thats effective and fun - check out thosed dancers!

Submitted by James Cathcart, 30 May 2008

do-it.org is a great site. well done to youthnet for making it such an important part of the volunteering landscape

Submitted by Graham Allcott, 30 May 2008

do-it.org is a fabulous example of what can be achieved at the confluence of a worthwhile cause, enterprising and innovative minds and cool technology. It gets my vote!!

Submitted by William Hoyle, 30 May 2008

I recommend the do-it.org site all the time to my 18 year old daughter and her friends. It's really opened their eyes to what's possible in volunteering.

Submitted by Brenda Roberts, 30 May 2008

Do-IT is a well run organisation and they have made a real impact on how charities can engage with new volunteers. They have led the way for the voluntary sector and have mch to be proud of.

Submitted by Amanda Delew, 30 May 2008

do-it.org is an innovative, positive force -- it's on the cutting edge, leading the way for other online registries of volunteer opportunities around the world. They always present an upbeat, fun, energetic image of volunteering -- something badly needed to counteract old stereotypes. Not only does do-it serve the Web-savvy volunteer, they also are sohowing nonprofits how to compete effectively in the cyber-marketplace. Bravo to do-it.org and its excellent parent agency, YouthNet!

Submitted by Susan J. Ellis, 30 May 2008

do-it.org.uk has transformed the way people volunteer in this country, making is so easy and accessible that now there is is no excuse not to do-it! They have provided a lifeline for thousands of small charities that could not survive without volunteer help, connecting them with people willing to give their time.

It's almost impossible to imagine volunteering in the UK without do-it and long may it continue!

Submitted by Jamie Thomas, 31 May 2008

This site helped me to secure a voluntary role mentoring with a national charity. It's so easy to use and loads of brilliant opportunities. Cheers!

Submitted by Abby Kegg, 02 June 2008

As someone who has found a volunteering role by using the do-it website, I think it is a fantastic resource. It is extremely easy to search, and I think is most useful in demonstrating the variety of different roles you can undertake as a volunteer. A fantastic resource!

Submitted by Russell Brooks, 02 June 2008

Terrific site. Easy to use, great information available, and very helpful people to work with.

Submitted by Peter Cross, 02 June 2008

What a great site to help educate people on the value you can bring to charities by offering to become a volunteer, so much choice and variety and with all the information you need to pick the charity that is right for you! Such a refreshing approach.

Submitted by Liz K-J, 02 June 2008

Do-it.org.uk Helped me find voluntary placements close to where i live and that were flexible so i could volunteer around my studying.

Its a brilliant web site and i can really see it making some huge changes to the UK and to individuals alike.

Submitted by Harry Padbury, 02 June 2008

do-it.org.uk is such a brilliant website and service. It had enabled me to find a brilliant placement with Shelter in Nottingham.

Submitted by Colette Morgan, 02 June 2008

I use do-it.org.uk daily in my job, and it is by far the most successful tool for finding and recruiting volunteers. Using do-it.org.uk has actually saved some of our youth groups from having to close, as we were able to find volunteers to run them when others had to leave.

It's so good and simple, it's a wonder no one thought of it before!

Submitted by Rob Moore, 02 June 2008

Do-it.org.uk has certainly made it easier for me to find the sort of voluntary work I want or just to see what volunteering opportunities are around. Some of my friends have asked me where I get all my information about volunteering from and I always direct them to do-it.org.uk!

Submitted by Lindsay, 02 June 2008

Its and easy to use reliable website. It simple but effective!

Submitted by Maria, 02 June 2008

Simple and effective...reliable and reaching all corners of communities. Positive website address as well...making everyone realise that they can each make a difference. Fabulous!

Submitted by Anja Williams, 02 June 2008

I guess there have always been lots of

potential volunteers out there - they just needed a really good site like this to put them in touch with what they wanted to do. Well done do-it.org!

Submitted by Carolyn Allcock, 02 June 2008

doit.org offers people who are not in schoo/college an opportunity to look for volunteering positions in the comfort of their own home without having to take time to visit a volunteer agency. I don't know anyone else who does what they do and so well.

Submitted by Lisa Peacock, 02 June 2008

do it.org is a great way of finding volunteering in your own area and helping to find opportunities to help others- its easy, simple, useful and fun to use, there is no better website out there for volunteering xxx

Submitted by christele Elkhoury, 02 June 2008

A great site that helped me to find work volunteering on a city farm. All I knew is I wanted work with animals with maybe a bit of gardening and getting my hands dirty thrown in. Doit.org had no trouble finding me exactly the position I never knew I wanted.

I had the time of my life and learned some great skills to boot.

Submitted by Mike, 02 June 2008

This website is amazing!

Submitted by Lisa, 02 June 2008

I have used it three times and i've always found somthing to suite my needs and my desires. working full time and wanting to volunteer is never easy, but do-it.org.uk has made my life easier. no need to search through thousands of charity websites. do-it.org.uk is alwasy up to date and very supportive. was a huge help. absolutely no. 1 in my book!

Submitted by do-it.org.uk - a winner!, 02 June 2008

do-it.org gave me so many ideas when thinking about a career change, and it's really easy and quick to use. Good luck in the awards!

Submitted by Leon Clowes, 03 June 2008

I find do-it.org website easy to use and very informative.

Submitted by ana de jesus, 03 June 2008

Lots of staff at BAA's airports are active volunteers - and many would like to be but need ideas and advice to inspire them - do-it.org is a great source of information for them. We also recommend the site to our network of community contacts as a really valuable resource

Submitted by Caroline Nicholls, BAA Communities Trust, 04 June 2008

The website has been fantastic in helping me gain contacts within the voluntary sector while studying for my degree over the past three years. I now have several voluntary positions which i am very much enjoying.

Submitted by Kerensa Roberts, 04 June 2008

do-it.org.uk is a fantastic resource for anyone wishin to find a voluntary placement and provides advice, guidance and links to local Volunteer Centres which can help the individual immensely.

Submitted by Swatee Deepak, Student Volunteering Team, Volunteering England, 05 June 2008

do-it.org.uk is living proof that the young people of this country are a force for tremendous good. A positive volunteering experience is both life-changing and developmental. do-it should be promoted by every agency dealing with young people, not only to help change communities but also to give participants the focus and rewards that only come from positive community involvement.

Hilary Hares, Business Development Director, Treloar Trust

Submitted by Hilary Hares, 05 June 2008

As i was able to access do-it.org.uk website , i found a voluntering position as a befriender for a Mental Health Charity which i enjoy.

Thanks

Keep up the good work.

Evelyn

Submitted by Evelyn, 05 June 2008

www.do-it.org.uk is an amazing, innovative website. It is incredibly valuable to both volunteers and the volunteering industry. I haveused do-it both to find my own volunteering opportunity, and to advertise for volunteers, so I can see its value from both sides. It truly deserves to be recognised in the New Statesman awards.

Submitted by Helen Ward, 06 June 2008

www.do-it.org.uk website is been a great help to find out about the volunteer opportunities. It has got a great database and helps a lot. It definitely deserves to get the award.

Submitted by Gaurav, 07 June 2008

Great site. I've come across links to it many times when visiting volunteer-involving organisations' sites for work purposes. It has inspired me to feel that when I am ready I will find just the sort of personal volunteering opportunity that will suit my interests.

Submitted by Carol Hicks, 09 June 2008

Great site which deserves even more attention to encourage volunteers.

Submitted by Natalie K, 09 June 2008

A well organised and informative site that makes it easy to find out about, and get involved in volunteering! Keep it up!

Submitted by James Boyd & Avnish Savjani, 09 June 2008

do-it.org made it so easy for me to find the volunteering opportunities that suited me. I was able to start volunteering really quickly and I have recommended the site to everyone I know who is interested in volunteering. It's a brilliant site.

Submitted by Naomi Hope, 09 June 2008

do-it.org is a fantastic, easy to use database providing volunteers with up to the minute information about volunteering opportunities anywhere in the World. It also provides useful advice and information and links to other Volunteering organisations. To raise awareness of volunteering, we provided our employees with instant access to do-it via our intranet and the feedback received has been very good. I wish you all the very best in your application.

Submitted by Helen Nation, 10 June 2008

The do-it website and V-Base system has provided vital resources to Volunteer Centres across the UK to help them match volunteers and opportunities to help voluntary groups carry out vital services to the community.

do-it and Youthnet have always been extremely intelligent, practical and resourceful. As a result, a site designed to help thousands of young people discover volunteering has helped hundreds of thousands of people of all ages see the variety of things you can do to contribute and take part in society.

Submitted by Kerry Tweed, 10 June 2008

This is the very best website to get involved in volunteering. It is wonderfully simple and a pleasure to visit. It looks great and it really works. Perfect!

Submitted by Harri Harrison, 10 June 2008

Do-it.org has been commented on by many of the organisations we work with in Birmingham as one of the best examples of an accessible and easy to use website for volunteering. More recently we advertised over 400 opportunities that were advertised on this site at the Gradjobs fair at the NEC in Birmingham and hundreds of people who had never looked online for volunteering opportunities before will now experience it for the first time after seeing just how many great opportunities are posted on there.

Submitted by Tony Colville - Changemakers, 10 June 2008

About as easy as it gets to find suitable volunteering opportunities. The sites search feature allowed me to narrow down its comprehensive database by local area, interests, even times of the week I would be available, so it only took a matter of a couple of weeks from visiting the site to starting work. A fantastic facility that deserves a higher profile to encourage more to get involved.

Submitted by John Campbell, 10 June 2008

A practical and user-friendly website offering a cornucopia of volunteer opportunities to young people with a wealth of linkages to other resources and networks. Good stuff!

Submitted by Dave Johnston - 2qab, 11 June 2008

It will never catch on ;-)

Submitted by Tom Green, 13 June 2008

Do-it is an excellent and much-needed resource - which I know from my research to have been the springboard for many into volunteering and beyond

Submitted by Andrew Billington, 13 June 2008

Do-it is great when moving to a new area and looking for volunteering opportunities, I've got a lot of friends involved too. Also the charity I work for has benefited greatly by this easy to use web-site.

Submitted by Jane McCulloch, 16 June 2008

We have been using Do-It to encourage our staff to volunteer. It's full of ideas and now nearly half of our staff use their paid volunteering time every year.

It provides a great service which isn;t available anywhere else.

Submitted by Nick Hart, Head of CSR for Turner Broadcasting (CNN, Cartoon Net, 18 June 2008

terrific easy to navigate site. all opportunities available in one place.

Submitted by Ingrid Liddell, 02 September 2008

Great site for cutting down the time it takes to decide where and when is the best choice for you in terms of volunteering, really helped as a lot of people get put off by the long process.

Submitted by Julia, 19 December 2008