i-volunteer is a social action network, connecting people that want to do something to make their communities a better place to live and work in. Not sure if you want to join? Here’s a few FAQs that might help you to decide.

Can I find something to do on i-volunteer?
Yes - in the Opportunities section. You don't have to be a member of i-volunteer to search for or apply for a volunteering opportunity. Search through the growing number of opportunities posted by charities, groups and organisations that are looking for help – you can search by keyword and filter results by location, interests and skills or just browse everything as it comes. Some of the opportunities have video clips too so you can see what they are all about. New stuff is being added every day so keep coming back to check it out. Or sign up as a member and follow your favourite charities to be kept informed of new opportunities as they become available.

What if I can't find what I want?
If you can’t find something you want to do right now then you can register your availability in our Volunteers section so that charities and groups can 'head hunt' you. You'll need to Sign Up first, then create your profile, include your skills and interests – you can even upload your CV – activate your ‘availability’ and then groups and charities will be able to find and connect with you with requests for help and offers of things to do.

Alternatively browse our membership of charities and community groups in the Connect section and make contact if you want to get involved - most organisations would love to hear from you. Or follow their profiles to be kept in touch of their work and future opportunities to volunteer with them.

I'm not sure what I want to do!
Need some inspiration? If you’re not sure what you want to do or you’re curious to see what others are doing then check out the blogs posted by volunteers and organisations throughout the UK – you can filter them by interests, location or search by keyword. And don’t forget to check out our features and regular news items on what’s happening in the world of volunteering. Or you can let charities approach you direct with offer of things to do based on your interests and experience - don't forget to update your profile and activate your availability!

Can I blog about my volunteering on here?
Yes please! If you’ve done something you’re proud of or you’ve had a great volunteering experience then blog about it so others can learn from and be inspired by your experience. And if you see something you like on i-volunteer you can easily share it with others via email, Twitter, Facebook and other social networks.

Can I network and connect with people who have similar interests to me?
Connect with people and organisations with similar interests in your area. For example if you’re a volunteer manager you can easily network with your peers by filtering results by volunteer manager status. Connect by either 'following' others to keep in touch with what they are saying, or make contact by writing on their wall or sending them a message – you’ll soon be able to chat with them too!

Can I create my own group on i-volunteer?
You can set up both open and private groups. These enable you to bring people together to share and network on a specific issue or campaign. Groups can also be ideal for boards of Trustees, committees or members of a project. In groups you can easily share documents, communicate with members by writing on group walls and sending messages, and schedule events which can be synchronised with your G-Cal and Outlook calendars. Our group invite facility makes it easy for you to find people that might be interested in your group and invite them to join in.

How can I use the site to find volunteers?
If you’re an organisation or a group that needs volunteers then you can create and post opportunities for people to help you. Opportunities can be tagged with location (including options for nationwide or virtual) can include videos (YouTube) and images, a start and end date (or ongoing), and prospective volunteers can apply direct or via i-volunteer, as well as ask you questions by writing on an optional opportunity wall. Once you've created an opportunity you can immediately search for available volunteers and invite them to apply. Alternatively you can 'head hunt' volunteers that are available by searching for specific skills and interests.

How can i-volunteer help me promote my event or project?
By posting an event or volunteering opportunity on i-volunteer you'll be accessing the UK's fastest growing social network for good. And if you think what you're doing warrants special attention then tell us and we can consider featuring it so the whole community can learn about it.

Plus you can tell us your news by messaging NewsHound or posting a message on their wall. i-volunteer is a registered Google news partner so anything that NewsHound reports on get automatically syndicated via Google News - another great way to promote what you're doing!

I want to start a campaign/project - can I use i-volunteer?
Absolutely. On i-volunteer you have the tools and resources to set up and run your own campaign or start a project. Blog about it, find other people that share the same interests or concern, get organised by creating a group to easily share information and communicate with members, schedule events and meetings or find and advertise for volunteers to help you.

My organisation doesn't have a website - can I still use i-volunteer?
Definitely! In fact i-volunteer can provide a free and easy way for you to have a prescence on the internet. By creating an organisation profile on i-volunteer you can include information about your work, blogs/news, images, documents, volunteering opportunities and events, as well as include contact details, so people will be able to find you and learn about what you do.

Stay in touch and keep informed
Once you've created your profile on i-volunteer you'll have your own homepage that will keep you updated with blogs, news, features, events, opportunities, new volunteers and people that match your interests and location, as well as keeping you updated with stuff happening in groups that you’re a member of. And you can set your profile to send you emails about new content as it happens, or subscribe to our RSS feeds to have updates delivered direct.

Can I log in with Facebook?
Yes you can - using your Facebook login will prevent you from having to think of a new username and password.

How much does it cost?
i-volunteer is free to use.

What am I waiting for?
Search us! Sign up and join the UK's fastest growing social network for good.