A charity-matching app will launch in Brighton this month in response to a national shortage of volunteers.
Although volunteers donate approximately 86,000 hours per week in Brighton and Hove according to Community Works, local charities are still reporting that poor funding means they cannot afford help with more skilled tasks.
A Bumble-style app and website, called The Social Society, uses artificial intelligence to filter volunteering opportunities by location, skill set, and availability.
Due to go live on Monday, 22 January, the app will also help employees whose employers offer volunteer days as a way to find good causes to help out.
Clare Kennedy, from Kennedy Street Recovery on Ditchling Road, said: “As a small start-up addiction recovery charity, there are so many jobs to do – the most important being offering support and connecting those individuals and families that reach out for help.
“So when it comes to other much-needed resources, skills and talent, we can’t generally afford them.
“Working with The Social Society has been a joy, they match up charities with really talented individuals from kind, forward-thinking companies.
“Companies that have heart can really make a difference when a charity has no funding for all those other jobs that need doing.”
The Social Society was set up in 2015, originally as a Brighton meetup group to combat loneliness, and now organises social events and connects people to charities.
Co-founder, Toni Finnimore, said: “Our local charities form the backbone of community support and they need our help more than ever.”
Individuals can register for £8 per month for access to the platform, while charities pay £5.99 per month.
To celebrate its launch, 50 Brighton charities will be offered free partnerships with The Social Society.
Nicola Wyatt from Sound Waves Foundation, which runs British Sign Language (BSL) after schools clubs in Hove, said: “The Social Society has enabled us to move further and faster than ever.
“We have been connected with so many experienced individuals with amazing skills to offer. For a small charity like ours the Social Society is invaluable.”
looking forward to seeing all the opportunities available 😊
The £8 a month fee might put some volunteers off.
What a cheek people are doing things for nothing having to pay, anther nice little earner for the app people
Absolutely, much better to advertise the preexisting volunteer bureau, or link in with them to make the opportunities they share more accessible to pro-tech generational.
I agree, this app appears to misrepresenting capacity with accessibility. Those who volunteer, already know how to volunteer, and those who don’t aren’t likely to pay to, so I have no idea who the target audience is for this?
This literally already happens in Brighton without a paid app. What a waste of money.