Hertfordshire volunteer centres have launched an online hub within the ivo.org platform to connect local businesses with community groups.

Skills Share Herts is an initiative run by Hertforshire volunteer centres to match companies and professionals with local charities in need of help. By switching from a paper-based system to the online hub Skills Share will be able to monitor matches and save staff time as the process is less labour intensive.

Heather Allen MBE, manager of Volunteer Centre Dacorum and project manager of Skills Share said: “Skills Share will transform the way we do business, freeing volunteer centres up to do what they do best – which is promoting volunteering.”

The volunteering social network launched last year, after an 18-month pilot, as a way for charities to connect with individuals wanting to volunteer. Chief executive and founder Jamie Ward-Smith said: “In 2012 we saw a marked increase in demand from ivo charity members for professional skills – such as marketing, PR and web development – from the previous year.”

Similar projects in other parts of the UK will be announced soon.