The Royal Voluntary Service’s digital volunteering platform GoVo is set to launch publicly on 17 October in a “star-studded” television campaign, it has announced.
Named GoVo by the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) last month, the platform is intended to “supercharge” volunteering in the UK by widening access to members of the public.
More than 2,000 charities have signed up to GoVo so far to list their volunteering opportunities ahead of it opening to prospective volunteers.
RVS has now revealed that its platform, announced in March and backed by £5m from the People’s Postcode Lottery, will launch with a “cinematic 60-second TV advert in prime-time slots” from 17 October until the end of November on ITV and Scottish broadcaster STV.
Alongside the TV coverage, the GoVo campaign will feature on billboards in city centres as well as in print and online, thanks to advertising space gifted by Global and Mail Metro Media.
RVS is also working with YouTube on a campaign connecting the charity with content creators, hoping to encourage their viewers to volunteer.
Call for more charities to sign up
RVS said it is “urgently” asking more charities to sign up to GoVo before 17 October, with organisations including Oxfam, Parkinson’s UK and armed forces charity SSAFA already signed up.
Commenting on the public launch, RVS chief executive Catherine Johnstone said it had been a dream of hers “to see volunteering in the limelight in this way”.
“I hope as many charities as possible are able to seize the opportunity so we can make sure, as a sector, that our doors are open to welcome those who would like to join us,” she said.
“The campaign isn’t about RVS or any one charity, it’s about volunteering and the call to action for people to find opportunities that light their fire.
“We are being offered a rare opportunity to communicate in new ways, with new audiences. Working together, we can inspire a new generation of volunteers and help build a better supported and connected Britain.”
Sarah Hunt, head of strategy and communications, social purpose at ITV, said: “We’re proud to be partnering with Royal Voluntary Service to create a star-studded campaign which will change perceptions of volunteering and encourage the nation to give their time to help causes they care about.”
Yves Schwarzbart, UK advertising industry relations manager at YouTube, said: “We are proud to support the Royal Voluntary Service and look forward to connecting them with creators who are passionate about making a difference.
“We believe a partnership for the GoVo campaign will empower creators to share authentic, engaging stories about volunteering, reaching the next generation in a voice they trust and showing them the profound impact they can have.”
