YouthNet is to pass its Do-it volunteering site to a new provider as it has "grown beyond the charity's mission to support young people".

Do-it was launched by YouthNet in 2001 and has since grown into the UK's largest volunteering site, with over one million opportunities available. It is supported by the Cabinet Office and BIG among others. But YouthNet says the site now caters to too wide an age-range and the charity wants to concentrate its efforts on TheSite, YouthNet's online guide to life for 16 to 25-year-olds.

CEO Emma Thomas (pictured) says the charity is "very proud of Do-it":

"Its success is an outstanding achievement and testimony to the hard work and dedication of our team and the work with our partners across the sector," she said. 

"However," she added, "the reality is that Do-it has proved so successful, attracting millions of volunteers of all ages, that it has grown beyond YouthNet's mission to support young people. Young people are facing even more challenging times and need our support more than ever and we must focus solely on their needs."

The charity hopes to double the number of young people it supports by 2016.

An open application process to take over the service, with financial backing from the Office for Civil Society, will be launched at the start of May when full criteria for the new owners will be made available via the youthnet.org site. The new owners will be passed Do-it's software services and database in the transfer.

The OCS has confirmed that funding will be made available to the new provider, which will be expected to take Do-it into its next phase of development.

Nick Hurd, minister for civil society said: "Do-it is an important asset for the voluntary sector. We want to make sure that it not only continues, but seizes the many opportunities that digital technology, social media and open data create for the sector. We look forward to receiving some innovative proposals."

Justin Davis Smith, former chief executive of Volunteering England who became executive director for volunteering at NCVO when the two organisations merged last year said:

"Do-it is a hugely valuable resource for both charities and volunteers. It’s proved itself as a fantastic way to connect people with time to give with organisations who need their help. It’s particularly well-used by volunteer centres, who post around 70 per cent of its volunteering opportunities. We are delighted that there is a commitment from government to secure its future."

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