Rochelle Humes, Ryan Thomas, Ellie Simmonds and Dr Amir Khan get behind new campaign to put volunteering centre stage
Royal Voluntary Service, ITV and other significant media partners today launched a new and ambitious campaign to inspire the nation to get volunteering for thousands of charities in need.
The ITV-led campaign, entitled Role of a Lifetime challenges outdated perceptions of volunteering by showcasing the breadth of amazing and surprising roles available via RVS’s new volunteering platform GoVo.org - an innovative platform made possible by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
GoVo will allow people to browse a huge range of volunteering roles by location, cause and availability. Alongside more traditional volunteering roles, the platform also offers a range of surprising and flexible opportunities such as DJ-ing at a dementia disco or tandem cycling with a blind or partially sighted person.
The multi-channel campaign will run across TV, out of home, press, social and online with advertising space generously donated by a coalition of media partners including ITV, STV, Mail Metro Group and Global. RVS is also working with YouTube on a campaign connecting the charity with content creators hoping to educate and empower their audiences to volunteer.
The Role of a Lifetime campaign is being amplified with a PR strategy supported by agency Tin Man including press office, activation and influencer marketing elements.
"To see volunteering in the limelight in this way has been a dream of mine. Thanks to this ambitious campaign in partnership with ITV, which has been made possible by Postcode Lottery players, and the generosity of our media partners; Mail Metro Media Group, Global and YouTube, all eyes will be on volunteering as GoVo launches."
Fiona Longhurst, Chief Knowledge Officer at Royal Voluntary Service
"It's fantastic to see that some of the biggest players in the UK's commercial media are prepared to get behind GoVo in this way - a platform that’s been made possible thanks to the players of People’s Postcode Lottery. We look forward to seeing the campaign come to life, spreading the message that volunteering benefits both wider society and volunteers themselves.”
David Pullan, Managing Director at People's Postcode Lottery
The TV ad sees well-loved ITV faces Rochelle Humes, Ryan Thomas, Ellie Simmonds and Dr Amir Khan effortlessly transform from their day-to-day lives into an array of unique volunteering roles to inspire the nation, and particularly younger audiences, to take on their own role of a lifetime. It will launch during Coronation Street on ITV1 as part of £1million of commercial airtime donated by ITV across its linear channels and ITVX.
"We wanted to transform the otherwise stuffy perceptions of a ‘volunteering role’ into something everyone dreams of; the role of a lifetime, a chance to try something new and unexpected. Taking our talent out of the worlds they're most synonymous with, and immersing them in volunteering scenes representative of charities they have had a genuine real-world connection to, we're demonstrating the breadth of surprising and exciting volunteering roles available to everyone."
Tom Silcock-Marsh, Creative Director on the campaign
The timing of the campaign is significant as charities gear up for the difficult winter period when many see demand for services reaches its peak. With formal volunteering participation in decline1 and an estimated 400 million fewer hours committed to charities since 2019 **, the need to reinvigorate volunteering has never felt more crucial.
Alongside the TV advertising, the campaign will feature on billboards in city centres as well as in print and digital adverts, thanks to space gifted by Global’s Media for Good programme and Mail Metro Media.
"For 70 years, ITV has been shaping culture for good. 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."
Sarah Hunt, Head of Strategy and Communications, Social Purpose at ITV
"This new campaign from Royal Voluntary Service is a vital drive to inspire more people to consider volunteering, highlighting the myriad of ways that offering up your time can benefit society but also personal growth too. STV has a unique connection with audiences in Scotland and we're delighted to offer RVS a platform to spread its important message far and wide across the country."
Richard Williams, Managing Director: Audience (Video & Technology) at STV
"At Global, we see every day how important volunteering is to the small charities we support through our charity, Global’s Make Some Noise. That’s why we’re delighted to promote GoVo through our Media for Good initiative which harnesses the power of our platforms and gives away £1million in advertising each year to shine a light on important causes. By putting volunteering in the spotlight, we hope to inspire more people to give their time and skills, helping charities to thrive and make an even greater difference."
Suzanne Ryder Richardson, Director, Global Goodness at Global
"We’re really proud to support this powerful campaign from Royal Voluntary Service, which shines a light on the incredible impact of volunteering. At Mail Metro Media, we believe in the strength of community and the importance of giving back — and promoting the fantastic new GoVo service is a brilliant way to connect people with causes that matter to them using our vast reach and loyal audience."
Dom Williams, Chief Revenue Officer at Mail Metro Media
"At YouTube, we witness the incredible power of creators to build communities and inspire action every day. 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."
Yves Schwarzbart, Advertising Industry Relations Manager UK, at YouTube
