Called v, it has the task of creating one million new young volunteers by 2010 and starts its work by making 5m available to organisations to create new volunteering opportunities.
Monday's launch marked the transition of responsibility for managing the youth volunteering framework from the Government to an independent charity. The charity will be run by a 12-strong board of trustees, chaired by soon-to-depart Capita chairman Rod Aldridge. The charity will have its own premises within two months.
Terry Ryall, the charity's chief executive, said: "We're keen not to do what other people are doing already, but to fill the gaps. We're targeting all sectors that work with young people."
The charity will be advised by v20, a 20-strong forum of young people, which has four members on the trustee board.
Callum McKayle, 19, chair of v20's networking committee, said the group planned to set up a "young person's community chest" in local areas. This would fund young people to develop their own volunteering projects.
"This is about making volunteering relevant to young people," said Callum.
"They have perceptions of what volunteering is that are far from the truth."
Dame Elisabeth Hoodless, executive director of volunteering charity CSV, stressed the need for "real and purposeful" opportunities. She said: "What role does the commission envisage for national voluntary agencies? A lot of the material I've seen has indicated that it wants to engage small local organisations, but not a lot of these have the time or experience."
- www.wearev.com; See Leader, p13.
