Hand In Hand is a registered charity that arranges for volunteers to assist members of the community who need help navigating difficult circumstances. Our primary strength is the inspiring selflessness of local high school students. Over 1,200 young people volunteer for us each year across London and Manchester.
We provide weekly one-to-one support to families struggling with mental or physical illness, disability, divorce, post-natal complications, death of a young parent, severe financial hardship and other adverse circumstances. Volunteers visit children in their homes, giving them undivided attention, play with them and help them with homework. They also help the elderly and housebound through befriending visits, shopping, prescription collections and providing care packages.
In July 2024, 85% of the 228 volunteers who responded to our survey said that they felt they had made a difference to the family or individual they supported, 3/4 said that volunteering had made them more compassionate towards others and over 2/3 said it had improved their self-confidence.
In our survey for families who receive volunteers, 90% reported improvements to their emotional health and wellbeing since receiving help from Hand in Hand, and 88% said that their child’s emotional health and wellbeing had improved.
