Volunteering has long been associated with older generations, but young people have the energy, creativity and motivation to make a powerful impact, if they are given the right opportunities and support. Many still face barriers to getting involved, including limited access to transport, low confidence, or uncertainty about where to begin. At the same time, ...
Freddy Bear Foundation
FreddyMatch: World Ready
GOAL
$35,100
Australia > SA > Metro and Regional
Field of Interest
- Community and economic development
- Social inclusion and justice
Target Population
- Seniors (65+)
- Young people (6-25)
Freddy Bear Foundation
FreddyMatch is a collaborative, regenerative technology designed to strengthen the care economy by making volunteering more accessible, impactful, and sustainable. Built to support place-based organisations, it ensures that local communities thrive by seamlessly connecting people with meaningful opportunities to give back.
At its core, FreddyMatch is about futureproofing volunteering—ensuring that organisations have the right volunteers, at the right time, with the right skills to meet evolving community needs. By streamlining engagement, reducing administrative burden, and fostering deep connections between volunteers and organisations, we help create a resilient and responsive ecosystem of care.
Through intelligent matching and a human-centred design, FreddyMatch strengthens social infrastructure, empowering grassroots movements, charities, and councils to focus on their mission rather than recruitment challenges. By embedding sustainability and collaboration at every level, we enable volunteering to be a driver of long-term community wellbeing, not just a short-term solution.
In a rapidly changing world, FreddyMatch doesn’t just support volunteering—it redefines it as a regenerative force that ensures every act of generosity fuels stronger, more connected communities for generations to come.
Project Summary
Volunteering has long been associated with older generations, but young people have the energy, creativity and motivation to make a powerful impact, if they are given the right opportunities and support. Many still face barriers to getting involved, including limited access to transport, low confidence, or uncertainty about where to begin. At the same time, many organisations are unsure how to create roles that are meaningful, safe and engaging for young people.
FreddyMatch has already made strong progress in this space. With funding from a family foundation, we developed and piloted the FreddyMatch Youth Volunteering Toolkit, a practical resource designed to help organisations confidently create and support youth-friendly volunteer roles. It includes best-practice guidance on child safety, onboarding and inclusive role design.
FreddyMatch: World Ready is a standalone project focused on rolling out this toolkit and expanding access to volunteering for young people across Australia. The project will directly support schools, councils and community organisations to implement the toolkit and promote youth-friendly opportunities through the FreddyMatch platform.
This next phase will:
– Equip organisations with practical tools and training to confidently engage young volunteers
– Promote flexible and inclusive roles that help young people build confidence, purpose and connection
– Collaborate with schools, youth services and community groups to reach young people who are currently underrepresented in volunteering
By making volunteering more accessible and welcoming, FreddyMatch: World Ready will help more young people step into community life and feel a stronger sense of belonging and wellbeing.
Project Outcomes
FreddyMatch: World Ready will deliver tangible outcomes for both young people and the organisations that support them. It will build on previously funded work to activate the Youth Volunteering Toolkit in communities, focusing this next stage on rollout, training and outreach.
Increased youth participation:
At least 500 young people will engage in volunteering through FreddyMatch during the rollout. These opportunities will be promoted through schools, councils and youth networks, with a focus on reaching young people experiencing disadvantage or disengagement.
Improved health and wellbeing:
Youth volunteering contributes to better mental health, increased confidence and reduced social isolation. For many, this will be their first experience of community participation. We expect at least 70 percent of participants to report a positive shift in wellbeing, including feeling more connected, optimistic and valued.
Toolkit adoption and organisational capacity:
Over 100 organisations will implement the Youth Volunteering Toolkit to improve how they recruit, onboard and support young volunteers. Organisations will report increased confidence in working with young people and improved understanding of safe, inclusive practices.
Stronger community connections:
This project will help embed volunteering as a regular, supported part of life for young people. By improving access, building capability and strengthening partnerships between schools, youth services and community groups, we will create more inclusive, connected communities where young people are seen as contributors. It will also help challenge the outdated view that volunteering is just for older people, and instead position young people as a vital and visible part of Australia’s volunteering future.
Budget Breakdown
TOTAL BUDGET: $35,100
FUNDING
| Funding source | Amount |
|---|---|
| Funding Gap | $35,100 |
EXPENSES
| Expense item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Youth Toolkit Rollout and Training Support | $14,000 |
| Youth Outreach and Engagement Activities | $10,000 |
| Community Partner Coordination and Facilitation | $6,600 |
| Monitoring, Feedback and Impact Evaluation | $4,500 |
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