The Building Change Trust was formed in 2008 through funding from the Big Lottery Fund (BIG).  The aim of this organisation was to develop and shape the future of Northern Ireland's voluntary and community sector.

The work of the Building Change Trust comes from the collaborative work of 5 organisationswhich include Volunteer Now, The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, Community Evaluation Northern Ireland, Rural Community Network and Business in the Community (NI).

Volunteer Now through its local and regional infrastructure will offer targeted volunteer recruitment strategies and will implement pilot initiatives to identify exemplar projects.  It will deliver relevant training to volunteer managers and volunteers, establish new partnership approaches, undertake research and assess impact.  Specifically it will:

1.  Identify areas where volunteer involvement is low and assess the range of opportunities available.

2.  Contribute to skills development in relation to volunteering through:

• Providing training to build volunteer management skills to 600 individuals;
• Delivery of the Queens University accredited Effective Management of Volunteers Programme for 10 volunteer managers;
• Developing & promoting a DIY Committee Guide as a key resource for governance information including implementation of new charities legislation.

3. Pilot 4 Time Banks through 4 volunteer centres including involvement of 12 schools in developing / piloting community outreach through volunteering, and recruiting and training 40 volunteers for Management Committees / Boards working with Business in the Community Northern Ireland (BITCNI) & volunteer centres.

4. Promote volunteering through an integrated programme to:

• Assist organisations to develop & promote opportunities via volunteer centres;
• Support 25 organisations to complete and attain Investing in Volunteers organisational standard;
• Develop and promote www.volunteernow.co.uk website to link potential volunteers with opportunities;
• Work with local authorities and volunteer centres to enhance support for volunteering through informing Community Support Plans.
   

5. Capture, change and replicate success through:

• Piloting impact assessment of volunteer involvement of 12 organisations.