“the power of people coming together”

Celebrating Volunteers: International Year of Volunteers 2026

Volunteers are at the heart of strong communities, and in 2026 they’re getting the global recognition they deserve as the United Nations has officially named 2026 the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development (IVY2026). The aim is simple but powerful: to celebrate the impact volunteers have around the world and encourage more support for the people who give their time to make a difference.

From tackling climate change and reducing poverty to supporting inclusion and wellbeing, volunteers play a huge role and IVY2026 is about recognising all of this hard work — and making sure it’s properly valued.

It also encourages governments, organisations, and communities to invest in volunteering and create safe, welcoming spaces for people to get more involved.

One of the great things about IVY2026 is that it recognises volunteering in all its forms. Whether it’s formal or informal, local or cross-border, in person or digital, every contribution counts and by highlighting this variety, the initiative opens the door for more people to get involved in ways that suit their lives and interests.

The year also marks 25 years since the first International Year of Volunteers in 2001 — a reminder that while the world has changed, the power of people coming together to help hasn’t. The goal now is to build on that legacy by strengthening volunteering infrastructure and making it easier for volunteers to have real, lasting impact in whatever form that takes.

Here at the Museum & Archive at the Mills, we see the value of volunteering every single day. We’re incredibly lucky to have a team of around 20 volunteers, some of whom have been with us for more than 10 years. They come from all walks of life, with different backgrounds and reasons for volunteering, but they all share the same goal: helping us preserve the Collection for future generations.    

There’s truly no way we could do what we do without them, and we are immensely proud of the work they do for us. As well as preserving the Collection, you may also spot them helping out at site-wide events, supporting Mills’ tours or helping run workshops.

Last year alone, our volunteers gave over 1,000 hours of their time — or, if you prefer, a ‘Tea Index’ of around 500 (number of cups to fuel), possibly with a few biscuits and homemade cakes along the way! But as IVY2026 reminds us, volunteering isn’t just about the hours given, it’s about passion, community and working together to build a better future and our team does that with bells on!

Watch out for more from our volunteer team throughout 2026!

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