Organ Donation: Young people keeping the conversation alive

Organ Donation Week took place last month (21–25 September 2026), raising awareness of the difference organ donation can make to the lives of people waiting for a transplant.

But raising awareness shouldn’t stop when Organ Donation Week ends. This half term, the conversation continues with a series of sessions for young people. These provide a chance to learn more about organ donation, discuss the issues and ask questions in an open and supportive environment.

Through the Volunteering for Health programme, young people aged 13–21 will be able to get involved in the following activities:

• October half-term volunteering event – a half-day, face-to-face NHS volunteering experience where young people will learn about organ donation and explore creative ways to raise awareness and encourage conversations within their communities. Sign up here for more details 👉 Sign up to our mailing list 

• Community Research Work Experience – up to six local schools will take part in projects giving students practical work experience while exploring issues around organ donation and developing ideas to support greater awareness and understanding. Here is a video to explain more about the programme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUo6FmW-_ls  Schools interested in participating can register their interest using this link.

• Virtual Organ Donation Volunteering – young people who cannot attend in person can take part online, learning about organ donation and working in small groups to develop ways of sharing the message in their own schools and communities. Participants will also have the opportunity to present their work and feedback to healthcare professionals.  This project will take place online from the end of October through early January. Sign up here for more details 👉 Sign up to our mailing list.

About Volunteering for Health

Volunteering for Health is a £10m national programme being delivered through a partnership between NHS Charities Together, NHS England, and CW+, supporting 15 local systems across England. It provides funding and practical support to break down barriers to volunteering, test new ways of working, and build good practice across the NHS. In Birmingham and Solihull, the programme is led by BVSC with Birmingham Community Healthcare Charity (BCHC) and Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Trust (BWC). 

The programme aims to: 

• Improve access to meaningful health volunteering opportunities 
• Develop new volunteer roles tailored to meet the changing nature of volunteering and the evolving needs of the health sector, with a focus on addressing health inequalities in underrepresented groups and communities 
• Effectively involve young people in volunteering.