🎉 Youthline Celebrates the King’s Award for Voluntary Service 2025! 🎉

We are delighted to share some wonderful news with our Youthline community. Youthline has been honoured with The King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS) — the highest recognition a local voluntary group can receive in the UK, and the equivalent of an MBE.

This award highlights the incredible dedication of Youthline’s volunteers, who give their time and compassion to support young people and their families across Bracknell Forest. Every member of our team plays a part in creating a space filled with care, empathy, and commitment, and we couldn’t be prouder of what we have achieved together..

💛 Honouring Our Incredible Volunteers

Volunteering is truly at the heart of Youthline. Our team is made up of extraordinary people who give so much of themselves, including:

• Counsellors on placement, building their skills while supporting local young people through their challenges.

• Qualified Counsellors and Young People Specified Counsellors, providing expert mental health support.

• Volunteer Support Workers, who help keep counselling sessions running smoothly and safely.

• Fundraising Volunteers, whose creativity and effort help ensure our services remain free or low-cost.

• Young Ambassadors, raising awareness of mental health and inspiring others in their communities.

• Our Board of Trustees, who give their time, leadership, and expertise to guide Youthline’s mission.

  
  

We are so grateful for every single person who has played a role — past and present.

Our Chair of Trustees, Janet, summed it up perfectly:

“Youthline are extremely proud and delighted to receive the King's Award for Voluntary Service. We have an amazing, dedicated team. A huge thank you to all our volunteers, both past and present, who have contributed to the wellbeing of the young people we serve.”

🏆 What the Award Means

This year, Youthline joins 231 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups across the UK in receiving this special recognition.

It celebrates the exceptional contribution our volunteers make to the community — from counsellors supporting young people through anxiety, bereavement, or family breakdown, to those helping behind the scenes to keep our charity running day to day.

Our Head of Operations, Collette Reynolds, shared:

“Being honoured with The King’s Award for Voluntary Service is a tremendous recognition of Youthline’s impact. It reflects the commitment, enthusiasm and professionalism of our volunteer counsellors, placement students, support and admin volunteers, young ambassadors, fundraisers and trustees, whose collective effort helps young people across Bracknell Forest develop resilience and confidence for the future”

👑 What Happens Next

Representatives from Youthline will receive the award crystal and certificate from Andrew Try, Lord-Lieutenant of Berkshire, in the coming months. Two volunteers will also be invited to attend a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in spring or summer 2026 — a wonderful way to celebrate this achievement.

The King’s Award for Voluntary Service was originally created in 2002 to mark Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee and continues under His Majesty The King, recognising outstanding volunteer-led groups that make a positive difference in their communities.

💬 Personal Reflection

For everyone involved in Youthline, this award is much more than a title — it’s a reflection of every counselling session held, every young person supported, and every moment of care shared within our team.

This recognition truly belongs to our volunteers. Their belief in young people and their willingness to show up — week after week — is what makes Youthline what it is today.

✨ Inspired to Get Involved?

Volunteers are the lifeblood of our charity, and we’d love to welcome more people into the Youthline community.

If you are interested in joining us — whether as a counsellor-in-training, support volunteer, fundraiser, Young Ambassador or trustee — you can find out more here:👉 [Volunteer with Youthline]

To learn more about The King’s Award for Voluntary Service and other inspiring voluntary groups being recognised, visit the official website: https://kavs.dcms.gov.uk

💙 Thank you to every single volunteer, past and present, who continues to make Youthline a safe, compassionate, and vital space for young people across Bracknell Forest.