The programme, delivered by the Vodafone Foundation, was created to give 500 people across the UK the power to make a difference by putting something back into their communities. The programme now has a massive following of over 133,000 fans on the World of Difference Facebook group (facebook.com/worldofdifference) who will be following the winners’ progress.
World of Difference UK was open to anyone over 18 in the UK who wanted the opportunity to take a two month paid placement with a local charity of their choice. People were required to contact their chosen charity. If successful in their application, the Vodafone Foundation will pay the charity they choose a total of £2,500 with the balance going to the winner after tax and National Insurance has been paid. Vodafone UK has also agreed to donate a new phone with pre-paid credit to each of the winners so they can share their experiences with friends and family, and inspire others to make a difference.
Of the 1,100 applicants, over 73% were aged under 35. The most popular charities applied for were those involved with children and young people (20%), with animal and wildlife charities coming in second (7%).
The Vodafone Foundation will now be assessing the applications to find the 500 winning entries. The majority of the winners will begin work in January next year, with a second wave of placements starting in April.