60,000 hours and counting: Jewish teens hit massive volunteering milestone
From youth kitchens to mentorship, social impact charity helps young people deepen their connection to the Jewish community
Jewish teenagers across London have hit an incredible milestone, clocking up 60,000 hours of volunteering with youth charity Project ImpACT.
The charity engages Jewish teen volunteers from dozens of schools and a wide range of communities, offering young people a structured environment to give back to wider society. Demand has skyrocketed for its flagship initiatives, including the award winning ImpACT Youth Kitchen, where volunteers transform surplus food into nutritious meals for local shelters and food banks.
Against a backdrop of rising antisemitism, 75% of teen participants said that Project ImpACT was the only ongoing Jewish programme they participated in (aside from shul or summer programmes) while over 90% felt they had strengthened their Jewish friendships or made new friends and also deepened their connection to the Jewish community.
Youth volunteering manager Emily said: “Hitting 60,000 hours proves that our youth are committed to making an impact. The enthusiasm from teenagers wanting to step up and help is incredible!”
Allegra, a 17-year old ambassador for the charity, said the initiative “is not just about cooking meals. It is about dignity, empathy and purpose. It is about turning a Sunday afternoon into something that can genuinely make someone else’s whole week better and let them know they’re not forgotten. It builds confidence and responsibility because you realise that, even as a teenager, you can make a real difference.”
For younger teens, ImpACT 8 introduces Year 8 pupils to the charity sector as part of their bar and batmitzvah milestone. Teens can also gain hours for their Duke of Edinburgh Award through accredited programmes such as ImpACT lntergen, which connects teenagers with care home residents.
For students in Years 12 and 13, the ImpACT Ambassadors programme offers bespoke training and mentorship to shape the next generation of community leaders.
The charity plans to launch a Youth Food Bank and ImpACT Interfaith initiative early next year.
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