More than 500 volunteers have helped some of Hampshire's most vulnerable children and families over the past 10 years.
From mentoring young people to assisting families in building better relationships, the volunteers have made a significant difference.
Hampshire County Council is celebrating a decade of its Children and Families Volunteers service as Volunteers' Week begins on June 2.
The service provides a range of support intended to help children and families become more resilient and achieve positive long-term outcomes.
These include Independent Visitors, who act as trusted adults to children in care; Mentors, who provide one-to-one support to young people; and Community Buddies, who help children with disabilities access various activities in the community.
Other roles include Family Support volunteers, who provide emotional and practical support to families facing difficult times, and volunteers who meet with children who have recently returned from being missing, to help identify any additional support they may need to prevent this from happening again in future.
Councillor Roz Chadd, Hampshire County Council’s cabinet lead member for children's services, said: "Many vulnerable children and families will have a range of professionals working with them.
"Our volunteers provide a different and impartial relationship outside of that, helping children and families to develop the tools they need to deal with life’s challenges successfully.
"This can prevent families’ needs from escalating further and in some cases, means that they no longer require any outside help at all.
"It is therefore no exaggeration to say that our volunteers’ support can be truly life-changing, and I wish to thank them all for the incredible difference they make."
One parent who benefited from family support described the service as a "godsend."
A retiree and volunteer named Alan described his experience as "a win-win" situation, benefiting both him and those he supports.
The Children and Families Volunteers service is part of a larger range of volunteering opportunities across the County Council.
The council encourages anyone keen to contribute to their local community to visit their website and explore volunteering options.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here