Media Trust partners with PA Media Group to mobilise hundreds of professionals in year-long skills-based volunteering programme

• Hundreds of media professionals from PA Media Group will take part in a year-long skills-based volunteering programme with Media Trust.

• Journalists, editors and content specialists will support UK charities with storytelling, media engagement and digital communications.

• The charity partnership will deliver training sessions, charity challenge days and contributions to programmes including Stronger Voices.

A new charity partnership between Media Trust and PA Media Group will see hundreds of media professionals lend their expertise to charities across the UK through a year-long skills-based volunteering programme.

Announced today, the charity partnership will give journalists, editors and other content specialists from PA Media Group the opportunity to volunteer their professional skills to support charities and community organisations. The initiative is designed to help voluntary groups strengthen their storytelling, media engagement and digital communications.

Colleagues working in content roles across PA Media Group will be able to take part in a range of team-based volunteering opportunities rooted in their professional expertise. Activities will focus on areas where media professionals can have the greatest impact, including helping charities refine their messaging, build confidence when working with the media and develop stronger digital communications strategies.

The programme has also been designed with volunteers’ professional development in mind. By applying their skills in new contexts, participants will be encouraged to build confidence, broaden their experience and better understand the challenges faced by charities and community groups.

Both organisations say the partnership aims to make volunteering more collaborative and relevant to employees’ day-to-day work. By structuring opportunities as shared team efforts, they hope to remove barriers to participation while strengthening connections between colleagues across the business.

Media Trust will work closely with PA Media Group to ensure opportunities are inclusive, accessible and aligned with the values of both organisations. The goal is to ensure charities receive high-quality media and communications support while volunteers gain meaningful insight into the communities they are helping.

Activities will include delivering skills-based webinars and training sessions for charities, supporting live charity challenge days and workshops, and contributing professional expertise to flagship Media Trust initiatives such as the Stronger Voices programme.

Emily Shelley, CEO of PA Media Group said:

“Our partnership with Media Trust will enable talented teams and individuals at PA Media Group to share their expertise with charities across the UK. The skills-based opportunities that Media Trust provide will help promote greater knowledge sharing and broaden access to the media industry for charities. It is important we are connected to the communities we report on, putting PA Media Group’s values of integrity, collaboration, ambition and innovation intopractical,meaningful action.”

Su-Mei Thompson, CEO of Media Trust said:

“This partnership is about using media skills where they can have the greatest impact. In an uncertain world, small charities need communications expertise. By supporting Media Trust, PA Media Group staff are strengthening charities, shaping a more representative media industry, and investing in their teams through skills-based volunteering.”

The charity partnership launches in February 2026 and will run for 12 months.