Volunteer Glasgow is taking part in Giving Tuesday today.

The campaign began in America in 2012, as a way to give back after Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

It was brought to the UK in 2014 by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) with the key aim of encouraging people to think of others in the run-up to Christmas.

There are numerous ways to get involved, from donating to taking part in fundraising activities.

This year, Volunteer Glasgow is asking people to donate to the Young Persons Befriending Service (YPBS).

The Young Persons Befriending Service matches young people aged eight to 18 who are facing challenging circumstances to trained volunteer befrienders.

Befrienders and their matched young people meet up once a week to spend time together: that time could be going go-karting, baking, or simply chatting.

For many of the young people we work with, their befriender is one of a few or the only trusted adult in their life.

The time young people spend with a befriender builds confidence and resilience, allowing them to cope better with things that might be difficult in their day to day, and supports them to reach their full potential.

YPBS has reached thousands of children and young people since its beginnings: tomorrow, we’re asking people to donate just £1 each to help us reach more.

You can even come and donate in person, at our ‘Games for Good’ event in R-Cade, where we’ll be playing games and taking donations in aid of the life-changing service.

Last year celebrities including Sir Richard Branson, Cara Delevingne and Dua Lipa used the campaign to support causes close to their hearts, alongside household name brands such as PayPal, RBS and ASOS, with leading charities like Marie Curie and the Dogs Trust getting involved on the day.

#GivingTuesday was the top trending item on UK Twitter, with the hashtag reaching people more than 600 million times.

In the UK, more than £7.8 million was raised in online donations alone on the day itself.

Emma Simpson, Community Fundraising and Events Officer for Volunteer Glasgow, said: "The Games for Good event on Giving Tuesday represents an amazing opportunity to raise awareness of this vital service, which benefits so many young people each year, and encourage people to give back at a really powerful time for charities.

"Plus, we’re really excited to be working with a venue that so many of our young people and their befrienders visit, R-Cade, to host a really fun evening of games and live streaming to benefit the service.”

Gráinne Mathews, Giving Tuesday UK Campaign Lead, added: "Giving Tuesday is a chance for us all, no matter where we live or what we do, to help out a cause close to our hearts. This year we’re also encouraging everyone to make a #GivingTuesdayPledge and think of ways to have an impact year-round, in addition to on the day itself.

"That could mean giving a small monthly donation to a charity or setting aside a couple of hours each month for volunteering. Together, all of these pledges will combine to make a world of difference to so many lives.”

To find out more about Giving Tuesday, visit here

To donate to Volunteer Glasgow’s Young Persons Befriending Service, visit here

To join the Games for Good event, visit here