Volunteering
Links to all you need to know about volunteering in Ireland – and abroad.
Volunteering in Ireland
In the Republic of Ireland
In the Republic of Ireland visit Volunteer Ireland’s website which has links to volunteer centres in each county.
In Northern Ireland
Volunteer Now performs a similar function by connecting volunteers with suitable organisations. Both organisations also offer advice to groups on how best to support volunteers.
Advertised volunteering opportunities
It is well worth signing up (free) for weekly bulletins emailed to you with an array of interesting volunteering opportunities from Activelink Community Exchange noticeboard. You can also visit the noticeboard anytime to see what’s live.
Activelink’s Irish Links online directory
This connects people with 1,500 notable local and national non-profit and community organisations. While incomplete (not all organisations have logged their details) it is nonetheless the most comprehensive list Changing Ireland has come across. We even found ourselves listed!
Do note that the directory’s 26 categories exclude island communities, social enterprises and national networks. Also, while there are no explicit categories for Travellers and migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees – they may be covered under “Race-Ethnicity”. Other than that, it is excellent in the breadth of areas covered.
The categories are listed in alphabetical order as follows:
Animal Welfare Rights; Arts, Culture & Heritage; Carers; Children/Youth; Civil Liberties/Human Rights; Community Development; Disability; Education; Employment-Unemployment; Environment; Family & Parenting; Health; Housing & Homelessness; Media; Men; Older People; Peace & Reconciliation; Poverty & Exclusion; Rural Development; Race & Ethnicity; Sexual Orientation; Sexual Violence/Abuse; Volunteering & Community Service; Women; Workplace; World Development.
Activism
Many campaign organisations engage in activism as a form of volunteering. Eg Uplift, Front Line Defenders, the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Shannonwatch, Amnesty International, Climate Camp Ireland, Nasc (an Immigrant Support Centre) – find a group that appeals to you and connect with them directly.
Board of Management volunteering opportunities
Thousands of groups require volunteers for their boards of management. This is especially true of groups that are required to register as charities to receive government funding. If you have skills or experience in life they would be glad to hear from you. A great starting point is Boardmatch’s website where they literally pair up intending volunteers with non-profit groups with board vacancies.
Among the many groups managed by volunteers are over 130 Family Resource Centres, over 400 Community Service Programme projects, over 800 Community Employment Schemes, around 380 Group Water Schemes, 49 Local Development Companies, and hundreds of social enterprises, youth groups, etc.
Volunteering Abroad
Voluntary Service International (VSI)
This is an excellent place to seek out short or long-term volunteering opportunities. VSI is the Irish branch of Service Civil International, a world-wide movement working for peace and international understanding through the medium of voluntary work, international exchanges and awareness programmes.
Comhlámh
When set up over 50 years ago Comhlámh was chiefly an organisation for returned overseas development workers and volunteers. Today anyone can join. It still supports returned volunteers, while also engaging volunteers within Ireland to mobilise for global justice through values-based volunteering, humanitarian responses and active citizenship.
It focuses on member-led solidarity campaigns of solidarity and promotes global citizenship awareness. Annual membership fees start at €1 for refugees living in Ireland, for students/unwaged it costs €10 and for people in employment €45.
Comhlámh’s directory lists volunteer sending agencies that have signed up to its Code of Good Practice – it therefore provides an excellent place to look when searching for volunteering opportunities abroad.
Dóchas
Dóchas represents an Irish network of international development and humanitarian organisations who have a shared vision of a just, sustainable and equal world. Their membership list which currently has 56 members – with weblinks – is a good place to start looking if considering volunteering abroad.
Irish Aid
Irish Aid is the Government of Ireland’s development co-operation programme. It works with partners around the world to tackle poverty, hunger and humanitarian needs in over 130 countries. Visit Irish Aid for information on volunteering with:
(a) their Rapid Response Corps where you join a team of highly-skilled and experienced volunteers ready to depart when disasters strike overseas.
(b) UN programmes such as United Nations Volunteers.
European Youth Portal
Visit the EU’s European Youth Portal for information on the EU’s European Solidarity Corps which provides support and funding for young people to volunteer in their own country or abroad in projects that benefit communities and people.
The European Solidarity Corps incorporates what used to be known as European Voluntary Service – a fully funded EU volunteering programme for young people aged 18–30 to work abroad (from 2 weeks to 12 months) in fields such as culture, environment or social care.
The portal also links to Voluntary Service International (VSI) which organises annual programmes of voluntary service. These include International Volunteer Projects, European Voluntary Service, youth exchanges and more.
The Irish Development Education Association (IDEA)
The Irish Development Education Association (IDEA) is the national network for Development Education in Ireland. Established in 2004, IDEA is funded by Irish Aid and it runs webinars and seminars that may be of interest to aspiring overseas volunteers.
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