Trinity College Civic Engagement Office
Trinity College Civic Engagement Office
Trinity Volunteering Opportunities Forum
welcome you to
Annual Volunteering Fair
Monday 16 November
Civic Engagement in Trinity College Dublin
As Ireland’s premier University, Trinity College Dublin lives up to its responsibility to serve society and the community through excellence, inclusion and partnership in education, research and outreach. College values its traditionof outreach, community engagement and social responsibility. Voluntary activity, along with other forms of engagement with the community, ensures an added insight into societal structures, issues and problems. In addition to contributing to the resolution of problems confronting society, such activity can offer students and staff social, professional and other learning opportunities.
In light of this, it is the role of the Civic Engagement Officer in the Careers Advisory Service to promote support and facilitate student and staff voluntary activity. For further information, contact .
Trinity Volunteering Opportunities Forum
Trinity Volunteering Opportunities Forum (TVOF) aims to promote volunteering among Trinity staff and students, to provide a forum for discussion of common volunteering issues and to promote collaboration between Trinity and the wider community.
Volunteering whilst in College is a really rewarding way to spend your time. It gives you the chance to make new friends, to learn new skills and, most importantly, to make a difference.
There are currently five different volunteering societies on campus. They are Suas, the Voluntary Tuition Programme, Trinity Vincent de Paul, Trinity Free Legal Advice Centre and Student 2 Student peer support programme.
For more information, see
List of Organisations
Volunteer Resources
1Volunteer Centres Ireland
2Volunteering Ireland
3Comhlamh
Opportunities in Ireland
4Barretstown
5Ballymun Regional Youth Resource
6Caring and Sharing Association
7Depaul Ireland
8Fighting Words
9Focus Ireland
10Friends of the Elderly
11Irish Kidney Association (European Games 2010)
12Irish Seal Sanctuary
13Irish Wheelchair Association
14Special Olympics Ireland
15SVP Ozanam House & Sunshine Fund
16Trócaire
Opportunities Abroad
17A-Z Children’s Charity
18Camara
19European Voluntary Service
20Habitat for Humanity
21Operation Smile
22Serve
23Suas
24Viatores Christ
25Voluntary Service International
Volunteer Centres Ireland
Volunteer Centres Ireland (VCI)is the national organisation with responsibility for developing volunteering nationally and locally, a mandate approved and supported by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. We are a membership organisation, established by volunteer centres to co-operate and network on any issue relating to volunteer centres and volunteering in Ireland
The VCI website lets you search for volunteer opportunities according to f where in the country you would like to volunteer, what type of time you can give (including once-off availability) and what type of work interests you. It will provide you with information on opportunities which suit you and VCI will follow up with the community organisation or charity you choose. For more, see
Volunteering Ireland
Volunteering Ireland is the National Volunteer Development Agencywhich acts as a representative voice for volunteering in Ireland. It works to inspire, promote, support and celebrates voluntary activity in Ireland as a way of strengthening participative democracy and building social capital. Volunteering Ireland also supports the work of Irish-based overseas development agencies that involve volunteers in their work through a number of initiatives.
Volunteering Ireland runs the Ireland Involved Awardswhichserve to showcase, recognise and celebrate the work of outstanding volunteers across the country.
Volunteering Ireland operates a volunteer centre service on the north side of Dublin city. For more, see
Comhlámh
Comhlámh is an organisation concerned with global development. Its Volunteering options Programme aims to promote informed decision making by potential volunteers and to develop good practice standards among volunteer sending organisations. In doing so, Comhlámh hopes to ensure that overseas volunteering has a positive impact for the volunteer, the sending organisation, and the host organisation and community whether the placement is short or long term.
The Volunteering Options website can take you through every step to becoming a volunteer and includes a searchable database of over 120 organisaiton that offer volunteering placements in developing countries. You will also find the Volunteer Charter online. This document contains guiding principles and information to help you make an informed decision and prepare you for your placement.
It is also worth remembering Comhlámh when you return from volunteering abroad. They run ‘moving forward’ days for returned short term volunteers and ‘coming home’ weekends for those who have spent over 3 months volunteering abroad. These events can help you to process your experience, meet like-minded people and show you opportunities to stay involved in global development issues now that you are home.
For more, see
Friends of the Elderly
Category:Older People
Location:25 Bolton Street and in homes around Dublin
Dates:Ongoing
Summer ’10 Application Deadline:No fixed deadline
Brief description of organisation:
Friends of the Elderly supports older people who live alone or who feel socially isolated. We provide a volunteer home visitation programme and we run activities for older people at our centre on Bolton Street.
What do volunteers do?
Volunteers visit older people at home, work in charity shop, help in office to support older people, organise and attend events for older people and/or engage in fundraising activities.
Costs
Not applicable.
Training & Support
We provide in-house training on our policies and systems.
Application Process
Volunteers are interviewed, references are checked, photo ID and proof of address are sought, and volunteers are required to sign our code of conduct. The length of the process varies and depends on the needs of our service users at any given time.
Accessibility
Unfortunately, this opportunity is not accessible for persons with disabilities.
Barretstown
Category:Children’s Charity
Location:Co. Kildare
Dates:3/10days on different dates throughout summer
Summer ’10 Application Deadline:Mid February
Brief description of organisation:
Barretstown is a specially-designed camp for children with serious illnesses- primarily cancer and serious blood diseases- from Ireland, Britain and throughout Europe, and their families.
We provide a unique programme of adventure, activities and fun – backed by the medical world - which helps children with serious illness regain their confidence and self-esteem and has become internationally recognised as having a profound and positive impact on their lives.
The medical world calls our programme ‘therapeutic recreation’, but like thecampers, we know it as ‘Serious Fun’.
What do volunteers do?
AVolunteer Cara’s role is to relate positively to the children and young people and their families, to accompany campers in their activities and provide a fun atmosphere, support, leadership and encouragement. Assigned to a small group of children or teenagers, volunteers encourage and support them in all their activities, while making sure they're safe and supervised at all times. Most importantlyvolunteers help the children to have fun!
Costs
Volunteers don’t need to raise any money to come to Barretstown to volunteer.
Training & Support
All volunteers are provided with training before the children/families arrive on site. There is a high level of supervision by qualified staff at all times.
Application Process
All volunteers are interviewed, reference and police checked. We conduct group interviews here at Barretstown.
Accessibility
This opportunity is accessible for people with disabilities.
Ballymun Regional Youth Resource
Category:Social / youth work / informal education
Location:The Reco Youth Facility, Sillogue Road, Ballymun
Dates:Various
Summer ’10 Application Deadline:March 31st 2010
Brief description of organisation:
Ballymun Regional Youth Resource (BRYR) is a youth work organisation working for the welfare and development of 10-21 year-olds in Ballymun. The core belief underpinning BRYR’s work is that every young person has the power within themselves to live a positive life; that the environment in which young people grow up shapes their development, and that positive relationships with and between young people are at the heart of their wellbeing. Activities include youth work (on-site and outreach), art, music, drama, creative IT and sporting activities.
What do volunteers do?
For summer 2010, we have a variety of roles available, from leading sports and outdoor activities to assisting our art workers on art and craft projects (such as this summer’s urban art graffiti project). Other roles during our summer project include helping to supervise outings in Dublin and beyond, and working with young people through drama, art, music, games and IT at our youth facility in Ballymun, the Reco.
Costs
None.
Training & Support
The Volunteer Support Worker oversees the recruitment and support of volunteers and students on placement, both with BRYR and with youth groups throughout Ballymun. Once you become a volunteer, there is a support package in place including induction, regular training options, individual supervision, recognition and regular volunteer group sessions. BRYR’s TDVS team (Michelle, the Volunteer Support Worker and Laurence, the Training & Development Officer) work with the volunteer team, both as a group and individually, to ensure volunteers are continuously supported, developed and challenged in the work they do.
Application Process
Volunteers joining us at BRYR undertake an initial recruitment process which involves filling out an application form, attending an informal interview with our Volunteer Support Worker, Garda Clearance/Vetting (a Child Protection measure) and reference checks. This process can take up to 8 weeks to complete in full, due to the slow turnaround of the Garda clearance forms.
Accessibility
This opportunity is accessible for persons with disabilities.
Caring & Sharing Association
Category:Disability/Social
Location:Various locations around Dublin including Swords, Malahide, Bray, Clontarf and Tallaght
Dates:Year Round
Summer ’10 Application Deadline:none
Brief description of organisation:
CASAis a voluntary organization, established in 1981, whose goal is develop friendships and social outlets for people with disabilities(both physical and intellectual) through a variety of social activities. These include regular social events, holidays, respite breaks, and pilgrimages to Lourdes
What do volunteers do?
Volunteers attend social activities where they work on a one to one basis with a CASA member. Volunteers can also do respite short respite breaks in our house in Malahide. Activities during the respite break vary and can include shopping, bowling, cinema and other such social pursuits. Our monthly social activities are usually held on a Sunday in a hotel where there is mass followed by lunch followed by music and dancing. Volunteers are asked to commit to attending one social activity a month between the hours of two and six. Respite breaks can be between 2 and 5 days.
Costs
There is no cost for attending monthly social activities. However if volunteers want to go to the Lourdes they generally pay their own fare(approx.€650).
Training & Support
Induction Training (2-3 hours), manual handling and health and safety training is provided.
Application Process
Volunteers must complete an application form. They will be asked to provide two referees and complete a Garda vetting form also. It usually takes a few weeks to process this.
Accessibility
Please contact us directly on for further details.
Depaul Ireland
Category:Low threshold homeless services
Location:Dublin City Centre
Dates:Ongoing
Summer ’10 Application Deadline:February 2010 & June 2010
Brief description of organisation:
Depaul Ireland is part of Depaul International, the parent company of a group structure which includes Depaul UK, Depaul Slovensko, Depaul Kharkiv and Depaul USA. Depaul Ireland was founded in 2002 and was also sponsored by members of the Vincentian Family with the objective of providing help and support for homeless and disadvantaged people in Dublin and throughout Ireland. We operate a model of low threshold services, keeping rules and regulations to a minimum and ensuring that those in need of services are able to access them. Our hope is that people will be supported to realise and achieve their potential.
What do volunteers do?
Volunteers are involved in a variety of service based (Making the Difference volunteers) and non service based roles (More than Change) and there is a role is suit everyone, a full list of opportunities is available from the Volunteer Programme. Roles vary from musicians, hair dressers and activities assistants to being part of the tech savvy team, events team and/or fundraising team.
Costs
While ‘Making the Difference’ volunteers are not involved in fundraising, ‘More than Change’ volunteers are involved in these projects. Volunteers do not have to raise a specific amount. Funds raised go directly to supporting homeless people in our services.
Training & Support
A four stage induction (4 x 2.5 hour sessions over 4 weeks) is provided for all volunteers. This includes both organisation and project inductions. Ongoing training opportunities are available to volunteers throughout the year. Support and supervision is provided at a project level and there are 3 to 4 project volunteer forums which take place each year.
Application Process
Volunteers must complete an application form, provide two referees names, and undergo Garda Vetting. The process takes place four times a year and generally the takes 8-10 weeks.
Accessibility
A number of our opportunities are open to persons with disabilities depending on the project location.
Fighting Words
Category:Creative writing/education
Dates:Ongoing
Location: Behan Square, 13 Russell Street, Dublin 1
Summer ’10 Application Deadline:April 2010
Brief description of organisation:
Fighting Words offers free story-writing workshops for primary school students in the mornings, creative writing tutoring for secondary students in the afternoons. We also offer a full range of week-long summer camps and will start evening and weekend programmes in early 2010.
What do volunteers do?
Teams of volunteers run all of Fighting Words’ programmes. During the academic year, volunteers work with small groups of children as they work on their own individual writing projects, offering support and encouragement as well as practical advice. Volunteers also lead the storytelling aspect and provide illustrations for our primary school workshops.
In the summer, volunteers help design our summer camps and then spend the week working with the children on the project to be produced during the course of the week. In 2009, we made comic books, wrote plays and made films on mobile phones with students ranging in age from seven to 17.
Costs
Not applicable- volunteers are not involved in fundraising.
Training & Support
At our training sessions, we cover primary and secondary school programmes and we ask our more experienced volunteers to observe new volunteers to ensure that the new people are confident in tutoring. The entire session is always supervised by Fighting Words staff.
Application Process
All volunteers are required to complete an application form and attend for a brief volunteer interview. They then attend a two-hour training session, during which we cover our various volunteer policies, including child protection. We also check references and require Garda vetting for volunteers who work with Fighting Words for 20 hours per week or more, including summer volunteers.
Accessibility
This opportunity has disability access
Focus Ireland
Category:Fundraising Challenges
Location:All over Ireland & UK
Dates:June 11th-13th, July, Sept dates tbc.
Summer ’10 Application Deadline:To be confirmed
Brief description of organisation:
Focus Ireland aims to advance the right of people-out-of-home to live in a place they call home through quality services, research, and advocacy. The objectives of Focus Ireland are to:
- respond to the needs of people out-of-home and those at risk of becoming homeless, through a range of appropriate high quality services
- provide emergency transitional and long-term accommodation for people out-of-home
- campaign and lobby for the rights of people out-of-home and the prevention of homelessness
What do volunteers do?
Volunteers play a key role at our events and challenges. For example, we required over 100 volunteers to marshal our Fundraising Triathlon in August 2009. Volunteers also join the Focus Ireland team for our Four Peaks Challenge as event staff.
We are also looking for event participants for our Four Peaks Challenge (June 2010), Highest Peak Challenge (July 2010) and UK 3 Peaks Challenge (Sept 2010).
Costs
Event staff volunteers do not need to pay or raise any money and expenses are covered.
Event participants are asked to raise €4500 as a team for both the Four Peaks Challenge and the UK 3 Peaks Challenge and individuals taking part in the Highest Peak Challenge are asked to raise €450.
The money is used to fund our homeless services across Ireland.
Training & Support
Volunteers can expect to be fully briefed in advance of the event and will be teamed up with a member of Focus Ireland staff at the event
Application Process
Volunteers working with our services undergo a vetting and interview process.
For events roles, Focus will contact new volunteersfor an informal chat before they start work.
Participants in our events and challenges can register anything from 6 months to 3 weeks in advance of the event. The sooner a team or individual registers for an event, the more time they are giving themselves to raise the minimum sponsorship.
Is this opportunity accessible for persons with disabilities?
While some of our opportunities are accessible, the Peak Challenges involve mountain climbing/athletic activities.
Irish Kidney Association
6th European Transplant & Dialysis Games
Category:Sport & Promotion of Organ Donor Awareness
Location:DCU & Sports Venues in North County Dublin
Dates:8th – 15th August 2010