This newsletter contains information on:

• August focus on: Roles available for volunteers under 18
• Other New Volunteering Opportunities
• Local Volunteer Expo in Dublin 15 & in Balbriggan
• Help us shape volunteering in Fingal – join our board!
• Community Volunteers
• Volunteer Ireland Awards 2025
• Volunteer Centre Pop-up at a library near you

August focus on: Roles available for volunteers under 18  

Volunteering before your turn 18 is not always easy as most of the organisations want their volunteers to be over 18. But there are organisations that are delighted to welcome younger volunteers to join them.

There is a wide variety of opportunities available, including:
Environmental Conservation projects – get involved with local Tidy Towns groups or community gardens, or beach/canal/river cleanups
Physical activities – support your local parkrun while staying active.
Charity Retail Shop volunteering – volunteer in charity retail shops and build practical skills to add to your resume
Community events – take part in fun, youth-friendly events and activities across Fingal and beyond.

Types of volunteer opportunities that are available:
Tidy Towns & Community Gardens Roles

• Swords Tidy Towns Volunteer with Swords Tidy Towns (Swords)
• Tidy Towns Volunteer- Blanchardstown with Blanchardstown Village Tidy Towns (Dublin 15)
• Tidy Towns Volunteer Rush with Rush Tidy Towns (Rush)
• Community Garden Volunteer Blanchardstown Dublin 15 with Global Action Plan (Dublin 15)

River/ Canal Clean-ups

• Camac River Clean Up, Saturday 13th September 2025 with Friends of the Camac (Clondalkin)
• Monthly Royal Canal Clean Up – 2nd Saturday every month. (D1, D7 & D15) with Royal Canal Clean-Up Group (Dublin 1, Dublin 7 & Dublin 15)
• (Leeson St. Bridge) Grand Canal Clean Up with Friends of the Grand Canal (Dublin 2)

Parkrun Roles

• Marshal/ Steward Swords with Rivervalley junior parkrun (Swords)
• Marshal/ Steward with Malahide parkrun (Malahide)
• Marshal/ Steward-Balbriggan with Ardgillan parkrun (Balbriggan)
• Marshal/ Steward Hartstown with Hartstown parkrun (Dublin 15)

Charity Retail Roles

• Warehouse Operative – Cherry Orchard, Dublin 10 with Vision Ireland – the new name for NCBI (Dublin 10)
• Retail community champion – Kilbarrack – Morning and Afternoon with Vision Ireland – the new name for NCBI (Dublin 3)
• Retail Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity Ireland (Drogheda, Louth)

Event Roles

• Dublin Fringe Festival Volunteer: 6th – 21st September 2025 with Dublin Fringe Festival (Dublin City Centre)
• Exhibition Volunteer – Stephens Green Shopping Centre 01/09/25 – 31/10/25 with Breakthrough Cancer Research (Dublin 2)
• Event Volunteer with Drogheda Songwriting Festival (Drogheda, Louth)

Other Roles

• Volunteer Musician with Daughters of Charity Community Services (Dublin 1)
• Radio presenter, researcher, news reporter with Phoenix FM Blanchardstown with 92.5 Phoenix FM (Dublin 15)
• ‘Getting Started’ Digital Skills Tutor – Balbriggan Library with Age Action (Balbriggan)

Please note: All the above volunteer roles are open to both under-18s and over-18s, so feel free to apply if any of them spark your interest.  

Other New Volunteering Opportunities

Here are some new opportunities that have been posted this month on I-VOL:

• Stroke Peer Facilitator Volunteer – Balbriggan with Irish Heart Foundation (Balbriggan)
• Event Photographer Howth – Sat 6th or Sun 7th September with Fingal Volunteer Centre (Howth)
• Graphic Designer/Artist – Skerries with Skerries Community Garden (Skerries)
• Youth and Parent Mentors needed in North Dublin & Dublin City with Le Cheile (Blanchardstown, Balbriggan, Swords)
• ECO-UNESCO Youth Clubs – Leinster and Munster with ECO-UNESCO (Dublin)
• Community Garden Volunteer- Skerries with Skerries Community Garden (Skerries)
• Volunteer Facepainter at Skerries Eco Festival (Sunday 28 Sept) with Sustainable Skerries (Skerries)
• Balbriggan Film Club Volunteer with Fóroige Balbriggan (Balbriggan)
• Volunteer at Skerries Eco Festival Sunday 28 Sept with Sustainable Skerries (Skerries)

Local Volunteer Expo in Dublin 15 & in Balbriggan

Mark your calendars for Local Volunteer Expos happening this Fall.

We are bringing our Volunteer Expos to Blanchardstown and Balbriggan this October.

If you live, work, or spend time in Dublin 15 & Balbriggan, don’t miss this chance to:

• Meet local charities and community groups
• Discover a wide range of volunteering roles
• Find opportunities that match your skills and interests

Details of Volunteer Expo Dublin 15:
 Saturday, 4th October 2025
 2:00 – 4:00 pm
 Blanchardstown Library

Details of Volunteer Expo Balbriggan:
 Saturday, 18th October 2025
 1:00 – 3:00 pm
 Our Balbriggan Office

Whether you are already volunteering or just starting, drop in anytime between  —no booking needed! Come see how you can make a difference in your community.

Help us shape volunteering in Fingal – join our board!

As a charity, our work is supported and guided by a board of directors / Trustees, experts in their field, who make sure we are doing what we are meant to do (fulfilling our charitable status). This includes making important decisions, managing resources carefully, and following the rules. It’s a rewarding way to give back, make a difference in your community, and be part of something meaningful.

We are currently looking for boards with the following expertise

• Expertise in accounting for a Treasurer
• Experience in administration, taking minutes, for a Company Secretary
• Expertise in Governance to support the risk register and review of policies

Check out our volunteer roles for the Board Members:

• Volunteer Board Member- Treasurer (mostly remote) with Fingal Volunteer Centre (Remote)
• Volunteer Board Member- Company Secretary (mostly remote) with Fingal Volunteer Centre (Remote)
• Volunteer Board Member- Governance Trustee (mostly remote) with Fingal Volunteer Centre (Remote)

Community Volunteers 

September will be packed with exciting and diverse volunteering opportunities for our Community Volunteers.

We begin the month at the Howth Maritime Seafood Festival on 6th and 7th September. This lively outdoor event will feature a circus, bouncy castles, arts and crafts, and vintage games, creating a fantastic atmosphere for the public to enjoy.

On 13th September, our Community Volunteers will support the Safer Together Festival at Millennium Park in Blanchardstown. This family-friendly day promises plenty of fun and concludes with a vibrant Family Fun Color Run.

The following weekend, on 20th September, Community Volunteers will gather in Lusk for the All-Ireland Piping & Drumming Championships 2025. This prestigious indoor event showcases the very best of Irish bagpiping and drumming talent.

Finally, on 27th and 28th September, we return to Blanchardstown for the Mental Health Ireland Fundraiser 2025 at Blanchardstown Shopping Centre. Working alongside Mental Health Ireland staff, our volunteers will help raise vital funds to support the organisation’s important work.

Volunteers are encouraged to register quickly as places are going fast!

To register your interest for any of the events: Community Volunteers Profile

Not a community volunteer yet, sign up today: Community Volunteers Registration or get in touch with Megan: (info@volunteerfingal.ie, 01 899 1921)

Volunteer Ireland Awards 2025

The 2025 Volunteer Ireland Awards are now open for nominations!

This is your chance to recognise amazing volunteers, volunteer groups, and volunteer managers in your community. Your nomination recognises the volunteers who go above and beyond to support others.

With 11 award categories and the prestigious Christine Buckley Volunteer of the Year Award, the ceremony in December will shine a spotlight on the people who give their time to make Ireland a better place.

Do you know someone who deserves recognition? Nominate them today at www.volunteer.ie/nominate-a-volunteer

Volunteer Centre Pop-up at a library near you 

Our library pop-ups are now a regular feature at libraries throughout Fingal.

These pop-ups offer a great opportunity for all our volunteers to meet us in person, ask any questions about volunteering, and receive personalised advice to support your volunteer journey.

No appointment needed—just drop in and take the first step towards finding your ideal volunteer role!

Calendar of Volunteer Centre Pop-Up is available here.