Volunteering involves dedicating your time and skills to support the community or society. At Fingal Volunteer Centre, we’re here to support you on your volunteering journey. Whether you’re seeking a specific volunteer role or general advice, our service is here to help. It’s free, and there’s no pressure to commit if you’re not ready. If you simply want to learn more, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Our Services to Volunteers:

• Learn more about volunteering – you can reach out to us through email, phone, or in person for a chat about anything related to volunteering. A simple conversation can be a good first step.

• Use I-VOL, the national volunteering database, to explore and show your interest in particular volunteer roles online – access I-VOL here. If you decide to apply for a role online, our team will connect you with the organisation you want to volunteer with.

• Check your Volunteer Profile, where you can track the progress of your applications on I-VOL, keep your information current, and print your volunteer history.

• Explore specific volunteering opportunities in Fingal, such as Fingal Community Volunteers. (FVC Community Volunteers)

• Receive a monthly newsletter featuring volunteer roles selected by our team.

To get started or to find out more you can email info@volunteerfingal.ie or call us on 01 899 1921.

Finding the perfect volunteer role that suits your skills, interests, and availability requires a thoughtful approach. Start by assessing your passions, talents, and the causes you care about.

We believe volunteering is for everyone, and we’re proud to offer a wide range of volunteering opportunities on our I-VOL database. Before you start searching for a role, it’s important to think about what suits you best.

Here are some questions to consider:

• What skills do I have to offer? What skills would I like to learn?
• What causes or interests do I want to support through volunteering?
• What do I hope to get out of the experience? (Practice skills, meet new people, stay busy, etc.)
• How much time can I realistically commit to volunteering?
• How far am I willing to travel for volunteering, considering the associated costs?

Once you’ve thought about these questions, you’re ready to register and search for a volunteering role. You can use various filters to search volunteering role based on skills, interests, availability, and location.

The best way to find suitable roles is through I-VOL, the national volunteering database, where you can get volunteering in four easy steps:

Step 1: REGISTER (Fill the registration form with your details)

Step 2: SEARCH (Search volunteer role based on various criteria)

Step 3: READ (Go through the specifications of the volunteering role provided)

Step 4: APPLY for roles that suit you

Once you are registered, we’ll contact you to let you know about the next steps.

When looking for a role, it’s important to consider:

• Location: Where is the opportunity located? Can you easily travel there? (A benchmark for assessing the distance of any volunteering role is that it should be reachable within an hour using public transportation at most.)
• Time commitment: Some roles may require a time commitment of 3 months or more. Be realistic about how much time you can commit.
• Must haves: Look for information regarding the requirements necessary to fulfil a volunteering position. E.g. Own car, Computer access, Internet access or Full driving licence etc.
• English level: Look for language proficiency required for a volunteer role in order to have smooth experience during volunteering. E.g. If you’re a non-English speaker and new in Dublin wanting to practice English, select ‘Suitable for Basic English’ when searching for roles.
• Screening details: Screening procedures vary. Quick Start roles may only require an application form and informal interviews, while others may require Garda vetting or more detailed screening.

Once registered, you can save roles you’re interested in while searching. Please limit your applications to 5 roles at a time.

Once you show interest in a role by registering, we’ll reach out to you with more information.

Typically, we’ll forward your information to the organisation, and they’ll reach out to you directly. From there, the organization will lead you through the remaining steps of the recruitment process. In many instances, we’ll inform you about the next steps, and it’s important for you to follow the outlined instructions.

Keep in mind, organisations may respond promptly, but they might have limited resources. Some are run entirely by volunteers, who may not be able to reply as fast as they’d want to.

Once you’ve applied, we’ll check in to see how things are progressing. We’ll also follow up to see if you’ve started volunteering.

Community Volunteers is a great opportunity to get involved in your local community in Fingal by supporting local events and initiatives.

It’s a chance to learn more about your local area, meet new people and develop new skills. Plus, it’s great fun!

For more information check out our Community Volunteers page https://volunteerfingal.ie/community-volunteers/