Guiding Principles & Values

 Our understanding of volunteering is that:

• Volunteering is always a matter of choice and is done of the volunteers’ own free will and without coercion. 
• Volunteering is a legitimate way for citizens to participate in the activities of their community. 
• Volunteering benefits the community, society and the volunteer and gives people a sense of connectedness and ownership of their local community. 
• Volunteering is a means for individuals and/or groups to address human, environmental and/or social needs. 
• Volunteering is undertaken without the expectation of financial reward.

We affirm that:

• “No one can do everything, but everyone can do something” – in other words everyone can volunteer.
• Volunteers should be treated with respect, dignity and worth. 
• Everyone should have an equal opportunity to volunteer. 
• Volunteering should respect the rights, dignity and culture of others. 
• Volunteers should be “involved” rather than “used” and that volunteering is a “two-way” relationship, mutually benefitting both the volunteer and the organisation.

Therefore, we are committed to:

• Promoting and supporting the voluntary and community sector by encouraging people to volunteer.
• Providing a placement service that effectively matches those who wish to volunteer with volunteer-involving organisations.
• Supporting volunteer-involving organisations through education, resources, training, information and Garda Vetting.
• Promoting volunteering opportunities to marginalised groups including the unemployed, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, lone parents, early school leavers and the elderly.
• Providing a centre for good practice in volunteering, including the development of policy and procedures through liaising with statutory/voluntary bodies on voluntary work issues.
• Developing in partnership with other agencies and key stakeholders new and innovative projects that involve volunteers and build social cohesion.
• Promoting social inclusion, corporate social responsibility and active citizenship.
• Maintaining quality standards within the network of volunteer centres under the leadership of Volunteer Ireland.

To read the Universal Declaration on Volunteering click here