How we work

We provide a free volunteer matching service to any individual or group looking to volunteer in the Dublin City South area. The services we provide include:

Information and Support on Volunteering

We offer support and guidance on the how, why and where of volunteering; making it easier for you to volunteer locally. We can answer questions you might have and provide specific information on a particular role, the skills/qualities required, how it relates to social welfare payments etc.

We also provide outreach services and bi-monthly Volunteer Information Evenings where you can meet and ask questions of speakers from local voluntary organisations.

Access to a List of Available Opportunities

The Volunteer Centre has a database of available volunteer opportunities for the Dublin City South area including Dublin 2/4/6/8/10/12 and Chapelizod. Our database provides you with information on the organisation and their current active vacancies. These opportunities may be ongoing (daily, weekly or monthly) or time limited (once-off community events for example).

The Placement Process

“Placement” is the process whereby you find a volunteer role. It works like this:

1. Registration

You can register to be a volunteer on our database in a number of ways: you can complete the form online, give us a call on 01 473 7482 and we will complete it over the phone or we can arrange for you to come in and chat through your options.

If you are completing the form online please give us as much information as possible as this will help to find the most suitable volunteer opportunities for you. One you complete the form online you will receive an automatic email from us explaining how the service works.

2. Apply for a Volunteer Opportunity

To get an idea of the kinds of things you can volunteer for click on Find an Opportunity. Search by category and have a look around to see what kind of opportunities are available.

Volunteering works best when you can integrate it easily into your existing routine so don’t forget to check that the times, days and location of the opportunity are convenient for you.

When you see a role you are interested in you can apply for the opportunity by clicking ’Apply for this Opportunity’ and entering your email address (you can browse the opportunities at any time but to apply for an opportunity you first need to be registered with the volunteer centre). Please note when you apply for an opportunity your application comes to us in the Volunteer Centre, not the organisation.

Should you not find a suitable volunteer opportunity please contact us to see if we can assist you further.

3. Confirm your Application to the Organisation(s)

When you choose an opportunity we will forward your details and any other relevant information from your registration form to your chosen organisation(s) and ask them to get in touch with you with the next steps.

We will then email you confirming we have done so and include the contact details of the organisation(s), should you wish to also contact them yourself.

Please bear in mind that volunteer-involving organisations have their own recruitment procedures for volunteers, and these vary depending on the organisation and the tasks involved. These recruitment procedures are outlined in the description of the volunteer opportunity.

4. Follow-Up

We would like to keep in touch with you during your application process for your chosen charities. Please let us know if you start volunteering, feel it’s no longer an option for you, or if you’ve been in touch with the organisation and they have not contacted you back.

This information helps us to continually improve our service and/or follow up with organisations on your behalf if necessary. We also follow-up with our registered volunteers six weeks after they register to see how the process is going.

5. Regular Updates and Contact

Our registered volunteers receive an e-zine monthly with the latest volunteer opportunities and news of upcoming events.

Every two months we run Volunteer Information Evenings. These Information Evenings give you the chance to meet the organisations and get more information on opportunities in certain categories e.g. Education & Literacy.

6. Unsubscribing and De-Registering

If at any stage you wish to unsubscribe from our mailing lists you can do so by clicking ’unsubscribe’ at the bottom of the email. If you wish to be removed from our database please let us know and we can de-activate your file.

Not sure about volunteering?

Look through our Frequently Asked Questions or give us a call on 01 473 7482.

If you don’t see anything you like, or if you are just unsure about what you want to do, feel free to give us a call and ask for an appointment, where we can talk through your options. An appointment will include the following:

Registration online, if applicable.
Discussion of your interests, skills, time commitment etc. We may chat about what volunteering you have done before, or what skills you might like to gain from your volunteering.
Browsing the volunteer opportunity database, discussing different roles, further exploring interests, etc.
Deciding on one or more opportunities that you are interested in.

For more information on what kinds of things you can do as a volunteer and what you can expect read our Step by Step Guide to Volunteering.

Who We Work With

Dublin City South Volunteer Centre provides a placement service to anyone resident in Ireland wishing to find out more about the volunteering opportunities available locally i.e. the Dublin City South area which includes Dublin 2/4/6/8/10/12 and Chapelizod.

Accessing our service puts you under no obligation to choose a volunteer role and your details can be removed whenever you wish. if you reside out of Dublin City South, we will forward your details to your local volunteer centre, unless you specifically wish to apply for a vacancy in our area. If you are unsure about where your local volunteer centre is you can access the national database on www.volunteer.ie or if you reside in Dublin www.volunteerdublin.ie

What Do We Expect From You?

1. That You Keep Us Updated

Please let us know how you are getting on, both during and after the placement process. This helps us to help you better. It also helps us identify problems and lets us know how successful or otherwise our service is.

We seek feedback on our service annually and would appreciate if you could complete the questionnaire once it is circulated. If you have any photos or feedback on how your volunteering we would love to see them. We typically use them for our website and social media networks.

2. That You Keep Your Chosen Organisation(s) Updated

We know how busy life can be and that it may not be possible to follow through on your volunteer application. However, it is important you keep the organisations you apply to up-to-date. If, after applying, you find you are no longer in a position to volunteer or feel the organisation is not for you after meeting them, please let them know, or let us know and we can pass it on.

3. Recording of Information

In addition to the information you provide on registration, our database allows us to record notes on the contact we have with you. This will generally include the date of the conversation and any important information discussed. We will also record the opportunities you are interested in, when you have started volunteering and the estimated number of hours you will be volunteering.

You are free to request a copy of any information we hold on you. Please ask us, or request to see our data protection policy and procedure for further information.

4. Compliments and Complaints

Dublin City South Volunteer Centre welcomes all feedback, both positive and negative, as it allows us to deliver a better service to the community.

Please address your comments to: The Manager, Dublin City South Volunteer Centre, 76 Thomas Street, Dublin 8 or by email to info@volunteerdublincitysouth.ie.

If you wish to see our Complaints Policy, we would be happy to post or email it out to you. A copy can also be downloaded from our website here.