Stepping Stone

 

 

 

Stepping Stone, founded in 1972, is a housing charity that provides safe, affordable accommodation to individuals, couples and families who are homeless or are at risk of becoming homeless. Currently, Stepping Stone owns over 25 units of accommodation across Dublin City and County. Along with providing accommodation, we offer support to each of our tenants, working with them towards a sustainable, independent long-term home. Since it was formed, more than 100 families and individuals have benefited from a tenancy with Stepping Stone. 

 

Stepping Stone is a charity which prides itself on a long collaboration with our volunteers. Our volunteer workforce has shaped the charity and our services to tenants throughout our 40 year history and has played a pivotal role in community integration for those who have benefited from Stepping Stone tenancies. 

 

Currently we have 12 befriender volunteers who visit our tenants on a weekly basis. The befrienders do a wealth of work with the tenants. They listen to them without judgement and with patience. They help tenants feel more confident and better able to re-integrate to their local communities. They help tenants to challenge themselves in a positive and support environment. Our tenants have said that they look forward to the weekly visits; they find that the volunteers really listen and understand what they are saying and that the biggest problem is made manageable after talking to the befrienders.

 

Our befrienders say that the experience of volunteering with Stepping Stone has been rewarding and good for them. It has made our volunteers re-think life and reassess what matters most in this world.

 

 

Dublin City South Volunteer Centre has supported Stepping Stone in developing its volunteer roles, in recruiting volunteers and in training Stepping Stone on volunteer management. Without the support and education of Dublin City South Volunteer Centre, I do not know if our volunteer programme would be half as professional or successful.