Volunteer Guide 2020 2021
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Volunteer Guide 2020 - 2021
Contents What is volunteering? 02 Why volunteer? 03 Getting involved 04 Volunteer rights and responsibilities 06 Where to start: — DCU charitable and civic societies10 — DCU volunteering resources 13 — National and international volunteering resources 14
What is volunteering?
Volunteering impacts positively What can you do?
Dublin City University
on society, on communities
At DCU we have a wide variety
and on the people who live in
of volunteer opportunities on
those communities. Whether
and off campus. Whatever your
formal or informal, organised
interests, skills or abilities
or spontaneous, volunteering
– there is something for you!
is about civic engagement and
active participation in shaping
the society we want to be part of.
Volunteering is the practice of giving your time
and energy for the benefit of other people and
the environment. To put it simply volunteering
is doing more than you have to, because you
want to, because you care.
It is about being an active citizen, a change-maker
and innovative individual whose aim is to make the
world a better place in any way they can.
02
Never doubt that a small
group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can
change the world; indeed, it’s
the only thing that ever has.
MARGARET MEAD
Why volunteer?
The benefits of volunteering are — An opportunity to do something
Volunteer Guide
enormous to you, and your local you love and enjoy
and international communities. — Key transferable skills such as
communication, leadership,
You can Give: initiative taking, teamwork,
— Your free time to do something creativity and time management
you care about and enjoy to name but a few
— Something back to your local, — Work experience, training and
student and international skills which will improve your CV
communities and future career perspectives
— Your skills, enthusiasm and — Satisfaction from giving back to
expertise to help other people or your community and making a
the environment real difference to people’s lives
— Your energy to make a positive — Academic credits in assignments
contribution to society and modules e.g. Uaneen
— Inspiration to others with your — Contributions towards the DCU
enthusiasm and commitment Engage Award which recognises
students extra-curricular
You can Gain: activities
— A platform for meeting new
people and developing long
lasting friendships
03
The best way to volunteer is to
select a not-for-profit organisation,
society or cause whose mission
complements your interests.
Getting involved
Who can Volunteer? What to consider before you
Everyone!
start Volunteering?
Dublin City University
How do you get involved? Your Motivation:
At DCU, there are a number of ways Think about why you want to
in which you can start volunteering, volunteer, what you would like to do
depending on your own interests, and what causes you are passionate
time and talents. Working with about that you wish to support.
civic clubs and societies of DCU, For example, do I want...
selecting a community organisation
— To improve the quality of life in
you’d like to work with or just
the community where I live?
helping out wherever you can are all
— To meet people from different
options. Other alternatives include
cultures and backgrounds?
flexible volunteer opportunities,
— To try something new?
once off volunteering events
— To do something worthwhile with
and virtual volunteering.
my spare time?
Take a look at our social media and — To see a different way of life and
website to see what’s on offer: new places?
— To gain experience in the
/dcuvolunteer profession that I seek to enter
@DCUVolunteer upon graduation?
dcuvolunteer
dcu.ie/volunteer
StudentVolunteer.ie/dcu
04
— To expand my knowledge and Garda Vetting
experience within my hobbies
If your role will involve regular
Volunteer Guide
and interests?
contact with children (under 18)
— To further develop my skills and
or vulnerable adults (e.g. older
talents in certain areas?
persons or people with disabilities)
you will need to be Garda Vetted
The best way to volunteer is to before you start. Garda Vetting,
select a not-for-profit organisation, now an online e-vetting process by
society or cause whose mission An Garda Siochána Vetting Office,
complements your interests. Having gives a statement on whether a
answers to these questions will help person has had any convictions
narrow down your search. – pending or completed – recorded
against their name.
Your Time
This is important! You need to think Your volunteering organisation will
about how much time you want to arrange your Garda Vetting for you,
spend volunteering and how long contact them directly to confirm if
you are able to commit for, as some your role requires vetting or not.
organisations require a minimum
time commitment for specific roles.
However, volunteers are always
in demand and there are multiple
routes available to you – do what
you can!
05
As a volunteer, you will
be given meaningful and
important work to do.
Volunteer rights
and responsibilities
Dublin City University
As a Volunteer you have the
following rights:
— To be provided with a role — To receive support and supervision
description and performance — To know who to go to should a
expectations problem arise
— To be given meaningful work to do — To be recognised for your
— To be offered appropriate contributions
training — To get something out of the work
— To make mistakes and learn from for yourself as per your own aims
them and objectives
— To have safe working conditions
— To be treated fairly by those
you are working with, including
community partners
06
Volunteer Guide
As a Volunteer you are
responsible for the following:
— To understand the values and aims
of the organisation
— To be reliable and punctual
— To carry out the prescribed duties
to the best of your ability
— To attend essential training and
support sessions
— To be committed and honest
in all of your dealings with the
organisation
— To inform the volunteer project
manager if any difficulties should
arise
— To comply with the relevant policies
and procedures as laid out by the
organisation(s) you are working
with
This information has been adapted
from Volunteer Ireland’s Charter for
Effective Volunteering.
07
Volunteering
opportunity t
your own pers
and knowledg
Dublin City University
contributing t
capacity of co
08is an
to build
sonal skills
ge while
Volunteer Guide
to the
ommunity.
09Where to start:
DCU Charitable and Civic Societies
1 Raising and Giving (RAG) 3 FLAC
The DCU Raising & Giving Society The DCU FLAC Society is a
empowers students to volunteer student branch of the independent
in their local community and get human rights FLAC organisation
stuck in! Throughout the year, that is dedicated to the realisation
RAG aim to raise as much funds of equal access to justice for all.
as possible through a variety of fun We aim to provide a service akin
events for our social projects which to that of national FLAC, by
include GoGaGa, Ballymunch, providing the student body as
School of RAG, RAG Rec and well as the wider public with free
Special Olympics football. We legal advice on the DCU campus.
want to show students that they The ability to provide people with
can do great things to help society legal advice is admired and the
and have a blast while doing DCU FLAC Society is aimed at
it. DCU RAG has something equipping our members with this
to offer everyone. Time again, ability in order to promote free
we have seen that giving a equal access to justice.
portion of your time to others dcuclubsandsocs.ie/society/flac
can have a significant and
positive impact on their life! 4 Enactus
dcuclubsandsocs.ie/society/
raising-giving At Enactus DCU, we aim to
Dublin City University
tackle the problems of today
2 DCU SVP whilst creating the leaders
of tomorrow. We create, and
St Vincent de Paul gives DCU implement, social entrepreneurial
students the opportunity to projects which empower the
volunteer & make a change in project beneficiaries to change
the local community. Through their own lives’ for the better.
fundraisers we raise money for We have weekly meetings,
Irish charities with events such where we work on developing
as sleep outs on DCU’s campus, our projects further, we have
coffee mornings and Jailbreak: a variety of projects in areas
a treasure hunt around Europe such as the environment,
to find a secret location. SVP public speaking and dyslexia.
volunteers can also help at street dcuclubsandsocs.ie/society/
outreaches that provide food for enactus
people experiencing homelessness,
volunteer at homework clubs 5 Amnesty International
and take part in hospital visits.
Training is provided for all these The Amnesty International society
opportunities! Getting involved promotes activism and campaigns
with the St Vincent de Paul society on a variety of human rights issues.
is a great way to meet other As members of Amnesty-Ireland,
students while making a real we are part of a global movement
difference to people’s lives! of activists in more than
10
dcuclubsandsocs.ie/society/svp150 countries around the world. Over the past seven years,
We take action for the victims of HeadstARTS has grown both in
human rights injustices worldwide. volunteers and members and we
Our events include talks from guest are still growing today! We would
speakers, student led campaigns love for you to join the HeadstARTS
(with a focus on campaigning to team, we can guarantee it will
end Direct Provision this year!), be the most wholesome and
society trips, activism workshops rewarding time of the week!
and going to protests. You don’t dcuclubsandsocs.ie/society/
need any previous experience or headstarts
knowledge to join, just a desire to
learn and make a change! 8 DCU Volunteer Overseas
dcuclubsandsocs.ie/society/
amnesty-international DCU Volunteer Overseas is a
society set up to provide the
6 Mental Health Society opportunity for students to
volunteer and make a difference
DCU’s Mental Health Society on an international level. This
works towards promoting positive year, we plan to partner with a
attitudes and removing negative local Irish charity The Light of
stereotypes and stigmas around Maasai to volunteer in Kenya,
Mental Health. We aim to provide in the summer. While there, our
students of all backgrounds group will be participating in a
and ages with a welcoming and number of projects, for example,
encouraging environment. We completing needed restoration
organize events to raise money for work on a school, talking to children
Volunteer Guide
various mental health charities and in local schools and working with
also run campaigns and projects Light of Maasai on their projects.
to encourage the discussion on the We are also planning to have a
topic of mental health. We try to variety of different events and
make a difference in the area of fundraisers throughout the year.
mental health one conversation dcuclubsandsocs.ie/society/
and one cup of tea at a time. volunteer-overseas
dcuclubsandsocs.ie/society/
mental-health 9 STAND
7 HeadstARTS STAND is a not-for-profit
organization that focuses on
HeadstARTS is a student global issues and social justice.
run society, providing dance, The DCU STAND society is the
drama, music and art classes first STAND society in Ireland and
for individuals with intellectual we’re very proud of that. We run a
disabilities. We have a dedicated news site, awareness campaigns,
team at DCU who run two hour projects in our community, events
classes every Tuesday during the for members and an annual film &
academic year. The classes give our photography festival - all of which
members the opportunity to relax centre on social justice issues and
in a peaceful and guided art or the power of people.
music environment, or engage in an dcuclubsandsocs.ie/society/stand
interactive dance and drama class.
11Being a volunteer,
Dublin City University
for whatever purpose,
rewarding and
worthwhile.
12DCU volunteering
resources
1 DCU Volunteer Website and Some examples include;
Network
Barretstown:
The DCU Volunteer webpage
is packed with useful tips and Barretstown offers free, specially
volunteer opportunities. For designed camps and programmes
further information and all the for children and their families living
latest updates follow us on social with a serious illness – supported
media @DCU Volunteer. behind the scenes by 24 hour on
site medical and nursing care.
/dcuvolunteer
DCU Have a three year charity
@DCUVolunteer
partnership with Barretstown to
dcuvolunteer
support their remarkable work.
dcu.ie/volunteer
2 DCU in the Community The services provided to all
the children and families who
The function of DCU in the come to Barretstown are
Community is to provide a entirely free of charge, so
central co-ordinating point for volunteering and fundraising
Volunteer Guide
DCU Students and community efforts are vital to help more
organisations. The Student seriously ill children to experience
Volunteer Coordinator acts as the magic of Barretstown each
a bridge between the student year. DCU Volunteer offers
population and the local volunteering and fundraising
community as well as voluntary activities for all students to
organisations and charities engage with Barretstown.
seeking volunteers. barretstown.org
Student Volunteer Coordinator
Ruth Lynam Gaisce:
ruth.lynam@dcu.ie Gaisce or ‘great achievement’ is
a self-development programme
3 Charity Partnerships for young people between the
ages of 15-25 and has been in
DCU has many established
existence since 1985, carried by
relationships with a multitude of
the President of Ireland. Students
exceptional civic organisations
wishing to start or progress further
who offer an abundance of
in their Gasice President’s Awards
opportunities to students.
are encouraged to contact DCU
Volunteer who have numerous
resources to kickstart your journey.
gaisce.ie
13National and international
volunteering resources
1 StudentVolunteer.ie 2 Comhlámh
StudentVolunteer.ie is Ireland’s Comhlámh supports and promotes
national volunteering database, responsible, responsive overseas
created specifically for higher volunteering and provides support
Dublin City University
education students. This new to volunteers in a long-term,
initiative is an easy and hassle free ongoing commitment to
way to connect students development. We work to enlist
with volunteering organisations good practice standards among
and their opportunities. volunteer sending agencies through
our Code of Good Practice to
To get started, you can
ensure overseas volunteering has
register on the website:
a positive impact on all involved.
studentvolunteer.ie
For a full list of our partnered
organisations see:
Once registered you can: comhlamh.org
— Browse and apply for one-off
and long-term volunteering
— Track your volunteering hours
and receive certificates
showcasing your work and
dedication
— Get updates on volunteering
opportunities that might
interest you
— Connect with local and national
community based organisations
— Access useful resources on
student volunteering
14The benefits of volunteering are enormous to you, and your local and international communities.
16 Dublin City University
017 Volunteer Guide
/dcuvolunteer @DCUVolunteer dcuvolunteer dcu.ie/volunteer volunteer@dcu.ie
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