Volunteering opportunities for everyone

Volunteer with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVP) and become part of the largest and oldest voluntary charitable organisation in Ireland. Our greatest strength is our volunteers/Members!

You know the issues in your community and can address immediate needs as well as helping families and individuals, young and old, move towards self-sufficiency and equal opportunity through friendship and support.

Offering a little help at the right time can give people hope for the future. Sharing your time and your skills can change lives forever.

 

Overseas Police Clearance

Please Note: For certain roles which require Garda Vetting or Access NI (e.g. Visitation or Child and Family Services), individuals who have lived outside the island of Ireland for 6 or more continuous months since the age of 16 years are required to submit an original police certificate(s) from the country or countries of residence (with authenticated translation where necessary).

 

A helping hand

The purpose of this role is to provide direct support to those who request assistance from the Society. Visit people in their homes with another SVP member to offer support, guidance, and friendship. The support provided by Members/Volunteers can be extremely heartening for people who are struggling and can offer hope to them and their families.

Click Here for more details.

Elder people using phones

SVP’s charity shops not only raise essential funds but also help spread awareness of our work.

Your Role as a Volunteer will be to carry out or assist in general store duties and to ensure customers are priority at all times through the delivery of exceptional customer service. Working as a part of a team of volunteers under the guidance of the Shop Manager or Senior Volunteer you will have the opportunity to be involved in various tasks and responsibilities.

Sustainability is on the top of our Vincent’s Retail strategy and each volunteer is part of helping us in extending the life and use of every ‘fit for purpose’ donation.

If you are volunteering as part of a Transition Year program in 2nd level education please contact your local Vincent's shop directly to enquire about volunteering and they will be happy to assist you with your query.

 

A lady buying crockery at a store

SVP provides a variety of support services to children, families, adults and older people throughout the country. Some of these services include childcare, youth clubs, community resource centres, daycare centres for older people and Meals on Wheels services.

Volunteer roles vary from management committee members, Meals on Wheels drivers, activity support roles for children or adult services etc.

If you are looking to share your skills, and passions and give back to your community, please read more about the available roles in your regions below.

 

Recruitment Process

1. Once you find a role and location suitable for you, please fill in the expression of interest form.
2. You will then receive a link to complete the full application form.
3. One of our members will be in touch with you to organise a meeting for an opportunity to learn more about the service and the volunteer role and to make sure this is the right role for you.

Once all are happy to proceed with the volunteer role, we will then;
4. Complete Garda Vetting (and International Police Clearance where applicable)
5. Contact your references
6. Organise training.

 

Training and Support

1. To SVP Induction Training – 3 online modules
2. Local Induction- In-person training.
3. You will receive a Volunteer Handbook with all you need to know.
4. Safeguarding training – Relevant to your role.
5. Ongoing support and training as required

 

Benefits of Volunteering

  • Develop confidence, patience, adaptability, leadership, communication, and much more.
  • An opportunity to develop friendships and meaningful relationships with like-minded peers.
  • Contribute positively to the lives of others in our community

 

Available Roles

 

East Region

Donnybrook Youth Club - Volunteer Activity Leaders - working with children 7 years to 18 years old.

Click Here for more details.

Newbridge Day Care Centre – Meals on Wheels Driver.

Click Here for more details.

Newbridge Day Care Centre – Activities Leaders - Special Skills, music, arts, drama, pottery, gardening, etc.

Click Here for more details.

St Conleths Day Care Centre, Kildare – Meals on Wheels Driver.

Click Here for more details.

St Conleths Day Care Centre, Kildare – Activities Leaders - Special Skills, cooking, music, arts, drama, pottery etc.

Click Here for more details.

 

South East Region

St Jospeh's Childcare, Waterford City - Activities Leaders - Special Skills, cooking, music, arts, drama, pottery etc.

Click Here for more details.

South West Region

Castleisland Family Resource Centre, Kerry - Literacy Assistants - after-school tutors with an emphasis on literacy for school-age children.

Click Here for more details.

Listowel Meals on Wheels, Kerry – Meals on Wheels Driver.

Click Here for more details.

Lough Meals on Wheels, Cork – Meals on Wheels Driver.

Click Here for more details.

 

Mid West Region

Limerick Drop in Centre - Centre Volunteers – Assisting with welcoming our service users and helping at the coffee shop.

Click Here for more details.

 

West Region

Ballina Resource Centre, Mayo - After School Tutors - for primary and secondary school children.

Click Here for more details.

Ballina Resource Centre, Mayo - Parents Group - Irish Language Volunteer, to help parents with their Irish language skills, so parents can support their children with homework, reading etc.

Click Here for more details.

 

Noth West Region

Bundoran Ozanam House Residential Unit, Donegal – Meals on Wheels Driver.
Click Here for more details.

Two teachers looking at kids play

Social Housing

At SVP, we proudly deliver and manage sustainable social housing in Ireland. We're eager to hear from potential volunteers experienced in architecture, engineering, surveying, Health and Safety, social care, business, legal, and IT.

Two girls unloading boxes off from a van

Want to volunteer with Home Visitation?

It's easy to get started

We would be delighted to hear from you, and we hope the summary below is a useful guide to the application process..

1

Step 1

Please request an online application form by clicking HERE and sharing some details.

2

Step 2

You’ll automatically receive and email with the form, please complete it within 30 days.

3

Step 3

You'll then be notified via email about the next steps, including how to complete Garda Vetting.

4

Step 4

Someone from SVP will be in touch to discuss where exactly you would like to volunteer.

5

Step 5

Once the Garda Vetting is complete, you will be provided with access to our online training modules, which provide insight into the history and structure of SVP. Its takes approximately 2 hours to complete and does not have to be done in one sitting.

6

Step 6

Once you complete the online modules, you can register and attend one of our interactive training sessions with other applicants, which will be facilitated by experienced Members.

7

Step 7

You'll then be ready to join your Conference and start assisting people in need!

Volunteer stories

Volunteering is what makes SVP work. We couldn’t do it without you. Adeline Meagher has acted in many different roles in her local area and is an integral part of the work SVP does in her community. Adeline has seen the lives of thousands of people change due to the
Adeline, a Home Visitation Volunteer's Experience Working with SVP
Volunteering is what makes SVP work. We couldn’t do it without you. Noel Boyce is a long-serving volunteer with SVP. Noel’s personality and love of a chat are just some of the amazing qualities he brings to our organisation. As a man with years of experience, Noel shared just some
Noel, a Home Visitation Volunteer's Experience Working with SVP
SVP Volunteer Experience
Volunteering is what makes SVP work. We couldn’t do it without you. Tomas Madden is one of our amazing volunteers at SVP. Tomas sat down to share his experiences working with us at SVP and told us why he decided to give his time to help others as a volunteer.
Thomas, a Home Visitation Volunteer's Experience Working with SVP
A child being comforted by her mom
You’d be proud to know Annie. Despite going through one of the toughest periods of her life, Annie is keeping the faith, and she’s determined to stay strong for her three young children. This is how Annie is working her family out of homelessness with a little help from SVP…
Three years and counting
Hand prints on the wall
When I first started volunteering with SVP, I was amazed how important and valued it is to people in the community. When you see a child developing and becoming more confident and when you see the people getting something back from it – it makes coming in on a miserable,
Sarah's Story
Thirty years ago, Sinead decided to take action for what she believed in and joined a special Traveller Conference of SVP. Today, she is still fighting against discrimination. With support such as yours, her Conference has made so much progress for this community. Why did you join St. Vincent de
On the margins of society
Close Up Of Father And Sons Reading Story At Home
This is how you, and a man named Michael, are changing the lives of disadvantaged children in Ireland… one book at a time. An SVP volunteer of 19 years, 80-year-old Michael is a man of many talents… In his youth he was an engineer. He sings in a barbershop chorus.
Michael’s magic words...
A man holding a shopping basket
Jennifer is a volunteer visiting families in Cork. At this time of year, struggling with the costs of back-to-school is the biggest issue. Every year, there seems to be more and more families who just can’t manage it anymore. If not for the support of donors such as you, Jennifer
Cutting back on food to pay for school
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