News & Events

Volunteering Fair at DIT

Why Volunteer?

As well as being beneficial to others, volunteering can be a very worthwhile and rewarding activity in itself. Voluntary work will:

Improve your skills
Give you valuable experience
Look good on your CV!
Give you an opportunity give to others
Give you the opportunity to meet others
Build your self esteem and self confidence
Give you a competitive edge
Be essential for entry into some careers/courses
Be fun!

A survey carried out by TimeBank through Reed Executive among 200 leading businesses revealed some very interesting information about volunteering.

73% of employers would employ candidates with volunteering experience over one who doesn't.
94% of employers believe that volunteering can add to skills.
94% of employees who volunteered to learn new skills had benefited either by getting their first job, improving their salary, or being promoted.

Tips on Volunteering :

Research the causes or issues important to you.
Look for an organisation that works with issues about which you feel strongly.
Consider the skills you have to offer.
If you enjoy outdoor work, have a knack for teaching, or just enjoy interacting with people, you may want to look for volunteer work that incorporates these aspects of your personality.
Would you like to learn something new?
Perhaps you would like to learn a new skill or gain exposure to a new situation. Consider seeking a volunteer opportunity where you'll learn something new.
Don't over-commit your schedule.
Make sure the volunteer hours you want to give fit in with your college and personal life. Look at starting out on a limited number of hours until you get the feel of things.
Know what you are volunteering for

DIT Careers Service, DIT Societies and DIT Students Union are creating awareness of volunteering opportunities available both inside and outside DIT. Ultimately as a potential volunteer you have to be responsible for what you sign up to with a volunteering organisation. Be sure to check out the organisation in detail - a good way of finding out about the organisation and the work involved is to speak to someone who is currently volunteering.

Volunteering Organisations Attending the Fair

VMM Overseas Project www.vmm.ie VMM is a lay Christian non-government organisation (NGO), founded in 1969, whose members share their lives, faith, resources and skills to promote equality, respect and dignity for all.
Medecins Sans Frontieres www.msf.ie MSF is and independent humanitarian medical aid agency committed to two objectives: providing medical aid wherever needed, regardless of race, religion, politics or sex and raising awareness of the plight of the people we help
Irish Wheelchair Association www.iwa.ie The Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) was founded in 1960 by a small group of wheelchair users committed to improving the lives of people with physical disabilities in Ireland. IWA has gone on to become an important provider of quality services to people with limited mobility throughout the country.
Camara www.camara.ie Camara recycles and refurbishes computers and ships them to schools and colleges in Africa
Dogs in Distress www.dogsindistress.org Dogs in Distress (DID) rescues dogs from Ireland’s largest public pound, Ashton Pound in Dublin. In 2007 DID rescued and re-homed over 800 dogs. DID uses a network of foster homes before moving dogs to permanent homes. All dogs are spayed/neutered, microchipped and vaccinated as standard. Volunteers are required for; dog fostering, pound visits, fundraising, home check visits and dog transport.
SERVE www.serve.ie SERVE is a development and volunteering organisation committed to tackling poverty in the majority world.
Skillshare International Ireland www.skillshare.org Skillshare International aims to help partner organisations to achieve their visions by improving their performance and services.
Sli-eile www.slieile.com Slí Eile is the Jesuit organisation that provides a wide range of faith and justice activities for young adults aged 18-35
Christian Aid www.christianaid.ie Christian Aid, international development charity. We fight and campaign against poverty and social injustice
CASA www.casa.ie CASA is a voluntary organisation of people with disabilities and voluntary members.
Habitat for Humanity www.habitatireland.ie/ Habitat for Humanity is a non-denominational Christian charity dedicated to eliminating poverty housing worldwide. We work around the world with volunteers from all backgrounds, races and religions to build homes together with families in need.
Viatores Christi www.viatoreschristi.com/ Viatores Christi, founded in 1960, recruits, prepares and sends lay missionary development workers to work in areas of need overseas. We also facilitate the placement of full time volunteers here in Ireland
Lattitude(Formerly GAP)
Age Action www.ageaction.ie Age Action Ireland is the national independent organisation on ageing and older people. It acts as a network of organisations and individuals including older people and carers of older people
Ispcc The ISPCC exists to advocate on behalf of all children in Ireland, and to provide a range of independent and unique services which are preventative and empowering in nature
Childine www.childline.ie/ Here in Childline we try to empower, support, and protect young people like you. Our services are all free and confidential.
Samaritans www.dublinsamaritans.ie/ - Samaritans offer confidential, non-judgemental support 24 hours a day to provide confidential emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which may lead to suicide.
USIT www.usit.ie/ In Ireland, USIT is the specialist in student, youth and independent travel with its headquarters in Aston Quay, Dublin.
Voluntary Service International www.vsi.ie Voluntary Service International is the Irish branch of Service Civil International, a worldwide peace movement started in 1920. Was undertaken a wide variety of voluntary and community work throughout Ireland and worldwide
Hope Foundations www.hopefoundation.ie/ The Hope Foundation is a registered Irish charity set up in 1999 to help restore basic human rights to the street children of Calcutta.
Micah www.micah.ie The Micah Community is a parish-based ministry for young adults offering opportunities for faith formation, friendship, and social outreach
MS Ireland www.ms-society.ie MS Ireland is the only national organisation working solely on behalf of people living with Multiple Sclerosis and the many thousands of people who share their lives.
i-to-i www.i-to-i.com Welcome to i-to-i - the world's leader in Meaningful Travel & TEFL training (since 1994).
Fighting Blindness www.fightingblindness.ie Fighting Blindness is totally committed to finding treatments and cures for all forms of blindness and related sensory loss through the promotion of research. We are equally committed to supporting those affected by degenerative blinding conditions and to providing information to all interested parties
Irish Assosciation or Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus www.iasbah.ie/ The Association was established to promote the care, welfare, interest, treatment, education, advancement and rehabilitation of persons with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus
Rehab www.rehab.ie The Rehab Group is an independent, not-for-profit organisation which provides training, employment, health and social care and commercial services for some 56,000 people each year in Ireland, the UK, the Netherlands and Poland.
Amnesty www.amnesty.ie Amnesty International’s vision is of a world in which every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards.
Progressio Ireland www.progessio.ie An independent Irish organisation working for sustainable development and the eradication of poverty. We place skilled professionals whom we call 'development workers' with local partner organisations in 11 countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East and Asia
N/a’an Kuse www.ecotourism-namibia.com/volunteerintro.html The Wildlife and Research projects work hand in hand, so not only will you assist the project coordinators with caring for the large carnivores and various other species of African wildlife rehabilitated at the sanctuary, but you will also have the opportunity to research and release Cheetahs and Leopards in the local area

Volunteering Opportunities within DIT

There are many opportunities to volunteer within DIT. This year a volunteering society has been set up with the aim of supporting, facilitating and encouraging students to volunteer in a structured environment.

Visit DIT Societies http://socs.dit.ie/volunteering/index.php/

DIT Chaplaincy Service www.chaplaincy.dit.ie

DIT Saint Vincent De Paul Society

DIT Access Service www.dit.ie/services/communitylinks/lifelongeducationalaccessprogrammeleap/

VOS : volunteering overseas

DITSU www.ditsu.ie

DIT Sports www.ditsports.ie/