Hi All
A special welcome this week to everyone who has registered on I-VOL - the national volunteering database - in recent days and weeks.
We have had a huge volume of volunteer registrations - nearly 800 just in South Dublin County alone - directly in response to Covid-19 and would like to thank you so much for your interest in helping during this national emergency.
Whilst many of you have now gotten started in a volunteering role, many more others have not yet been called upon. Please continue to bear with us as it remains the case that the number of willing volunteers far exceeds the amount of roles for now. We have spoken to many of you on the phone, but we have not reached everyone. As we know however, the current situation is a continuing one, so it is likely that we will need your help in the future.
In the meantime, our newsletter will bring you an update on what’s been happening with volunteers locally and nationally, and the tremendous difference that they have been making every day in the response to Covid-19.
We’d love to share you stories of volunteering - whether you are volunteering just now as part of the emergency response , or looking forward to resuming your existing volunteer role as soon as conditions improve. Please do send your story along with a photo to colette@volunteersouthdublin.ie and we’ll add them to our website.
And lastly , just a reminder that in order for us to prepare to involve volunteers, we need you to tell us more about yourself. If you haven’t already done so, please click this link here and update the new Covid-19 Response fields. It will be a great help to us in matching people to potential roles going forward!
Thank you. Stay safe and well
From all at South Dublin County Volunteer Centre
Volunteer from Home
Volunteer Ireland in partnership with Volunteer Centres nationally has launched a #volunteerfromhome campaign, encouraging people to volunteer from home during the current pandemic.
Over 15,000 new volunteers have registered on the national volunteering database, I-VOL, in the last few weeks. While many people are volunteering in direct response to COVID-19, for the majority of people the best thing they can do is stay home and stay safe.
According to Nina Arwitz, Volunteer Ireland CEO “The most important thing we can all do right now is stay home and limit the spread of COVID-19. But that doesn’t mean people can’t still give back and get involved. We have seen such a huge outpouring of support from people willing to help and there are so many organisations that still need ongoing support during this crisis.”
“We know that many people have lost jobs, hobbies and connections. Volunteering is a great way to make a contribution and it can really help give a sense of purpose. It has also been proven to be beneficial for our mental health and well-being – something which is of the utmost important right now.”
The campaign will run for the duration of the COVID-19 restrictions and showcase the different ways people can get involved – including microvolunteering, virtual volunteering and physical volunteering roles that can be done at home. Volunteer Ireland is also developing resources for organisations to support them to engage existing and new volunteers remotely.
There are lots of ways people can get involved from home, according to Ms Arwitz. “From something simple like counting birds and insects in your garden in order to help document Ireland’s wildlife to something more long term like helping an organisation with their social media – there is a lot on offer. We have even seen an increase in knitting projects so there really is something for everyone.” More information on the campaign and ways to volunteer from home can be found here or check out all the volunteering from home opportunities on I-VOL
Read More here - https://www.volunteer.ie/volunteers/volunteer-from-home/ Check out some great examples below 
National Library of Ireland The National Library of Ireland who use The Commons on Flickr to upload their hundreds of photos, prints and manuscripts. The public are then invited to help date and provide information on the images, helping add to the National Library’s archive.
Penguin Watch Count penguins in remote regions to help Oxford University understand their lives and environment. Penguins are globally loved but under threat. Why are penguin populations are in decline? Help monitor penguins and answer this question.
Meitheal Transcribe a story in Irish or English from the Dúchas Schools Collection and discover traditional lore, crafts, customs and local history.
Be My Eyes Every day, sighted volunteers lend their eyes to solve tasks big and small to help blind and low-vision people lead more independent lives. Be My Eyes is a free app that connects people for visual assistance through live video calls.
Map Swipe Volunteers mapping the world’s most vulnerable to improve response to crises by providing better maps and data for NGOs. Download the app and swipe through satellite imagery while tapping the features you spot.
Team Hope Super Knitter We need your knitting skills!! Please grab your knitting needles and help make a child smile! Every year we send Christmas Shoebox Gifts to needy children in Eastern Europe and Africa and we are always grateful to everyone for creating their shoebox gifts. However, some of the boxes need to be “filled” with a few more items and that’s where you can help. You can help make the boxes extra special for these children by creating easy-to-knit “WOW” items.
Volunteers making a difference at South Dublin County Covid-19 Test Centres
Since 15th March, our Manager Tricia Nolan and colleague Bernard Dunne have been co-ordinating a team of 25 volunteers at the Covid-19 testing centre at Tallaght Stadium, working alongside the National Ambulance Service and the HSE.
The volunteer team have taken responsibility for document screening and management of the car park area, meeting and greeting the patients as they arrive, offering reassurance, giving them patient packs, organising their documentation and queueing them up for testing.
Volunteers have shown ( and continue to show) fantastic dedication to their role to help keep the testing centre operating smoothly 7 days a week.
The role is entirely outdoors (although the weather has been very kind to date) but volunteers have been kept warm with kit from our event volunteering programme (South Dublin County Volunteer Corps)
We also have a number of volunteers giving time at the testing centre in Lucan. The volunteer team there is being managed by our colleagues at Dublin City Volunteer Centre.
Both teams are likely to require further volunteers in the weeks and months ahead and we will be in touch with our volunteer pool as the need arises
Thank you to everyone involved! 
A message of thanks from Brad Wilton – Serve the City, working in partnership with South Dublin County Community Check In
Serve the City are key partners in the South Dublin County Community Check In response. Their role is to co-ordinate volunteers to respond to requests for shopping and prescription collections. To date, over 70 volunteers have been recruited to Serve the City from the Volunteer Centre. Brad Wilton from Serve the City has shared the following message of thanks with us:
"Coordinating 'community call' assignments for Serve The City (STC) has been an extraordinary journey in recent weeks since volunteering in Ireland changed so radically. It's been a fantastic, rewarding and engaging time for our charity and our volunteers. We - and I mean we - are all working long hours and smiling along the way knowing that almost every hour of the working day someone across Dublin is receiving the help they need. The assistance from the volunteer centres has made all the difference! I remember mid-March well: a time when I was unsure of where to find volunteers for the new community call home shopping assignments. Now there are now so many willing people offering their time and patience, and I remain humbled and grateful to every volunteer and for all the support we've received.
The bottom line is that none of the community call volunteering assignments would be possible without the kindness of our volunteers. Almost every volunteer I have called has agreed to help right away, made contact with clients at once and delivered a trolley full of groceries and essentials with love in their hearts. "Thank you" are two little words that mean so much. To every volunteer who has become a shopper with STC, I therefore say thank you from the bottom of my heart. Not just for standing in long supermarket queues, their patience on the phone with cocooned folk but also for taking on each shopping assignment with purpose and helping make someone's life a little bit easier.
At the moment, STC's home shopping is reasonably stable and we're hoping to take on new volunteers again soon. The leadership team at Serve The City is always busy and as new community call volunteering assignments come to life, we'll be sure to ask for more help. Thank you to everyone for helping and for putting their names forward during a brand new era in our lifetimes. The benevolence and heart-filled spirit of the Irish is quite something to be part of and it gives me hope that this beautiful nation will come out of this time stronger, kinder and filled with determination."
All the best and stay well,
Brad The Volunteer Centre - Responding to needs as they arise
Whilst many Volunteer Involving Organisations have had to suspend their volunteer programmes at this time, we have received a number of requests from local services looking for additional volunteers. All of these requests have now been met and we are pleased to report that in addition to the services feature in today’s newsletter, volunteers are also engaged in a range of other supports including social care roles and foodbank distribution. 
South Dublin County Covid-19 Community Response Forum
The Volunteer Centre is pleased to be a partner in the South Dublin County Community Response Forum as part of the national Community Call.
As part of the forum, a COMMUNITY CHECK-IN has been set up as a point of contact to offer accurate information about services in the area -assist with shopping & delivery or any other assistance required. The helpline is available on 1800 240519 Monday to Friday 9 – 5pm 
County Hall, Belgard Square North, Tallaght, Dublin 24
Want to manage your email preferences? Click here |
