National Volunteering Week is a weeklong celebration of volunteering that takes place from Monday 20 May – Sunday 26 May.

This year's National Volunteering Week theme is 'Uniquely Us!' We're celebrating the power of volunteering to enrich our communities, bridge social divides, and create opportunities for meaningful connections.

Here are a few ways you can get involved:
Gather stories of volunteers to share on your social channels during National Volunteering Week.
Plan an event – could you give your volunteers an opportunity to upskill? Maybe a social coffee morning or afternoon tea for volunteers to get together.                                                                                                                        Give your volunteers a certificate of appreciation.

Engage with us in the Volunteer Centre 
National Volunteering Week is a great time to take stock of your volunteer programme –
Do you need to recruit more volunteers?
Do you need to create more flexible volunteer roles?

We are here to assist you.
#NVWIreland
#Uniquely Us!

As part of our National Volunteering Week celebrations, please join our next Volunteer Managers Forum meeting on:

Wednesday 22 May from 11.00am to 1.00pm
Rua Red, South Dublin Arts Centre, Blessington Road, Tallaght D24 KV8N

The Volunteer Managers Forum is an opportunity to meet with volunteer centre staff and see how we can best support you, and to connect and share with other volunteer managers in the area.

We will be discussing the National Volunteering Week theme "Uniquely Us"– a celebration of the power of volunteering to enrich our communities, build social bridges and provide opportunities for meaningful connections. We will looking at new research undertaken by Volunteer Ireland and Volunteer Now on Inclusion in Volunteering.

Tea, coffee and sandwiches will be provided.
To book your place at the Forum, please click on the button below

The South Dublin Community Volunteers are delighted to be nominated as one of 4 groups shortlisted for the Red Cross Humanitarian Awards.  We are so proud of this recognition of our work.

The Community Volunteers are available to your organisation if you need additional support at an event or special occasion. In 2023 we supported over 40 events across South Dublin, ranging from local community festivals, sporting events, special occasions for organisations and seasonal community events.
If you'd like to find out more details click here.

Inclusive recruitment practices are key to building diverse and vibrant volunteer teams that reflect the current multicultural communities in Ireland. By adopting inclusive recruitment strategies, organisations can attract and retain volunteers from various backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

Inclusive recruitment matters
Inclusive recruitment promotes diversity and representation within organisations, enhancing creativity, innovation and problem-solving through diverse perspectives.
Inclusive recruitment fosters a sense of belonging and inclusivity among volunteers.

Strategies that can be used for inclusive recruitment 
Ensure that your organisation creates roles that are accessible to displaced people. Take note of the language proficiency and time commitment for the roles. Follow the link on how to create roles suitable for displaced people: https://volunteerdublin.ie/creating-suitable-volunteering-roles-for-displaced-people/ 

Craft recruitment and communication materials that are inclusive, welcoming, and free from jargon, acronyms,  bias or stereotypes.

Offer alternative application methods to ensure accessibility for volunteers with varying needs and preferences.

Train recruiters and selection committees on unconscious bias awareness with support from the volunteer centre.

Action Points
Your organisation can conduct a short diversity audit of current volunteer demographics and identify areas for improvement.

Establish diversity and inclusion goals and metrics to track progress in recruitment efforts.  

Regularly evaluate recruitment practices and solicit volunteer feedback to identify enhancement opportunities.

Celebrate and showcase the diversity of volunteers within the organization to attract and inspire others to join.

Always call on the volunteer centre for support.

Conclusion
Inclusive recruitment practices are essential for building strong, diverse, and resilient volunteer teams that reflect the richness and diversity of Irish communities.

By embracing diversity in recruitment, organisations can create an inclusive organisational culture where volunteers feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their unique talents and perspectives.

Our colleague Sandra is supporting organisations in this program. If you would like to learn more about THRIVE please contact her.

sandra@volunteersouthdublin.ie or call 0833799823.

We launched the Community Hub earlier this year and we know it will be a huge benefit to you. It will will empower you to have greater control and visibility over your organisation's information on I-vol.

Here's what you'll be able to do:

View and Edit Organisation Details:
Easily access and update your organisation's information, ensuring it's always accurate and up to date.

Browse Volunteer Opportunities:
See comprehensive list of yor available volunteer opportunities, both active and deactivated.

Edit and Clone Volunteer Opportunities:
Modify existing volunteer opportunities to better suit your requirements, or replicate successful opportunities with just a few clicks.

Activate or Deactivate Opportunities:
Manage the visibility of your volunteer opportunities by activating or deactivating them as needed, ensuring your listings are always relevant.

Create New Contacts:
Seamlessly add new contacts for your organisation, facilitating better communication.

The Community Hub is a secure password protected website.

To see what you can do yourself watch the short video below.

To register for the Community Hub, or for more information contact

Deirdre McNicholas                                                    deirdre@volunteersouthdublin.ie
Tel: 0860757282

We believe that collaboration is key to achieving our shared goals. Whether you're seeking volunteers for an upcoming project, or simply want to share your feedback and suggestions, we invite you to reach out and get involved!

Please, fill in this short feedback form to make our next newsletter more helpful for you.

Together, we can make positive change and build a stronger, more united community for all.