{{Use Hiberno-English|date=February 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}} {{Infobox organization | name = Volunteer Ireland | caption = | logo = | abbreviation = | merged_into = Volunteer Centres Ireland, Volunteering Ireland | formation = 2011 | merger = | status = Charity | purpose = Support of local Volunteer Centres and Volunteering Information Services | headquarters = Carmichael House, 4 Brunswick Street North, Dublin 7, D07 RHA8 | location = Ireland | region_served = Ireland | membership = | leader_title = CEO | leader_name = Nina Arwitz | main_organ = | parent_organization = | affiliations = | budget = | website = https://www.volunteer.ie/ }}
'''Volunteer Ireland''' is an Irish national volunteer development organisation, which supports a network of local Volunteer Centres and Volunteering Information Services in Ireland.
==History== Volunteer Ireland began as two organisations, Volunteer Centres Ireland and Volunteering Ireland,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Volunteer Ireland - SpunOut.ie Help Listings - Ireland's Youth Information Website|url=https://spunout.ie/help/service/volunteer-ireland|access-date=2020-06-18|website=SpunOut.ie - Ireland's Youth Information Website|language=en}}</ref> which were merged in 2011.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hogan|first=Conor|date=6 December 2011|title=It's time to measure the value of volunteering|url=https://www.changingireland.ie/its-time-to-measure-the-value-of-volunteering/?cn-reloaded=1|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-06-18|website=www.changingireland.ie}}</ref> In 2000 some of the older volunteer centres, including what is now the South Dublin County Volunteer Centre, the Volunteer Centre Fingal and Volunteering Ireland, came together to discuss common issues and goals. In 2001, it was decided to formalise this grouping and Volunteer Centres Ireland (VCI) was formed. VCI adopted a constitution, membership criteria and agreed aims and objectives.{{Citation needed|date=June 2020}}
The VCI lobbied government to support a national infrastructure of volunteer centres, as part of the recommendations in ''Tipping the Balance'' (2002). In January 2005, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Volunteering published its report, ''Volunteers and Volunteering in Ireland'', in which it specifically recommended that the existing volunteering infrastructure be developed through VCI and Volunteering Ireland. A few months later, the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs announced a package of funding measures to fund this organisational infrastructure. The department extended funding to all the volunteer centres and VCI received funding to employ a national development officer.{{Citation needed|date=June 2020}}
On 28 January 2009, VCI addressed the Oireachtas Subcommittee on Community, Rural and Gaeltacht affairs on volunteering trends in Ireland.<ref>{{Cite web|website=Houses of the Oireachtas|date=2009-01-28|title=JOINT COMMITTEE ON ARTS,SPORT, TOURISM, COMMUNITY, RURAL AND GAELTACHT AFFAIRS debate - Wednesday, 28 Jan 2009|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/joint_committee_on_arts_sport_tourism_community_rural_and_gaeltacht_affairs/2009-01-28/2|access-date=2020-06-18|language=en-ie}}</ref>
Volunteer Ireland receives funding from the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht,<ref>{{Cite news|last=Farrell|first=Maura|date=10 January 2020|title=How volunteers became the lifeblood of rural Ireland|work=RTÉ Brainstorm|url=https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2018/0904/991561-how-volunteers-became-the-lifeblood-of-rural-ireland/|access-date=18 June 2020}}</ref> and is a member of European Volunteer Centre, the International Association for Volunteer Effort and Points of Light.<ref name="Volunteer Ireland">{{cite web |title=What we do |url=https://www.volunteer.ie/about-us/what-we-do/ |website=Volunteer Ireland |accessdate=18 June 2020}}</ref>
== Activities == Volunteer Ireland release research and data on volunteering and volunteers in Ireland. In 2012, they claimed that volunteers in Ireland saved the Irish government millions of euro, and that volunteers had contributed free labour over the preceding 2 years that was worth €22.7 million.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2012-10-26|title=Volunteers 'save the Government millions'|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/volunteers-save-the-government-millions-571893.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-06-18|website=www.irishexaminer.com|language=en}}</ref> They run the I-VOL phone app, which allows people to find volunteering opportunities in their area.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Wayman|first=Sheila|date=6 May 2014|title=Who wants to volunteer for a better life?|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/parenting/who-wants-to-volunteer-for-a-better-life-1.1784316|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-06-18|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en}}</ref>
In 2018 and 2019 they reported that the average age of volunteers was getting younger year-on-year.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Sweeney|first=Tanya|date=8 December 2018|title=Volunteering: Why and how you should get involved|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/volunteering-why-and-how-you-should-get-involved-1.3719900|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-06-18|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Sweeney|first=Tanya|date=15 May 2020|title=A helping high: Why we're still a nation of willing volunteers|url=https://www.independent.ie/life/a-helping-high-why-were-still-a-nation-of-willing-volunteers-38112129.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-06-18|website=Irish Independent|language=en}}</ref> In 2019, Volunteer Ireland partnered with Dublin Airport to pilot a scheme, Fáilte Abhaile/Welcome Volunteers, during which volunteers welcomed and assisted those arriving into the airport over the Christmas period.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2 November 2019|title=Dublin Airport trials volunteer assistance role|url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/fingalindependent/news/dublin-airport-trials-volunteer-assistance-role-38637916.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-06-18|website=Fingla Independent|language=en}}</ref> During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Volunteer Ireland was involved in large scale recruiting of volunteers to help with supporting the HSE and other government departments. Activities were coordinated through the network of Volunteer Centres.<ref>{{Cite web|last=TheCork.ie|date=2020-06-06|title=1,557 Cork volunteers respond to Govt call for during COVID crisis|url=https://www.thecork.ie/2020/06/06/1557-cork-volunteers-respond-to-govt-call-for-during-covid-crisis/|access-date=2020-06-18|website=TheCork.ie|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Lynch|first=Hayley|date=2020-05-31|title='All ages stepping up' as almost 17,000 people volunteer during Covid-19 crisis|url=http://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/all-ages-stepping-up-as-almost-17000-people-volunteer-during-covid-19-crisis/|access-date=2020-06-18|website=Agriland.ie|language=en}}</ref>
=== National Volunteering Week === The organisation run an annual awareness week, the National Volunteering Week, each May since 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-04-21|title=National Volunteering Week hoping to fill some of the 3,000 opportunities available|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/national-volunteering-week-hoping-to-fill-some-of-the-3000-opportunities-available-672712.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-06-18|website=www.irishexaminer.com|language=en}}</ref> In 2017, they estimate that roughly 500,000 people in Ireland volunteer in some capacity annually.<ref>{{Cite web|last=O'Byrne|first=Ellie|date=2017-05-15|title=Some of Ireland's unpaid heroes explain why they spend their time volunteering|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/features/some-of-irelands-unpaid-heroes-explain-why-they-spend-their-time-volunteering-450091.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-06-18|website=www.irishexaminer.com|language=en}}</ref>
=== Volunteer Ireland Awards === Volunteer Ireland have held an annual awards ceremony, Volunteer Ireland Awards, which celebrates volunteers in Ireland in a number of fields since 2007.<ref>{{Cite web|last=O'Connor|first=Mary|date=5 December 2019|title=Three Galway volunteers to be honoured at national awards ceremony tomorrow night|url=http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/111815/three-galway-volunteers-to-be-honoured-at-national-awards-ceremony-tomorrow-night|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-06-18|website=Galway Advertiser}}</ref>
There are 11 categories:
* Animals and Environment * Campaigning and Awareness Raising<ref>{{Cite web|last=Dennehy|first=Mary|date=17 December 2019|title=Tallaght man Johnny Fox wins national volunteer award|url=https://www.echo.ie/news/article/tallaght-man-johnny-fox-wins-national-volunteer-award|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201006153405/https://www.echo.ie/news/article/tallaght-man-johnny-fox-wins-national-volunteer-award|archive-date=6 October 2020|access-date=2020-06-18|website=www.echo.ie|language=en-gb|url-status=dead}}</ref> * Children and Youth * Community * Culture, Arts and Media<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-11-06|title=Pride organisers from across Ireland to form new Ireland Pride Network|url=https://gcn.ie/european-pride-conference-2020-carlow/|access-date=2020-06-18|website=GCN|language=en}}</ref> * Education and Training * Health and Disability * International Development * Social Work and Social Inclusion<ref>{{Cite web|last=Coleman|first=Deborah|date=22 December 2018|title=Dedicated local volunteers are recognised for their work|url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/wicklowpeople/news/dedicated-local-volunteers-are-recognised-for-their-work-37638522.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-06-18|website=independent|language=en}}</ref> * Sports and Recreation<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ryan|first=Nicky|date=6 December 2013|title=Waterford twins honoured at Volunteer Awards for search and rescue service|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/waterford-barry-twins-search-rescue-volunteer-awards-1209401-Dec2013/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-06-18|website=TheJournal.ie|language=en}}</ref> * Outstanding Group
The main award is the Christine Buckley Volunteer of the Year.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ryan|first=Órla|date=8 December 2018|title=Woman who took domestic abuse survivors into her home receives volunteering award|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/mary-fitzgerald-volunteering-award-4381329-Dec2018/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-06-18|website=TheJournal.ie|language=en}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
Category:Volunteering by country Category:Charities based in the Republic of Ireland Category:2011 establishments in Ireland