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Volunteers
Volunteering and Social Welfare Payments
According to the Department of Social and Family Affairs you may volunteer if you are receiving the following payments.  Please read the paragraphs carefully as certain conditions may apply.  Job-seekers allowanceA person may engage in voluntary work and continue to be entitled to JA provided s/he continues to satisfy the conditions of being available for and genuinely seeking work.A number of factors are taken into account by a Deciding Officer in determining whether the work involved is voluntary and whether a person would continue to satisfy the conditions for the receipt of JA, and these include:
  • the aims and standing of the voluntary organisation,
  • the nature of the work involved,
  • the weekly number of hours worked.
The employment must be truly voluntary and the Deciding Officer must be satisfied that the unemployed person is not engaging in work that would normally warrant liability for the payment of PRSI. The Voluntary Work Option embraces a wide variety of voluntary activities, e.g. assisting the elderly, the sick or the handicapped in their homes or in institutions or assisting voluntary bodies such as youth clubs and resident associations. A person who wishes to apply for payment under the Voluntary Work Option must complete an application form (VW1), which is available from Social Welfare Local Offices. The application form VW1 should be submitted to the relevant Local Office for decision before s/he commences the voluntary work. Job-seekers benefitAccording to the department of Social and Family Affairs a person may engage in voluntary work and continue to be entitled to JB provided s/he continues to satisfy the conditions of being available for and genuinely seeking work. A number of factors are taken into account by a Deciding Officer in determining whether the work involved is voluntary and whether a person would continue to satisfy the conditions for the receipt of JB, and these include:
  • the aims and standing of the voluntary organisation,
  • the nature of the work involved,
  • the weekly number of hours worked.
The employment must be truly voluntary and the Deciding Officer must be satisfied that the unemployed person is not engaging in work that would normally warrant liability for the payment of PRSI. The Voluntary Work Option embraces a wide variety of voluntary activities, e.g. assisting the elderly, the sick or the handicapped in their homes or in institutions or assisting voluntary bodies such as youth clubs and resident associations. A person who wishes to apply for payment under the Voluntary Work Option must complete an application form (VW1), which is available from Social Welfare Local Offices. The application form VW1 should be submitted to the relevant Local Office for decision before s/he commences the voluntary work.    Illness benefit or disability benefitIf you are receiving illness or disability benefit, according to the Department of Social and Family Affairs the you are allowed to engage in:
  • work for which you do not get paid,
    or
  • work you do as part of treatment while you are a patient in hospital or a similar place,
    or
  • work you do as an out-worker under a charitable scheme, as long as your weekly earnings are under a certain limit.
You must first get permission from the Department of Social and Family Affairs before doing work of any kind. Contact 1890 66 22 44.  Disability allowancePlease contact Disability Allowance section of the Department of Social and Family Affairs on 1809 66 22 44 or contact your local office.  Invalidity PensionA person receiving an invalidity pension may volunteer, with the prior written permission of an officer of the Minister. For further information contact the Department of Social and Family Affairs on 1890 66 22 44 or phone your local office.  Blind Person’s pensionPlease contact the Department of Social and Family Affairs on 1890 66 22 44, or phone your local office.  All information in this fact-sheet is taken from the Department of Social and Family Affairs web site at http://www.welfare.ie. If you have any queries about any of the information above, please contact the Department of Social and Family Affairs on 1890 66 22 44.   
 
Your Rights & Responsibilities as a volunteer
 

Volunteers’ Rights

  • To know the selection process

  • To be given meaningful work to do

  • To know the organisations’ expectations – role description

  • To be offered appropriate training

  • To be thanked and to have their voluntary contribution recognized

  • To receive supervision and support

  • To get something out of the work

  • To know who to go to if there is a problem

  • To be reimbursed for out-of-the-pocket expenses incurred when volunteering

  • To make mistakes and learn from them

  • To be made aware of the organisation’s policies and procedures

  • To be treated fairly and not to experience discrimination

  • To have safe working conditions, including insurance cover

  • To be informed about, and given the opportunity to play an active part in, the organisation as a whole

  • To be able to say ‘no’ and to leave without feeling guilty

 

Volunteer’s Responsibilities

 

  • To respect the values and aims of the organisation

  • To be committed

  • To be reliable

  • To give the organisation sufficient notice if unable to work as scheduled

  • To be punctual

  • To attend essential training and support sessions

  • To undertake the work to a high standard

  • To be honest if there are problems

  • To respect confidentiality

  • To leave when asked or when no longer enjoying the volunteering experience – give sufficient notice

 
Our Placement Service
Volunteers who register with us, receive a high quality and free matching service. If you have looked around our site and decide that you would like to volunteer you can do so by registering online here. Once we have received your completed registration form we will contact you and add you to our database, then we can try and help you find suitable voluntary work.

Volunteers who contact us select one or more volunteering opportunities, which they would like to pursue. We will provide as much advice and support to the volunteer as necessary to enable him/her to avail of their particular choice. The decision for a volunteer to become involved with an organisation remains entirely with the volunteer. Our role is solely to match the placement and give whatever assistance is necessary facilitate the placement and introduction to the organisation. If you would like to discuss the options in more detail and would like us to set up informal interviews for you, please do not hesitate to contact us. You may also wish to contact organisations directly either by looking through our opportunities or through the many other opportunities we have here in the office.

County Wicklow Volunteer Centre is committed to a policy of equality of opportunity. We recognise that within our society certain individuals and groups of people are unfairly discriminated against, because of age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, mental or physical disability, race, creed, colour, nationality, political, economic status or criminal record. CWVC strives to eliminate all such forms of discrimination thus ensuring that all people are treated with dignity and respect in the workplace and beyond.

To register on line just click here
 
Some Questions To Ask Yourself before Volunteering

Often, there are so many volunteer opportunities to choose; finding the right one is difficult. Here are some helpful hints:

Pick an issue you really care about:
What are some community problems that concern you? If your choices include broad issues like health or environment, you may want to narrow it down to specific parts of the problem (e.g., cancer or clean water).

Ask your friends
Over 65% of all volunteers who volunteer do so because they were asked.


Look at immediate needs:
Organisations submit immediate needs to the Volunteer Centre. Review their needs and get some ideas of the possibilities. Check out the online database.

Think about your skills:
Are there skills that you have that you'd like to use in a volunteer opportunity?

Ask the Volunteer Centre for ideas:
You can email us This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it or contact us by phone at 01 2040885 This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Be Aware Of Your Needs:
One of the most important considerations you should think about before volunteering are your needs.

Motivation:
What do you want to gain from volunteering? This answer varies from person to person and no answer is wrong. From a chance to make a difference to using a skill or talent; from gaining professional experience to expressing your religious faith; from a chance to meet new people to achieving personal growth; gaining a more balanced life to giving something back. There are lots of reasons people volunteer. Be aware of yours.

Age:
If you are under 16 you will need to let the volunteer co-ordinator know your age; some agencies have set age limits for their volunteers.

Time:
For many people the biggest barrier to volunteering is a busy schedule. However, most of us really can fit volunteering into our lives. There is no minimum time requirement - you can put in an hour a day, an hour a month, or an hour a year. Look for holes in your schedule or combine volunteering with other important activities like family time, or combine it with a hobby (e.g. photography, playing the piano, etc.).

Location:
Remember to pick a convenient location - sticking with a volunteer opportunity will be hard if getting there is part of the problem.

Fun:
Remember that you should enjoy your volunteering experience. Pick something that you think will be fun, fulfilling and enjoyable.

Remember that if you decide to volunteer with an organisation, you do have certain rights and responsibilities (see rights and responsibilities of a volunteer for further details).

 
Ten Tips for a wise volunteering choice

1. Research the causes or issues important to you.
Look for a group that deals with issues about which you feel strongly. You might already be giving money to one of these organisations, and that might be a good place to begin your volunteer experience. If you can't find such an organisation, here's a challenging and intriguing thought: why not start one yourself? You can rally your neighbors to clean up that vacant lot on the corner, patrol the neighborhood, paint an elderly neighbor?s house, take turns keeping an eye on the ailing person down the street, or form a group to advocate for a remedy to that dangerous intersection in your neighborhood. There is no end to the creative avenues for volunteering, just as there is no end to the need for volunteers.

2. 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, which would incorporate these aspects of your personality. Many positions require a volunteer who has previous familiarity with certain equipment, such as computers, or who possesses certain skills, such as ability in athletics or communications. For one of these positions you might decide to do something comparable to what you do on the job during your workday, or something that you already enjoy as a hobby. This sort of position allows you to jump right into the work without having to take training to prepare for the assignment.

3. Consider volunteering as a family.
Think about looking for a volunteer opportunity, which would be suitable for parents and children to do together, or, for husband and wife to take on as a team. When a family volunteers to work together at a nonprofit organisation, the experience can bring them closer together, teach young children the value of giving their time and effort, introduce everyone in the family to skills and experiences never before encountered, and give the entire family a shared experience as a wonderful family memory.

4. Would you like to learn something new?
Perhaps you would like to move into areas that will provide you with novelty or change. Then seek a volunteer opportunity involving training in an unfamiliar skill. Many nonprofits seek out people who are willing to learn, especially if the needs they serve are specialised or unique. Many nonprofits have a demonstrated need, but few volunteers skilled in what it takes to fill that need. Realize beforehand, however, that such work might require much more of an effort or a time commitment for training before the actual volunteer assignment begins. Make sure you are willing to commit to the necessary responsibilities.

5. Don't over-commit your schedule.
Make sure the volunteer hours you want to give fit into your hectic life, so that you don't frustrate your family, exhaust yourself, shortchange the organisation you're trying to help or neglect your day job. Do you want a long-term assignment or something temporary? If you are unsure about your availability, or want to see how the work suits you before making an extensive commitment, see if the organisation will start you out on a limited number of hours until you get the feel of things. Better to start out slowly than to commit yourself to a schedule you can't or don't want to fulfill.

6. Nonprofits may have questions, too.
While most nonprofits are eager to find volunteer help, they have to be careful when accepting the services you offer. If you contact an organisation with an offer to donate your time, you may be asked to come in for an interview, fill out a volunteer application, describe your qualifications and your background-just as you would at an interview for a paying job. It is in the organisation's interest to make certain you have the skills they need, that you are truly committed to doing the work, and that your interests match those of the nonprofit. Furthermore, in volunteer work involving children or other at-risk populations, there are legal ramifications for the organisation to consider.


7. I never thought of that!
Many community groups which are looking for volunteers may not have occurred to you. Most of us know that hospitals, libraries, and churches involve volunteers for a great deal of their work, but here are some volunteer opportunities which may not have crossed your mind:

  • day care centers
  • Neighborhood Watch
  • public schools and colleges
  • halfway houses
  • community theatres
  • drug rehabilitation centers
  • retirement centres and homes for the elderly
  • Meals on Wheels
  • church or community-sponsored soup kitchens
  • museums, art galleries, and monuments
  • community choirs, bands and orchestras
  • prisons
  • neighbourhood parks
  • youth organisations, sports teams, and afterschool programs
  • shelters for battered women and children
  • historical restorations, battlefields and national parks


8. Give voice to your heart through your giving and volunteering!
Bring your heart and your sense of humor to your volunteer service, along with the enthusiastic spirit that is, in itself, a priceless gift. What you'll get back will be immeasurable!

9. Virtual volunteering?
Yes, there is such a thing! If you have computer access and the necessary skills, some organisations now offer the opportunity to do volunteer work over the computer. This might take the form of giving free legal advice, typing a college term paper for a person with a disability, or simply keeping in contact with a shut-in who has e-mail. This sort of volunteering might be well-suited to you if you have limited time, no transportation, or a physical disability which precludes you from getting about freely. Virtual volunteering can also be a way for you to give time if you simply enjoy computers and want to employ your computer skills in your volunteer work.

10. Be a year-round volunteer!
We all tend to think more of those in need during the holidays; but volunteering is welcome and necessary all year. The need for compassion doesn't stop with the New Year, and warm spring weather doesn't fill empty stomachs or decrease the litter in the public parks. We all need to be aware that making our communities, our nation and our world better is a 365-day-a-year responsibility and there is always something we could be doing to help!

 
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