Category: Volunteering at VI

In our first blog of 2021, Mark O’Connor tells us of his unique experience of doing his student placement remotely with Volunteer Ireland.

In this blog I will be writing about my recent internship experience with Volunteer Ireland. As a Social Science student in UCD I was able to take up the opportunity of an internship as part of my third year in the newly developed undergraduate programme. Once I realised there was an opportunity for a role on the Corporate & Events team, I sent in my CV and a cover letter before being called for an interview. I was so very grateful to be given such a valuable opportunity at such an uncertain time for myself both academically and professionally.

My experience in Volunteer Ireland was of course very different to that of any previous intern within the organisation. I was not able to meet with the team in person and due to COVID restrictions I missed out on certain in-person activities and events which would usually happen every year in more normal circumstances. However, while the need to work remotely for the entirety of the volunteer experience was definitely a challenging and unusual aspect of the internship, Volunteer Ireland certainly went above and beyond in order to ensure I was both comfortable and confident in my new role. I was fortunate enough to receive a very thorough and well-planned induction two weeks prior to my official start date with the Corporate & Events team in September. The induction lasted a number of hours and allowed me to chat with the team (Terri, Darren, and Anna) about the organisation and what would lie ahead for me in the coming months.

While remote volunteering has certainly posed some challenges, I also believe it provides potential volunteers with some great opportunities. Taking up a virtual volunteer role during a time like this can really help to boost your sense of belonging in a community and increase your confidence and communication skills. It can also be a more flexible option for people that would not usually be able to find the time to volunteer in person due to work schedules or transport issues. I was surprised by how much can be achieved through online collaboration and I really enjoyed helping to plan and execute a number of virtual volunteering sessions as well a letter writing initiative that would see care-home residents receive a positive message during a difficult time.

I am very grateful to Volunteer Ireland for being so welcoming from the very beginning and for giving me the opportunity to add such a valuable experience to my undergraduate degree. I managed to gain a range of interpersonal skills which will benefit me both academically and professionally going forward. Most importantly, I had a really enjoyable and rewarding time with Volunteer Ireland!

Earlier this year, Skye Corken volunteered with us on some of our major projects. She was an invaluable part of the team while she was here and we already miss her plenty. Here she describes her volunteering experience and what she feels she got from it.

I spent the two and a half months earlier this year volunteering with Volunteer Ireland in their Corporate Programs & Events team. While I was excited to return home to my family in the states, I truly miss the time I spent with my co-workers creating and being a part of meaningful volunteer projects throughout the community.

Being in the Corporate Programs and Events team meant that I had the amazing job of helping with the planning and developing of so many exciting corporate volunteer projects throughout Dublin and beyond. Over ten weeks I met and worked with employees from companies like Indeed, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Electronic Arts (EA), Pitney Bowes, and Bar of Ireland. Volunteer Ireland also gave me the opportunity to attend wonderful professional development courses in topics such as Successful Delegation in Volunteers, Day-to-Day Volunteer Management, and Volunteer Engagement.

My day-to-day responsibilities included tasks such as responding to and recording corporate inquiries into the Salesforce database, completing department purchase orders, and working on various spread sheets for management. However, most of my time was devoted to specialized projects. These included ordering project supplies and materials, visiting sites prior to events, attending and serving as team lead for corporate team impact days, putting together project packs and volunteer paperwork, and creating contact spread sheets for the National Volunteer Awards ceremony. Of course, this is only a short list of the kinds of things I was able to work on for VI’s corporate team.  Through my tasks, I was able to strengthen my skills in communication, corporate engagement, project management, and teamwork.

I also got the chance to tag along with the VI team and attend the National Ploughing Championships in September. This was one of my favorite experiences I’ve had while living in Ireland and was such a fun event with plenty of food, music, and farm animals to go around. The Ploughing gave me real insight into the proud history behind Ireland’s farmers. While there, I was also able to mingle with members of various volunteer organizations throughout the country and learn about how they are engaging volunteers in their own communities.

To say that volunteering with Volunteer Ireland was a wonderful professional experience, just wouldn’t be enough. The truth is, working with them was so much more than that. My corporate team took me under their wing and gave me valuable knowledge that I will continue to carry throughout not only my professional career, but in my personal life as well.

Thank you Volunteer Ireland for sharing your wisdom, your community, and your friendships.

Skye x

Oscar Egan has been on student placement with Volunteer Ireland since the beginning of March. In that time, he has been an invaluable member of the team supporting a number of Team Impact Days and even volunteering to take part in the National Volunteering Week photo launch. In today’s blog he tells us a little bit about his time here. 

I’m coming towards the end of my internship at Volunteer Ireland and I’m having a good experience here. I am part of the corporate team which means working in the office and taking part in active volunteering projects.

A big part of our work is sourcing, organising and managing employee volunteering projects known as Team Impact Days. A Team Impact Day is a project in which a group of employees from a corporate company take part in a day of volunteering at an organisation such as a school or community centre in order to make a difference. The type of activities that take place are usually gardening, painting and refurbishment. The organisations where the work is carried out do not have the resources to do it themselves, so we make it possible through Team Impact Days.

I deal with the enquiries. I send information to people from companies who are interested in getting involved. We have an available projects list which is sent out once a potential client would like to proceed and find a project that suits the company’s availability and number of volunteers. Volunteer Ireland provides project management and also all the necessary tools.

The projects usually start around 9am and finish at around 4pm. The difference that is made during that time is phenomenal, as I know from experiencing it myself. The areas in which the projects are carried out are usually in rack and ruin at first and by the end of the day are completely transformed in a positive way.

I’ve taken part in many Team Impact Days so far and still have more to come.

Points of Light is the biggest volunteering organisation in the world and provides funding for major volunteering projects, usually over the space of a week. I took part in the first 2 days of Points of Light global Week of Possibilities project in Dublin and could already see the difference being made. I saw pictures of the room when it was finished and the difference that was made was unbelievable.

I’m finishing here at the end of June but am staying on to take part in a week long Points of Light project in Sligo. It will be a great way to finish my time here.

Bastin Jose volunteered at Volunteer Ireland as part of his degree at IT Tallaght. He spent time with the corporate team and played a huge part in the Points of Light Global Gathering in Dublin. These are his thoughts on volunteering.

I have always wanted to get involved in volunteering and loved helping others. I had volunteered beforehand and really enjoyed it. It was always in the back of mind to get out and volunteer but with college and a part-time job it was hard to find time for it. However, as a part of degree, it was compulsory for me to either spend a semester abroad or obtain an internship at home. As a lover of languages, I chose to spend a semester abroad in France. Unfortunately, it did not go as I had planned and I was in bit of a sticky situation. This was however a blessing in disguise, as I was able to obtain an internship at Volunteer Ireland.

I thoroughly enjoyed my internship and that was due to the amazing staff at Volunteer Ireland. It was great to work with a group of people who were always happy and motivated to be promoting volunteering and volunteering opportunities in Ireland. From organising & taking part in Team Impact Days to the Points of Light Global Gathering event, Volunteer Ireland has given me such a great experience, more than I could have ever hoped to gain

This internship enabled me to become more open minded, to discover various aspects about volunteering, to give back to the community and to meet & work with great people. It has really changed my outlook on life and given me unforgettable moments. Interning at Volunteer Ireland, provided me with the opportunity to experience being in an office working environment as well as an outdoor working environment. I had the honour of organising and taking part in the Points of Light Global Gathering. This was an amazing experience for me, as I had the opportunity to meet and interact with people from all around the world. All this experience that I gained during my four-month internship at Volunteer Ireland will greatly benefit me in future endeavours both personally and professionally.

I certainly believe that everyone would benefit from volunteering, as it provides opportunities to not only help others but help your self-development. Volunteering helps us to become more open minded and in touch with our communities. The beauty of volunteering is the fact that there are so many ways that you can volunteer, as you’re not limited to a certain area or activity. It is an avenue to meet, interact and work with new people. That feeling of pride and satisfaction you receive after volunteering is truly incredible.