History of Carlow Volunteer Centre

Carlow Volunteer Centre opened in July 2006, having been in development for over 10 years, since the County Development Board Strategy document at the time – Cumhlacht Comhoibriu – outlined the need for a dedicated Volunteer Centre in the county. 

A Volunteer Advisory Committee was established in 2005 by a number of local agencies.  They brought an application to the Department of Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs, and eventually succeeded in obtaining some start-up funding to appoint a Manager and commence a programme of work.  Set-up funding was also made available from CANDO Community Partnership and Carlow Local Authorities.

The project has received funding from the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs, Cohesion Funds, CANDO, the Community Foundation, and Carlow County Development Partnership in the past.

Carlow Volunteer Centre is an independent organisation and has been open to the public since July 2006 initially employing a Manager, and now employs 3 staff - a full-time Manager and two part-time Placement Officers.  The Centre has offices in Carlow town and holds regular outreach at various locations around the county. 

Carlow Volunteer Centre became a full member of Volunteer Centres Ireland in 2006. Along with 22 Volunteer Centres in the Republic of Ireland, we continue to be members of Volunteer Centres Ireland, and our Manager currently serves on its Board of Directors. The centre is currently funded by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, Carlow County Development Partnership with support for many projects provided by Unum.