Volunteer Placement Service
Who are we?
Carlow Volunteer Centre is part of the Volunteer Centres Ireland network of over 22 volunteer centres nationwide. Our main focus is to recruit, place & support volunteers in the town & county. We have over 100 local not-for-profit organisations registered with us who need volunteers on a regular basis. We currently have over 100 opportunities for volunteers, ranging from working with the young, the elderly to music or arts & crafts – whatever your skill or interest your help is much appreciated.
The Registration Process
Register on line to take the first step towards becoming a volunteer! (If you prefer, you can also register over the phone or in person by appointment). After registering, the following happen:
1. All new volunteers are invited to meet with Aisling or Natasha, Placement Officers with Carlow Volunteer Centre so we can show you our full list of opportunities but, more importantly, we want to find out about your skills & interests so that when you pick an opportunity it is one that you will enjoy! We can do this over the phone if you prefer not to come into the Centre.
2. Once we look through our list of opportunities with you we print off details of the ones you are most interested in and advise you to take them home and have a read through them in your own time. We suggest you pick one that seems to be most suitable for you –i.e. think about what you might enjoy, what will use your skills and talents, and what will be convenient for you.
3. Tell us your no. 1 choice and we will then put you in contact with the relevant voluntary organisation who will meet with you to let you know more about them and the role you will be playing as a volunteer. At this meeting you should ask the organisation any questions you may have about the role so you can be sure you know exactly what you will be doing as a volunteer.
4. Aisling or Natasha will give you a call a couple of weeks after you have commenced volunteering to ensure that you are satisfied with your placement.
Some Things You Should Know
- It can sometimes take a little while for a voluntary organisation to respond to an enquiry from a new volunteer. Please let us know if there is a long delay, and we can follow up with the organisation on your behalf.
- Some organisations can start new volunteers straight away. Other organisations provide training for all new volunteers (e.g. Youth Leaders, Phoneline Helpers) and this may take a number of weeks depending on the type of role.
- Some organisations may require new volunteers to be Garda Vetted – mainly those working with children & vulnerable adults. The organisation itself will provide all new volunteers with the standard form to fill out and it takes up to 12 weeks to complete the vetting. Please note, even if you have been garda vetted previously, you may still be required to fill in a new vetting form as vetting information cannot legally be shared between organisations.
- As a volunteer you should be given a role description before you start your role, an induction when you do start, and you should be shown the organisation’s volunteer policy. You may also be asked to sign a volunteer agreement which outlines your role & the role of the organisation during your volunteering. This may all seem like a lot but it ensures fairness & equality for all volunteers.
- On some occasions, an organisation may feel that the volunteering role you have applied for is not the right fit for you and may decline your application. Please do not feel disappointed if this happens, as the organisation is merely trying to ensure that you are not put in a position where you would be under a lot of stress. Come back and have a chat with us in the Volunteer Centre and we will try to find you something better suited to your unique abilities and talents!
Under 16?
Don’t let age stop you! We have a small number of organisations that welcome younger volunteers – we just need consent from a parent or guardian and then you are on your way to getting started as a volunteer.
Not Happy?
- If you start your volunteering role and find you are not satisfied – please discuss this with your contact in the voluntary organisation first. They may be unaware of your experience and may be able to change things to help. If you are still not satisfied in your role, let us know and we can either pass on your complaint to the voluntary organisation or look at other opportunities that may suit better.
- If you wish to make a complaint about your experience with Carlow Volunteer Centre rather than the organisation you are volunteering with we do have a standard complaints procedure where your complaint will be recorded and dealt with as efficiently as possible. Please contact us for details of this.
Can’t find a volunteering role that suits you?
A lot of our organisations welcome new ideas from volunteers – if you have a particular skill or talent & would like to teach or lead a group then please let us know & we will put your name on our Tutor Panel. Our community based organisations have many different groups that would be delighted to learn or try something new. And - check our website which is updated regularly with new volunteering opportunities.
Once Off List – Let us know if you would like to receive text messages about up-coming once-off events (e.g. Daffodil Day). If you are free for once-off events (1 hour can make a difference!) you can let us know and if not there’s no need to reply! You can remove yourself from the once-off list at any stage by texting “STOP” to 086 0436419
Your Personal Information
- Where you have provided us with your personal data you have a right to be given a copy of your personal data in accordance with section 4 of the Data Protection Acts subject to certain exceptions. To request a copy of your personal data please read Carlow Volunteer Centre Access Request Policy before completing an Access Request Form and sending it to us at Data Protection Coordinator, Carlow Volunteer Centre, The Mews, 37 Dublin St, Carlow
