Volunteer Ireland

12/10/2026

08/10/2026

It's the final call! 📢
Nominations for the Volunteer Ireland Awards close tomorrow at 5pm, so don't miss your chance! Support the people that support your community by recognising their efforts as a volunteer and put their name forward!

You can find the nomination form here: https://www.volunteer.ie/nominate-a-volunteer/
Want to know more about the awards? Check out this link: https://www.volunteer.ie/about-the-awards/

06/10/2026

It’s Budget Day! As the details come out, we reiterate our call for Government to allocate funding to ensure quality, meaningful volunteering opportunities are available for all. Volunteering and volunteers need the stability and support of good infrastructure. This looks like strong, well-resourced Volunteer Centres, a robust National Volunteering Strategy and material support to make volunteering a part of so many people's integration into a new community.

Along with our colleagues across the sector, we welcome the Government's commitment to building the communities of Ireland. We're reading the Budget documents carefully, and will let you know what we can find out about funding in our area soon.

05/10/2026

Know a volunteer group that has made a difference? Know an individual who has made a difference? Nominate them now for the Volunteer Ireland Awards!
Click here to submit a nomination - https://www.volunteer.ie/nominate-a-volunteer/

05/10/2026

Budget Day 2027 is on our doorsteps... Our Head of Advocacy and Engagement and managers from Volunteer Centres across the country met with Minister Jerry Buttimer on Friday to discuss the vital role that volunteering plays in building community. Specifically, we talked about how important volunteering is for new arrivals to Ireland and what we can do to support them. Here's to meaningful, supportive volunteering in 2027!
Cork Volunteer Centre South Dublin Volunteer Centre Kildare Volunteer Centre Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht

01/10/2026

01/10/2026

Attention, attention‼️
The Volunteer Ireland Awards nomination deadline has officially been extended! Submit your nominations for the VIA by October 9th, 5pm! 🏆

For the people you know that go above and beyond for their community, put their name forward so they can get the recognition they deserve. 🤝❤️

You can find the nominations form here: https://www.volunteer.ie/nominate-a-volunteer/

30/09/2026

🎊 Mark your calendars: our FIRST ever member-only meet-up for volunteer managers is happening this November! 🎊

Are you a volunteer manager ready to level up your impact? 🌟
Join the Institute of Volunteer Leadership - while you support your team, we'll support you.

Whether you coordinate a small team or lead a corporate volunteering programme, the Institute of Volunteer Leadership equips you with the skills, support, and recognition you deserve.

Learn more and join today: https://www.volunteer.ie/institute-of-volunteer-leadership/

29/09/2026

📍 Today we’re looking back on our pilot training in Romania

Last May, the REAL project partners from Ireland, Croatia, Romania, Germany, Norway and Belgium came together in Măguri-Răcătău, Romania, for something we'd been building towards for a long time: the pilot testing of the REAL training course.

For 4 days, community leaders, volunteer managers, and CSO representatives from our partner countries shared ideas, tested new tools, and learned from one another what it takes to build more resilient communities back home.

This is what REAL is all about: real people, real skills, real change across borders. 🌍

Thank you to everyone who took part and made it happen!

28/09/2026

Today we're making the bittersweet announcement that our CEO Nina Arwitz is stepping down after 12 years leading Volunteer Ireland.

Over more than a decade, Nina has exploded the number of projects and programmes we deliver. She has advocated for the value of volunteering, consulting on two National Volunteering Strategies and seeing volunteering's inclusion in the programme for government.

Ireland is so fortunate to have national Volunteer Centre coverage, innovative programmes like Community Volunteers, and a strong volunteering infrastructure. Under Nina's leadership, Volunteer Ireland has grown into the organisation it is today, working with the Volunteer Centres across the country and championing volunteering at every level.

On behalf of everyone at Volunteer Ireland, and the wider volunteering community she has supported for so long, thank you Nina!