Volunteer

There are lots of volunteering opportunities in Ireland, long or short term, and abroad. The web is a good place to start searching.
In Ireland, Volunteering Ireland, Activelink and the Citizens Information Board have online databases and specific organisations e.g. Irish Refugee Council, Dublin Simon Community, or the ISPCA need volunteers to work with them from time to time.
Abroad: Organisations such as Action without Borders, Suas Educational Development, OutReach Moldova and Timebank offer opportunities. Often you are required to fundraise a specific sum of money.
Voluntary organisations operate like any business, with administration, research and fund-raising areas.
Unpaid work may be the only options if you are keen to get experience in areas such as media, advertising or PR, where paid summer placements are limited.

See Resources (Voluntary Work) for links to all the above.

Related Resources

Volunteer Opportunities Fair 2009 for details on a range of organisations who have opportunities in Ireland and abroad.
Volunteering Ireland Has a database of both residential and non-residential voluntary work opportunities in Ireland.
The Citizens Information Board, the national support agency responsible for providing information, advice and advocacy to the public on social services has a database of national voluntary organisations including those involved in providing services as well as those involved in campaigning.
Action without Borders has a database of international volunteer opportunities as well as links to other organisations promoting global volunteering.
Oneworld Co-ordinates many NGO job offers (Oxfam, Christian Aid, Caritas etc)
Suas Educational Development has been started by Trinity graduates to support education in the developing world.
Activelink works with non-profit organisations. Links to directory of Irish non-profit organisations, job opportunities and volunteering.
Travel to Teach is an international volunteer organisation, which provides affordable opportunities to volunteer in areas such as English and IT teaching, conservation, eco-tourism and community development.