Volunteering
Volunteering can be a rewarding opportunity to contribute to the community, develop a range of skills and increase your confidence. The benefits of volunteering are countless and it can offer emotional, physical and professional benefits. If you are looking to gain work experience and develop transferrable skills, volunteering is a great option, and with a wide range of opportunities available there will definitely be something out there for you.
An added benefit is that employers look favourably on candidates who have volunteered as it provides evidence of being a rounded person with interests outside of their course and with the ability to commit to doing more than the minimum required. You can enhance your application forms and CV with the skills you have learned and contributions you have made while volunteering. You can also apply to have your volunteering recognised through the Dean’s List awards (see the Civic Engagement Office website) or, depending on your course of study, through the Trinity Employability Award.
Find out what volunteering opportunities are available out there and identify what interests you the most:
Volunteering opportunities
- MyCareer A careers portal for Trinity students interested in vacancies, further study options, competitions and events
- ActiveLink Activelink is a directory of Irish non-profit organisations, and lists jobs and volunteering opportunities
- Trinity Employability Award Take part in skills training and have your extracurricular activities recognised by taking part in this award run by the Careers Service in collaboration with employers
- Volunteer Ireland The national volunteer centre which provides information on volunteering and also matches individuals with opportunities
- Trinity Civic Engagement Office Trinity information resource on community and voluntary activities
- The Wheel The Wheel supports and connects community and voluntary organisations and charities across Ireland
- The European Voluntary Service A European network of over 80 mainly national and regional volunteer centres and volunteer development agencies across Europe
- United Nations Volunteers The UNV mobilises close to 8,000 volunteers to work in Development Assistance projects and in Humanitarian and Peacekeeping Operations
- Suas Educational Development SUAS was started by Trinity graduates to support education in the developing world
- Volunteering options Resources to help you make decisions about volunteering in developing countries and to find a supportive sending organisation
- Idealist.org Resources designed to help you make informed decisions about volunteering in another country
- International Association for Volunteer Effort A global network of volunteers and volunteer centres, with members in over 70 countries, and in all world regions
- European Volunteer Centre European network of over 80 mainly national and regional volunteer centres and volunteer development agencies across Europe
- SEED Madagascar SEED Madagascar works to alleviate extreme poverty and protect unique, biologically rich but greatly endangered forest environments in Madagascar
- EIL Intercultural Learning EIL provides intercultural learning opportunities through study abroad, volunteer abroad, language training, travel awards, group educational programmes
- Habitat for Humanity Habitat for Humanity aims to eliminate poverty housing by building simple, decent, affordable homes and by making decent housing a matter of conscience and action
- Serve Serve is a development and volunteering organisation committed to working with the poorest people in the world
- Voluntary Services Overseas VSO is an independent, international development charity that works through volunteers to fight poverty in developing countries
- Openmind Projects Openmind offers voluntary work overseas and supports some 70 projects with volunteers in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Nepal
- The Umbrella Foundation An Irish run charity organisation working to help the children of Nepal
- Voluntary Service International VSI is the Irish branch of Service Civil International, a worldwide peace movement started in 1920 in the aftermath of the First World War