The Dublin City Volunteer Centre (DCVC) today launched its ‘Experience Counts’ campaign in a bid to recruit volunteers aged 50+.  In 2017 just 4.5% of registered volunteers with DCVC were aged 50-64 and 0.8% were aged 65+. DCVC is calling out for older age volunteers because they are an invaluable asset to this service provision.

DCVC provides volunteers for charities and community organisations throughout Dublin city including Barnardos, Dublin Simon Community, Serve the City, NCBI, Our Lady’s Hospice, Little Flower Penny Dinners, Arc Cancer Support Centres, Canal Cleanups and Dublin Samaritans.  Volunteers can provide help on a one off basis for a special event or regular hours on a weekly or monthly basis.

In 2017 2,992 volunteers registered with DCVC, 4.5% of registrations were from people aged 50-64 and 0.8% were from people aged 65+. In total 1,517 people in the 50-64 age bracket registered to volunteer in Ireland in 2017 which was 11% of the total number of volunteers. 64% of registered volunteers last year were in the 23-35 age bracket.

DCVC Manager Edwina Dewart says

“We have a real shortage of people aged 50+ registering as volunteers. Older people have life experience, commitment and maturity which are invaluable attributes for making great volunteers. Volunteering is also proven to have physical and mental health benefits for older people such as social engagement, giving people a sense of purpose and also fulfillment of the need to give something back.”

People can register online but many prefer to find out more in person so we are launching our ‘Experience Counts’ campaign today at our monthly drop-in coffee morning which is a great place to come along and hear all about volunteering opportunities in the city. Volunteers can give whatever time commitment they like and can choose to provide any kind of service from volunteering at an event to working in a charity shop, mentoring young people or visiting patients. We are keen to match people’s skills and interests so all parties benefit as much as possible.”

Those interested in volunteering can register online at www.volunteerdublincity.ie, call (01) 4737482 or get more information at the DCVC’s monthly drop-in coffee mornings which are held every third Tuesday from 11am-1pm at the Dublin Central Mission, Abbey St. Methodist Church, 9c Lr. Abbey Street, Dublin 1. Dublin City Volunteer Centre is part of the national network Volunteer Ireland.

Stats on volunteering

  • Age profile of people who registered on I-VOL database
  • Total nr of people 50-64 registered across Ireland in 2017: 1,517 (11% of total registration)
  • Total nr of people 65+ registered across Ireland in 2017: 279 (2% of total registrations)
  • Total nr of people 50-64 registered in Dublin City in 2017: 136 (4.5% of total registrations)
  • Total nr of people 65+ registered in Dublin City in 2017: 24 (0.8% of total registrations)
  • Majority of registrations fall under the age bracket 23-35 across Ireland in 2017: 6,310 (45%)
  • Majority of registrations fall under the age bracket 23-35 in Dublin City area in 2017: 1,900 (64%)

Volunteer Hours

  • Total volunteer hours recorded on I-VOL across Ireland in 2017: 480,820
  • Total volunteer hours recorded on I-VOL in Dublin city in 2017: 61,891

Ireland 8th on World Giving Index

World Giving Index scores Ireland on 8th position within top 20 countries (and top one in Europe) in the CAF World Giving Index with score and participation in giving behaviours. It is based on the three aspects of giving behaviour: helping a stranger, or someone you didn’t know who needed help, donating money to a charity and volunteering your time to an organisation

Proven Benefits for Volunteers

There are many benefits of volunteering (based on results from iVOL research)

·         feeling useful

·         making a worthwhile and meaningful difference

·         meeting new people and feeling more tolerant and open to people and their diversity

·         fulfilment and contentment

·         professional development

·         connectedness with the community and a sense of belonging

·         increased sense of self confidence

·         feeling better mentally, feeling good about myself, a sense of purpose and structure, uplift in mood and a zest for life

·         gratitude and appreciation for life’s blessings

For further information please contact:

Ger Hennessy, Resident PR

Tel: 087 2872249, E: residentpr@gmail.com