The Department of Rural and Community Development has published a draft version of Ireland’s first-ever national volunteering strategy. The draft is currently out for consultation meaning that you can provide feedback on the draft before it becomes final.

The draft strategy and information on how to make a submission to the consultation can be read on the Department web site.  The deadline for submissions is 31st January 2020.

To inform our own submission, Volunteer Ireland will be holding two consultations as follows:

You can register to attend either consultation meeting. A number of Volunteer Centres will hold their own local consultations – find details of your local Volunteer Centre.  You can also read our submission to the initial consultation in January 2019.

Register to attend one of our consultation workshops now 

Why is it important to develop a National Volunteering Strategy?

Volunteer Ireland and the network of Volunteer Centres and Volunteering Information Services have been advocating for a national volunteering strategy for many years and we are now almost there. Volunteering in Ireland faces many challenges, such as changing demands from volunteers, demographic changes and lack of resourcing.  A national strategy is a chance for people who live and breathe volunteering every day to have an impact on developing volunteering in Ireland.