Volunteer

There are numerous benefits of volunteering:

For the student:

• Improves employability by developing the confidence and skills which are increasingly in demand by employers
• Develops key transferable skills such as communication, patience, active listening, initiative taking, teamwork, creativity and time management to name but a few.
• Helps students gain an insight into their community
• Provides a platform for social networking
• Improves mood, the feel good factor, the feeling of making a difference
• It’s an enjoyable break from studying
• Can gain academic credits by way of the Uaneen Module www.dcu.ie/uaneen

For the Voluntary organisation

• The skills, enthusiasm and interest that volunteers bring to an organisation are very beneficial.
• The organisations good work would not be possible without volunteers

For DCU

• Raises DCU’s profile in the Community. Improves the development of students who will graduate with a rounded set of skills and experience as well as their degree.

Volunteering is being promoted by an increasing number of corporates that see the benefits it brings to the localities they operate in and also the business benefits it brings in terms of reputation, staff bonding and training opportunities. Where companies used to donate cash, now they are encouraged to donate their time and skills. This is where the real value-added aspect is in terms of corporate social responsibility.