Servicio Voluntario Europeo en Irlanda en dos proyectos

We have two European Voluntary Service hosting projects in Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK) and seek 4 motivated volunteers in total.  Please note that this is a challenging volunteering opportunity. 

NI Stella Maris Project 

Activity Starts: 4^th Sept 2018- 4^th Sept 2019
Duration: 11 months
Project Info:  A residential homeless Service for adults with alcohol addiction. Service users can consume alcohol on the premises under the ethos of Harm Reduction (working with the individual to reduce alcohol related harm).  Service users may have mental and physical health problems as a result of their drinking.
Volunteers: 2 patient and motivated volunteers required for organizing and facilitating social involvement and activities in the project.  Activities act as a diversion from drinking alcohol.
Activities may include: games, music, photography; arts & crafts, gardening, health promotion, organising trips out etc.  Our vulnerable service users do have addiction and mental health problems so volunteers may face challenges such as apathy and working with people with challenging behaviour, chaotic lifestyles and low self esteem.

NI Homeless Families Project 
Activity Starts: 4^th Sept 2018- 4^th Sept 2019
Duration: 11 months
Project Info: Two residential Services for homeless families. Service users may have suffered from family breakup, domestic violence or displacement. Parents may be very young themselves and have little life experience.
Volunteers: 2 patient and motivated volunteers required for organizing and facilitating social involvement and activities for parents and their children (ages can range from babies to young teenagers).  Service users live in their own self contained apartments within the building so volunteers are required to provide activities to encourage service users to socialize and gain new skills and experiences.
Activities may include: arts & crafts; organizing trips out; children’s activities; “life skills” such as basic cookery; health promotion such as good mental health or nutrition etc.  Many of the children in the project may be below 3 years of age.  Parents are responsible for their own children (there are no “babysitting” facilities) and this can make it difficult for them to engage in activities.

General information about hosting organisation

Hosting organisation IS A CHARITY SUPPORTING PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS AND AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS. We BELIEVE THAT HOMELESSNESS HAS NO PLACE.

We offer homeless and disadvantaged people the opportunity to fulfill their potential and move towards an independent and positive future.

OUR MISSION

We aim to end homelessness and change the lives of those affected by it.

OUR VISION

Our Vision is of a society in which everyone has a place to call home and stake in their community

INTRODUCTION TO US

Hosting organisation was established in Dublin in 2002 and Northern Ireland in 2005. We work with some of the most marginalised individuals and families in local communities. These are groups in our society that have sometimes been multiply excluded from other services due to complex and challenging needs. Depaul is a values led organisation We celebrate the potential of people:

 We believe in the potential of the people we work with

 We will treat all of the people who use our services with respect

 We believe in development

 We have a strong culture of volunteering. We put our words into action:

 What matters is what we do

 We do what we say we will do

 We are committed to innovation

 We take risks We aim to take a wider role in civil society:

 We believe in partnership

 We aim to be open and accountable

 We are custodians of valuable resources

 We strive to be a best practice organisation.

 We have a global perspective and potential.

We believe in rights and responsibilities:

 We believe that people have fundamental rights

 We believe that with rights go responsibilities

It is located in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Our Central offices are located in Dublin and Belfast. Belfast is the main city of Northern Ireland. Belfast is a small city with a vibrant social and cultural life. Belfast is served by two airports and there is also a coach service that connects the city centre to Dublin airport for flights to other destinations. Belfast is also ideal to use as a base for touring other parts of Northern Ireland. It enjoys good road and rail links to many scenic destinations, such as the Giants Causeway, the City of Derry, Mourne Mountains, Fermanagh lakes and many more. Belfast and Derry host a number of significant arts festivals over the year and also has a diverse array of bars, nightclubs, theatres, venues, restaurants and cinemas. Recent years have witnessed an increase in both tourist numbers and in the development of new ethnic communities.

Political and sectarian violence was a part of life in Belfast from the late 1960s. Although the city continues to experience tensions between its two communities, it has been engaged in a peace process since the mid- 1990s and political strife does not generally affect outsiders to the area. The city and its inhabitants are friendly to newcomers and NI undertakes to advise volunteers with regards to keeping away from potential sectarian problem areas. The projects are based near main roads, with a regular bus routes into the town centre and the volunteer’s accommodation will be in close proximity to the project. Dublin has something for everyone and most people are easily accepted in this big city. Living can be considered quite expensive and is similar in cost to London.

How to apply