Vision
To have a vibrant Irish society where every person feels connected to their community, through active participation in voluntary activities.
Mission
Our mission is to promote the value of volunteering and increase the range and quality of volunteering in Dublin city.
Guiding Principles and Values
We affirm that:
No one can do everything, but everyone can do something
– in other words everyone can volunteer.
- Volunteers should be treated with respect, dignity and worth
- Everyone should have an equal opportunity to volunteer
- Volunteering should respect the rights, dignity and culture of others
- Volunteers should be “involved” rather than “used” and that volunteering is a “two-way” relationship, mutually benefitting both the volunteer and the organisation.
Therefore, we are committed to:
- Promoting and supporting the voluntary and community sector by encouraging people to volunteer
- Providing a placement service that effectively matches those who wish to volunteer with volunteer-involving organisations
- Supporting volunteer-involving organisations through education, resources, training, information and Garda Vetting
- Promoting volunteering opportunities to marginalised groups including the unemployed, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, lone parents, early school leavers and the elderly
- Providing a centre for good practice in volunteering, including the development of policy and procedures through liaising with statutory/voluntary bodies on voluntary work issues
- Developing in partnership with other agencies and key stakeholders new and innovative projects that involve volunteers and build social cohesion
- Promoting social inclusion, corporate social responsibility and active citizenship
- Maintaining quality standards within the network of volunteer centres under the leadership of Volunteer Ireland
- Universal Declaration on Volunteering
Equal Opportunities
Dublin City Volunteer Centre’s (DCVC) Equality and Diversity Policy states the following:
DCVC is committed to taking action to promote equality and to value diversity. We work to address unfair treatment, discrimination and prejudice within the workplace, in our work with volunteers, organisations and in the wider community and voluntary sector. We recognise that every individual has a right to equal recognition and fair and appropriate treatment and opportunities regardless of their gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religious belief or lack of religious belief, age, disability, race or membership of the Traveller community.
In order to achieve our commitment to equality and diversity, we aim to:
- Prioritise working with communities and groups whose full participation in society is limited by economic and social disadvantage and/or discrimination
- Deliver equality and diversity throughout organisational policies, procedures and practice and develop an ethos which respects and values people from different backgrounds
- Challenge discrimination and lack of opportunity and encourage other individuals to do the same
- Actively promote equality of opportunity within DCVC as well as in our work with organisations
- Create a culture that respects and values an individual’s differences and recognises that difference/diversity is an asset to our organisation
- Strive to eliminate all forms of unfair discrimination, prejudice, bullying, harassment or other oppressive behaviour
- Take positive action to provide encouragement and support to individuals and groups whose progress has been limited by stereotyping and cultural expectations
- Ensure all employees, volunteers and collaborative partners are aware of and encouraged to support the objectives of this policy
- Promote good relations amongst people within the organisation and the wider communities within which we work
- Remove barriers which limit or discourage access to the DCVC’s services
- Monitor the implementation, set targets for improvement and evaluate the impact of equality and diversity action