Volunteers are a diverse group, but one thing they have in common is that when crisis strikes, volunteers mobilise quickly to help. We at Dublin City Volunteer Centre have been watching the situation in Ukraine with concern to say the least, and many of you have gotten in touch to ask how you can help. In this blog, we’ll talk a little bit about what’s going on, what we’re doing, and how you can get involved.
The Irish Government has started a website to give an overview of services and activities – for people and businesses who want to help, and for people who have just arrive from Ukraine. [Added 15/03/22.]
Material Aid
Early in March, our team paid a visit to the warehouse where Polish charity WOSP is collecting donations of all kinds to help Ukrainian refugees. We were incredibly impressed – the place is massive and full of donations from sleeping bags to shampoo to car seats.
Bart and his team are doing an amazing job coping with the influx of donations and the entire set up is very organised. Everything is under control with their own group of volunteers, some of whom are newly arrived from Ukraine themselves, and they are not in need of additional hands right now although that might change. We have made an offer of help and will be keeping in touch with WOSP, ready to offer volunteers as they are needed. In the meantime, they will be updating their Facebook page with any new requests – in particular they would be interested in hearing from corporations that can make large donations (e.g. pallets) of medicines. [Added 21.03.22:] Some of our Community Volunteers have been pitching in at the warehouse and we are supporting WOSP in making plans for ongoing volunteering.
Giving and Pledging
We have run donation campaigns in the past, for instance our CRiTiCALL and Together for Christmas appeals, but we have decided not to run our own collection for Ukraine in light of the advice from Dóchas and the Irish Red Cross to prioritize monetary donations. As the CEO of Dóchas, Jane-Ann McKenna, put it in a statement:
“Donating money, rather than physical items, allows organisations to source relief items locally, ensuring quality and quick delivery to those who need them.”
You can find the full statement and a list of humanitarian organisations to donate to here.
Just one of many initiatives is the “Stadium of Peace“: Chernobyl Children International, Unicef Ireland and the Irish Red Cross are calling on the people of Ireland to make a donation to take their seats at a Virtual Stadium of Peace before the final game of the Six Nations Rugby on March 19th, to show their support and solidarity for the people of Ukraine. [Added 15/03/22.]
If you have a vacant property or spare room that could be used to house a refugee or family, you can make a pledge on the Irish Red Cross website and someone will be in touch with you to start the process. At the bottom of that page you will find links to also pledge services and goods. [Added 11.04.22:] The Office of Government Procurement has set up a portal for businesses to register their offers of support for the Ukraine crisis. The Irish Red Cross is also looking for corporate donors; click here for contact details.
The Irish Refugee Council has a factsheet and resources for people travelling to Ireland from Ukraine here – you could help circulate this among your network if you want to raise awareness.
In for the Long Haul
The situation in Ukraine is deeply upsetting for us all, and especially after two long years of a pandemic. It’s important to look after ourselves and our own well-being.
Keep in mind that if the news or social media are feeling like too much, it’s ok to step away. Yoga, going for a walk, or anything that gives you some time for quiet can help with feeling overwhelmed. Our CRiTiCALL partner Saint Patrick’s Cathedral has a Book of Peace open for signing in support of those suffering as a result of the ongoing attacks upon Ukraine. All are welcome. The Book of Peace will remain available to sign for the coming weeks, and some dedicated space has been set aside for quiet reflection.
If you find yourself volunteering with refugees we recommend taking a look at the Psychological First Aid booklet the PSI Special Interest Group in Human Rights and Psychology has produced to aid the public’s assistance to Ukrainian refugees arriving in Ireland.
We encourage you to seek out help when you need it! Mental Health Ireland has a range of resources to help you navigate stress and anxiety as well as a directory of helplines if you need to talk. The Red Cross also has resources to support the well-being of those involved in humanitarian work.
After all, this is a situation that will be a marathon, not a sprint, and as we have learned from Covid, needs can arise long after the initial crisis. Engaging and serving refugee communities has long been an important aspect of our work in Dublin City so we will be looking out for ways our volunteers can support refugees from Ukraine here in Dublin over the coming months.
[Added 21.03.22:] As of mid-March we are busy with calls and meetings with local government and the Volunteer Centre Network to plan response and support for the hundreds of thousands of refugees arriving in Ireland. We are proactively looking for ways to involve volunteers and hope to have further updates for you soon.