BECOME A VOLUNTEER
Volunteer with Children in Hospital Ireland (CIH)
We welcome volunteers from all walks of life, no experience is necessary, however you must be 18 years or older!
We open volunteer applications twice a year in the Spring and Autumn. See more below on our volunteering roles and current vacancies.
Play volunteers facilitate play, arts & crafts and more with children and young people throughout the hospital while giving their family a break. We have play volunteers across 15 hospitals nationwide.Â
JustAsk Volunteers greet families arriving into the CHI at Crumlin, walk them to clinics and ease their experience through chat and a friendly face. They also hand out colouring and activity packs in the waiting rooms. To read more about our JustAsk service, click here.Â
The JustAsk Sevice is currently in CHI at Crumlin only.
Child and Family Support Volunteers provide play to a child and support a family when they cannot be present or need a break. Unlike our play volunteer shifts, these play visits are scheduled to suit a particular family’s needs so volunteer shifts will be flexible. Previous experience working with children or as a CIH play volunteer required for this role.
The Child & Family Support service is currently in CHI at Crumlin and CHI at Temple Street only.
Additionally we welcome anyone interested in supporting Children in Hospital Ireland as a fundraising volunteer. Or, if you have specialised skills in technology, communication, social media, administration or any other skills we are always happy to talk to you about volunteering opportunities in our Dublin office.
Get in touch – info@childreninhospital.ie
Frequently Asked Questions
We ask that volunteers commit to a regular volunteer slot (2 hours) once a week, for at least one year. (For example, your volunteer shift could be every Monday evening 6-8pm). This ensures consistency for you, your volunteer partner, and hospital staff. Illness and holidays will happen, so make sure you are in touch with your partner and team leader if you cannot make your volunteer slot that week.
You will complete a full day of training and receive an induction with an experienced volunteer in the hospital before your first volunteer shift.
You will be paired with a volunteer partner or team, and will support one another during every shift in the hospital. If your volunteer partner(s) is not available for a shift, you may not volunteer by yourself. This is to ensure safeguarding and protection.
Our Volunteer Management Team are available for support by phone, email or via the volunteering app, Volunteero. Our Volunteer Team will also visit the hospital for volunteer meetings and providing occasional further training opportunities throughout the year. You will also have the support of a volunteer team leader, who is an experienced volunteer in your hospital.
You will be part of a nationwide team of 400+ CIH volunteers, who we hope you will meet at trainings, meetings, and engage with on Volunteero. As a volunteer with CIH, you are also becoming a member of CIH. This entitles you to a voice in the organisation, a vote at the AGM and ongoing training and educational opportunities. You will also be provided with a t-shirt or tabard, name badge and volunteer manual.
Volunteers need to be at least 18 years old, for child protection and safeguarding purposes, but after that, we welcome people of all ages, backgrounds & experiences!
Children in Hospital Ireland will need to process Garda Vetting for every volunteer, even if you have been recently Garda Vetted by another organisation. Following a successful interview with us, we will email you with further guidance on completing the form and the ID’s required.
If you have lived outside of Ireland for more than 6 months after age 16, you will need to provide a police clearance certificate from that country (or countries). These are especially important for child protection and safeguarding. You can find more information on how to go about this Vetting and Police Clearance here.
To reduce the risk of infection, we ask that all volunteers follow a ‘bare below the elbows’ policy. This means no nail varnish, gel nails, acrylics, or biab is permitted. No jewellery on the wrists or hands. This includes bracelets, watches or rings, as they may harbour germs. Wedding rings are permitted once they are a solid metal band.
Our volunteers will be provided with a red t-shirt or tabard, and a name badge. You may not volunteer without this uniform. No sandals, heels or open-toed shoes are allowed.
We ask that volunteers become members of our organisation, which requires a €20 joining fee and an annual subscription of €10, which renews in February of each year. This fee goes towards the costs of uniforms, insurance, and the support of volunteers. As a member of CIH, you will provide feedback and input into the work of our organisation.
Play and colouring materials will be provided during your volunteer shift. You do not need to purchase items yourself.
You will need to cover the cost of travel and parking when volunteering in the hospital. Some hospitals may provide free parking spaces at certain times of the day, however, public transport is recommended where possible. CIH can support the cost of travel to CIH volunteer events and training events.
The Application Process
Information Session & Application Form
Volunteer applications open twice a year. When applications open on our website, watch the informational videos and complete the application form at the end.
You can check for when applications open here.Â
Online Interview
When we receive your application, you will be invited by email to book an online group interview with us. This is an informal chat for us to get to know you better, and will be an opportunity for you to ask us any questions you may have.
Training Day
Following a successful interview, you will be invited to an in-person training day. We will verify your ID’s for Garda Vetting on the day. Keep an eye on your email for further details on this. All volunteers must complete this training before volunteering.Â
Child Safeguarding
Children in Hospital Ireland will process Garda Vetting for every volunteer, even if you have been recently Garda Vetted by another organisation. If you have lived outside of Ireland, over the age of 16, for more than 6 months, we also require a Police Clearance Certificate from that country. You can find out more about the Garda Vetting process here. Get in touch if you have any further questions on this.
We also ask for contact details of three referees. These individuals must know you for more than two years in a professional capacity. They cannot be a friend or relative. Examples include: A teacher, co-worker, manager or fellow volunteer with another organisation.
HSE Training Modules
You must also complete three short online HSE training modules.
- Children’s First
- Hand Hygiene
- PPE
We will provide details on how to complete these. If you have already completed the courses for another role, just email us the certificates!
Hospital Induction
Once all of the above requirements are completed and you have been paired with a volunteer partner, you are ready to start volunteering! We will organise an induction in the hospital, where an experienced volunteer will show you around! Happy Volunteering!
Additionally we welcome anyone interested in supporting Children in Hospital Ireland as a fundraising volunteer. Or, if you have specialised skills in technology, communication, social media, administration or any other skills we are always happy to talk to you about volunteering opportunities in our Dublin office.