OPINION: Celebrating the community work of Offaly people during National Volunteer Week
OPINION: Celebrating the community work of Offaly people during National Volunteer Week
NATIONAL Volunteering Week takes place during the third week of May every year and is dedicated to showcasing the contribution of volunteers and their impact on our communities.
National Volunteer Week 2026 celebrates volunteers under the theme “From Every Corner, For Every Cause.”
The theme emphasizes the collective power of volunteers in strengthening communities, supporting services, and creating meaningful connections. Volunteers contribute in numerous ways, including:
supporting older people to live independently, mentoring young people, protecting the environment, sustaining arts and culture and responding to crises and emergencies
The week also aligns with International Volunteer Year 2026, highlighting that volunteering in Ireland is part of a global movement addressing poverty, inequality, education, health, and climate action.
National Volunteer Week features a mix of online and in-person events, including seminars, workshops, yoga sessions, and community gatherings. The week is designed to celebrate, inspire, and recruit volunteers, while showcasing the positive impact of volunteering on communities across Ireland.
The 2026 NVW is sponsored by the Irish League of Credit Unions, reflecting the strong role volunteers play in supporting local services and organizations. Partner initiatives, such as Healthy Ireland, also contribute to promoting wellbeing and community engagement during the week.
Volunteering plays a huge role in Irish society and nowhere are we more conscious of that than here in Offaly where there are hundreds of organisations staffed by volunteers.
Along with the network of volunteer centres across the country, Volunteer Ireland uses National Volunteering Week to amplify the incredible stories of volunteering in our communities. It’s a week full of events, and Offaly Volunteer Centre ensures a jam-packed suite to ensure Offaly is well-represented.
There are many ways for individuals and organizations to participate:V olunteers are asked to encourage friends to join, share your volunteering story on social media
Organisations are asked toost events such as coffee mornings, quizzes, or training sessions and to recognize volunteers with certificate and promote volunteering opportunities.
Volunteer Ireland provides resources and guidance for both individuals and organizations to maximize participation.
Deirdre Fox, the manager of Offaly Volunteer Centre, commented: “For 51 weeks of the year, we liaise between organisations and volunteers- introducing them, facilitating partnership, and managing all the practicalities. However, for National Volunteer Week, we get the chance to say thank you, you’re all fabulous and our Faithful County salutes you!”
“Our voluntary and community sector is fuelled by people who simply want to give back. They want to make our county and indeed, our country, a better place to live. They give of their own free time, whether out of civic duty, or to contribute to a sense of place-making. Whatever the motivation, we relish National Volunteering Week because we get to express our gratitude.”
National Volunteering Week will be anchored by a digital campaign sharing personal volunteer stories and encouraging people across the county to think about the incredible impact that volunteers have on our communities.
Every day, people are giving their love and labour to care for senior citizens, tackle climate change, guide and mentor our youth, serve and strengthen the democratic process, feed the hungry, and keep communities healthy and safe.
Hundreds of thousands of Irish people collectively volunteer many hours of their time each year. During National Volunteering Week, we recognise the contributions that volunteers make every day and encourage all to discover their path to making a difference.
In fact, volunteering also benefits the volunteers. People who volunteer develop new skills, build their personal and professional networks, forge a deeper connection with their communities and service organizations, and experience the joy of serving a larger cause.
The opportunities to volunteer are seemingly limitless.Students gain real world experience, workers apply their skills to organisations that benefit from their experience and often develop new skills in the process.