Volunteers are extremely important to the support that we give to victims and witnesses and we welcome volunteers from every walk of life.

As a volunteer you can help in a number of ways:

–  Work with victims of crime
We will provide training to support victims from the first time you meet them at court in your local district to the central Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin and to co-ordinate with other agencies to make sure that their needs are met.

–  Support witnesses at court
Going to court can be a daunting and frightening experience. We will provide training so that you can deal sensitively with prosecution witnesses and will be able to provide a friendly face, support and information during a trial. We will also train you to give very specific support to more vulnerable members of the community, such as helping young witnesses at court.

Other ways to help us
As a volunteer you can help us in other ways too, such as with our administrative work, our IT systems or with fundraising.

Who can volunteer?
You don’t need qualifications or previous experience of this kind of work to volunteer for Victim Support at Court. All you need is willingness to help and a little time. We will do the rest.

Equality, diversity and inclusion
We welcome volunteers from every walk of life and from right across the community. This helps us reach out to people in need, whatever their circumstances. That’s why we have policies in place to make sure we attract the best volunteers from all backgrounds and experiences.

How we support our volunteers
We provide volunteers with training and support to carry out the job effectively. We really value the work and commitment of our volunteers. Much of the work of our paid staff is about supporting volunteers, giving them direction and providing the training and systems they need to do a great job.

If you decide to join us, we will offer you:

• Professional training, based on the same occupational standards used by the whole criminal justice system
• Regular support and supervision
• The chance to meet and help people from all walks of life
• New personal development opportunities
• The chance to experience team work with like-minded people
• Ways to help shape the work and the future of Victim Support at Court across the country
• A real opportunity to make a difference to people’s lives and help people recover from crime.

And don’t worry about being ‘out of pocket’ as we refund your expenses.