There are lots of  opportunities for interested adults to volunteer with Foróige. If you are 18 and over you are eligible to volunteer.

The Foróige club is the basic unit of the organisation and are entirely volunteer run. The Foróige club is open to young people aged 12 to 18. They elect a club committee and run a formal club meeting at the beginning of each club night. This gives them a chance to make decisions about the running of the club and the activities they get involved in.

As a Foróige club leader you are required to support the members of your club to run the club one night a week for 1 ½ to 2 hours. Your job is to facilitate the members to run the club and get involved in projects and other developmental activities. You are supported by a regional youth officer who will assist you in setting up the club, deliver training to the leaders and committee members and support you throughout the year as necessary.
Foróige has developed a number of other voluntary youth work models to meet the varying needs of young people and the communities within which they live. These include but are not limited to:

Feeder Clubs
Feeder clubs are for young people aged 10 to 12, who have not yet reached the minimum age to be in a Foróige club. Feeder clubs prepare 10 to 12 year olds for membership in the local Foróige club. They get the chance to start learning about democracy and team work and develop core skills like organisation, communication and how to chair a meeting.

Volunteer Led Youth Cafés
A volunteer led youth café is a space for young people to be themselves, meet friends, have their say and get involved in developmental activities, and access appropriate support and services. Finding an appropriate space is vital and your regional youth officer can help you with this.

Special Interest Groups
Often a group of young people have a specific interest or talent. This may be the case from the beginning or it may develop over time. Special interest groups allow them to engage in the activity they enjoy with their group on a regular basis. Examples include fishing groups, DJ groups, hip hop groups.

Youth Fora
Foróige has a strong tradition of encouraging and facilitating young people to have a voice and make a meaningful contribution to the world around them. Youth forums are groups where young advocates who want, not only to discuss issues that affect them, but also impact on these issues in the world around them. These groups often engage in discussion groups, debates, issues based workshops and lobbying.

One to One Mentoring
If you feel you would be better suited to work directly with one young person on a regular basis then the Big Brothers Big Sisters Programme might be just what you are looking for. You are supported and encouraged throughout the programme and will have a chance to develop a supportive relationship with a young person and assist in their personal development. Volunteers are matched with their little brother or sister based on common interests so most volunteers find that they gain just as much from the relationship as their little brother/sister.
Matches often spend a day together shopping, playing sports, watching a film or just chatting over a cuppa. Others spend time in the Foróige centre nearest to them, like the local youth café.

Volunteer in a Project or Service
While most of our projects are staff-led, volunteer support is vital to their success. You would work alongside a professional youth worker on developmental activities and workshops. You may volunteer with just one group within a project or with a number of groups on a particular topic or around a particular skill.

For more information on volunteering opportunities in your area contact your regional youth officer or local Foróige office (go to map locator)

For further information on volunteering within Foróige, please check our FAQ