As an Explore volunteer you lived and worked with people in local communities in some of the most unequal areas in the world. The lives of the world’s most disadvantaged people are being affected by the policies of our governments, the actions of our companies, and the products we choose to buy.
You can use your voice and your power as a returned volunteer, citizen and consumer to help build a more just world!
Share your experience
Change the way that your friends, neighbours and colleagues think about development. Use your skills and talents and create events to inform and educate the public on global issues such as poverty, social justice and HIV&AIDS:
- Visit schools and share your experience: speak about the project you worked in, the community in which you lived, the social issues you were confronted with, the diverse culture.
- Talk to the media: write to the local and national newspapers to raise concerning issues or share your volunteer experience
- Organise a photo exhibition at your university or in your community centre
- Run a quiz in a Pub on a special topic (i.e. HIV&AIDS, Trade)
- Organize a film showing and debate at your university or workplace
EIL can support you in the preparation of events and provide you with suggestions of useful resources. Call 021 4551535.
Volunteer in Ireland
Get involved with local, national and international organisations that are fighting for social justice in Ireland. They need your help with campaigning, awareness raising, outreach, fundraising and direct support.
Check out Volunteer Irelands website for a listing of all open volunteer roles around the country and see We Support tab here for a listing of organisations that our volunteers have enjoyed being part of.
Change your lifestyle
Buy Fairtrade and community trade products and be an aware consumer.
Find out about the products you buy, the holidays you take and the services you use – were the workers given a decent wage, do they have rights, what about the impact on the environment?
Find here more information
- FairTrade Mark Ireland – Fairtrade Mark Ireland awards a consumer label, the FAIRTRADE Mark, to products which meet internationally recognised standards of Fairtrade.
- Ethical Consumer – a consumer organisation which researches the social and enviromental records of companies.
- Ethicscore – Ethical Consumer’s online shoppers guide.
Keep yourself informed about world development issues
You can continue to learn and be challenged by learning about your former host country after you return home. This new information can bring a new perspective to your experiences and enhance the information you share with others.
- Keep your eyes open for lectures, seminars or conferences that focus on the region or issue most prevalent in your volunteer experience, or those which examine development, inequality and interculturalism. See the Talks and Events section on the We Support Tab
