Volunteer Services

What We Do

Our Volunteer Services Department has been running since the doors of the hospital opened in 1998. Originally our volunteers showed patients coming to the new hospital where to find their clinic or a ward to find their loved one.

As our hospital has grown so to, has the unique contribution our volunteers make to our patients healthcare journey. Each volunteer at Tallaght University Hospital plays an indispensable role in enhancing the experience our patients, their carers and visitors have during their time with us, whether it is for a brief or extended period of time.

In addition to an array of support services, our volunteer programme particularly through the Volunteer Coffee Shop raise funds which are invested back into programmes within the hospital that benefit of patients. The primary benefactor of monies raised is our extensive arts programme, below are just some of the initiatives supported by our Volunteer programme. If you are interested in becoming involved in our Volunteer Programme please read the information below which includes application details. 

How to Apply?

If you are interested in volunteering at Tallaght University Hospital please contact the Patient Advice & Liaison Service (PALs) team on Ph: (01) 414 4709 and they will be happy to answer any questions you may have. All volunteers need to complete a registration form and return it by email pals@tuh.ie or by post to Ms. Carol Mullins, Manager, Patient Advice & Liaison Service, Tallaght University Hospital, Tallaght, Dublin 24, D24 NR0A. If you apply you must be prepared to attend volunteer training and orientation, depending on the volunteer role this can take up to two days

To be eligible as a volunteer you must:

• Be enthusiastic and willing to help others
• Aged 18 -100 years old 
• Be able to commit to regular volunteer shifts for a minimum of 12 months 
• Pass Garda Vetting Process
• Be able to provide two references (not relatives)

Once we receive your application we will organise an interview, reference check, commence Garda Vetting process and arrange any training required either in person or via HSEland website. Following consultation we will then place you in an appropriate volunteer programme and agree your work schedule taking into consideration your work preference, availability and current volunteer vacancies.

Meet, Greet & Guide Volunteers

Tallaght University Hospital is one of Ireland’s largest acute teaching hospitals and this is reflected in the number of outpatient appointments attended each year. Annually over 240,000 patients attend the hospital for clinic appointments. The Meet, Greet & Guide Volunteers group provide an invaluable service in assisting the patients attending the hospital each day. 

Volunteers support patients as they interact with the Self Registration Out-patient Kiosks, helping patients check-in for their particular clinic appointment. The kiosks print out detailed directions on how to find the particular clinic.  The kiosks and assistance provided by the volunteers is invaluable in ensuring our busy outpatients clinics run efficiently.

In addition our volunteers also aim to take any uncertainty from the patient’s journey by guiding them to their clinic destination.

Employee Volunteering

We are delighted to work with companies and their employees as they wish to work with the Hospital in achieving what would be unrealisable tasks for us as an organisation.

Volunteers who have worked with us on programmes thoroughly enjoy the experience and the sense of achievement they receive from making a tangible difference in our patient and their families’ journey through our hospital.

If your company is looking for worthwhile opportunities for individual volunteers, team projects or corporate days of community service then please contact our Volunteer Manager Carol Mullins. 

Recent projects undertaken by Corporates include:

• The refurbishment by Shire, a global biopharmaceutical company of a small room in our paediatric outpatients which is now a multi-sensory space for children who are stressed by waiting in a busy waiting room 
• Again a project by Shire and a deep clean of all the toys in our National Children’s Hospital
• PM Group, a Tallaght-based project management and engineering company upgraded what had been a cluttered visitor room into a restful space to which relatives can retreat for much-needed time out from the bedside of a dying loved one
• A one day makeover of a garden area in our Psychiatric unit by Salesforce which made an external space a more peaceful and attractive space

Pastoral Care

Our volunteers provide support through the volunteering of Eucharistic Ministers and Pastoral Visitors, we also provide training for Healthcare Chaplaincy.

If you are interested in volunteering with our Pastoral Care Team please contact the Director of Pastoral Care:
John Kelly via email: John.Kelly@tuh.ie or Tel: 01 414 2482

Daffodil Centre

Located in the main atrium this service is provided in partnership with the Irish Cancer Society. Trained volunteers provide information to patients, their families and members of the general public. The Centre is open Monday to Friday.

Student Volunteering

As a teaching hospital Tallaght Hospital is supportive of students finding out more about careers in healthcare. Volunteer Services work with local schools to help their transition year’s students learn about the different careers available in our hospital. Our volunteers support the programme by facilitating visits by students to different departments and for member of staff to meet and talk to the students about their jobs and their career path.

Patient Engagement

Volunteers engage and co-ordinate social activity with patients in our Charlie O’Toole Day Hospital. Patients who attend the Hospital for therapy and social interaction participate in arts & crafts, music, bingo, indoor gardening, play board games or sometimes just a chat.