LinkedIn Launches Volunteer Marketplace To Match Irish NGOs With Skilled Volunteers

LinkedIn has launched a ‘Volunteer Marketplace’, to help Irish charities find and connect with skilled professionals who want to donate their expertise to a good cause. Over 24,000 Irish professionals have already signalled their interest in volunteering, with many more expected to join in.

LinkedIn’s Volunteer Marketplace enables Irish professionals who are willing to donate their time and skills to indicate their interest in volunteering. Irish NGOs can both search for these professionals with special charity search tools and post job descriptions of their open volunteer opportunities. These new tools allow charities to find the right volunteers for their needs and they enable professionals to make a social impact whilst broadening their professional skills.

As part of its launch plans for Volunteer Marketplace in Ireland, LinkedIn has partnered with Volunteer Ireland, the national volunteer development agency and a support body for all local Volunteer Centres and Volunteer Information Services in Ireland, as well as Boardmatch Ireland, the National Corporate Governance Charity in Ireland. These organisations provide excellent support for charities seeking volunteers and board members. Through the Volunteer Marketplace, LinkedIn will integrate with both organisations’ sites to ensure LinkedIn’s 1.2 million Irish members can explore a variety of skilled volunteering and board service opportunities. There are already over 700 potential volunteer roles already available.

Speaking at the launch in LinkedIn’s international headquarters at Wilton Place in Dublin, Minister of State for Activation Kevin Humphreys TD said: “This initiative will provide a valuable resource to NGOs and volunteer organisations across Ireland, as well as giving those interested in volunteering access to high-quality opportunities in volunteer centres and information services nationwide. As many people – students, working and retired people – move to take up volunteering activity, it will serve to create valuable connections across the board. I have no doubt that the Volunteer Marketplace will be very successful in Ireland and I commend LinkedIn for its introduction.”

Sharon McCooey, Senior Director, LinkedIn Ireland, said: “There are thousands of charities and volunteers across Ireland, but often it is difficult for them to find one another. LinkedIn’s Volunteer Marketplace aims to solve that problem by helping the Irish charity sector connect talent with volunteer opportunities on a massive scale.”

“We are delighted to bring the LinkedIn Volunteer Marketplace to our 1.2 million members in Ireland. More and more people in Ireland are volunteering in their spare time, using their skills to make a positive impact and give back in their community. The challenge to date for many people has been finding the right opportunity that fits for them. The Volunteer Marketplace will address this by bringing volunteer and board opportunities right to the professionals on LinkedIn.”

Irish professionals interested in LinkedIn’s Volunteer Marketplace can visit https://volunteer.linkedin.com/ to explore opportunities.  LinkedIn members are able to indicate their interest in volunteering or board service by simply checking a box on their profile in the “Volunteer Experience and Causes” section.