We are teaming up with Gaisce for our National Conference!

22/01/2026

We are excited to announce our Annual "Student Volunteering Conference" is happening Friday March 20th at UCC. 

We are teaming up with Gaisce through our Irish Aid funded programme, "Roots and Shoots."

The Conference showcases student leadership, bold ideas, and transformative partnerships that empower campuses to shape a fairer, more sustainable world through student volunteering for the SDGS.

Roots and Shoots: Student Volunteering Conference
Friday, 20 March
UCC

Join us for a day celebrating student leadership, the power of volunteering to shape a fairer, more sustainable world and how this all contributes to getting your Gaisce Award.

If you can’t make it to Cork, don’t worry! The second half of the event will be streamed, so anyone, anywhere can join!

In-Person Event

9:00 am – 2:00 pm

Dora Allman Room, UCC

Limited to 50 people

Register here: In-Person

Online Livestream

2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Join from anywhere!

Register here: Online

We’ll explore:

• Volunteering in Irish communities
• How volunteering counts toward the Community Involvement Challenge Area of the Gaisce Award.
• Volunteering across the Global South
• Local action → global impact
• Student volunteer stories from around the world

Students will be invited to: 

• develop and grow their volunteering skills & knowledge 
• share their experiences
• hear and interact with expert speakers, facilitators and fellow student volunteers

This year's themes include:

• understand volunteering for the SDGs
• inclusion, connection and global perspectives
• social justice and critical thinking

Speakers will explore:

• what does volunteering look like in my local community
• what does volunteering look like with local communities in countries of the global south
• how can I as a student volunteer locally to make a global impact
• listening to the voices of student volunteers from other parts of the world