Volunteers of Cork: It is a great honour to be involved

THIS week, I spoke with Iryna Horbachova who is from the Donetsk region in Ukraine.

Iryna has been working in the tech sector for a few years and in Spring, 2022, finished her study by graduating from Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science.

Iryna successfully applied for a software engineering role in Cork, and in May, 2022, moved to the Rebel County. She now lives in the city centre and volunteers in her free time at the Cork Volunteer Centre on North Main Street.

She enjoys daily walks along the River Lee, having coffee in the many coffee shops in the city, and making bad jokes about the Irish weather. Here she tells us about her journey to Cork, and her volunteering experience so far.

The Journey from Ukraine

As you probably know, my homeland has been torn by adversities for quite some time now. We’ve suffered and lost a lot. In the winter and spring last year, I was completely by myself, with all the people that I love being present solely in my phone.

When I was travelling to Dublin for the first time, I was feeling like a scared lost little girl, not knowing what to expect in the new land, I was preparing for the worst. But to my delight, immediately as I came to Ireland, I was greeted by the group of volunteers who were helping out newcomers from Ukraine. 

They were energetic, cheerful, greeted everyone warmly, and assisted with transportation, documents and translations. I felt safe and very welcomed.

As I was getting all the support to start my new journey in Ireland, I thought to myself: Wow, these people are doing a great job! I want to be a part of this community as well. I want to provide help to people who are like me and cultivate such an atmosphere, where everyone feels welcome.

And so, when I was going on the train from Dublin to Cork, I searched for ‘volunteer opportunities Cork’. The page of Cork Volunteer Center (CVC) came up first and I was provided with countless options.

CVC were looking for a person who would assist with English/Ukrainian translations at that time and I immediately applied. It was the first time I got in contact with the amazing staff of the centre, Adam, Gosia and Ciara. After our first chat, which was full of understanding, empathy and positive energy, they welcomed me aboard and my journey began.

As CVC also helps to connect volunteers with organisations, through them I’ve applied for couple of more opportunities. 

A couple of days later, I was volunteering on my first event in Ireland: Ocean to City race.

What do you enjoy most about volunteering?

It is hard for me to outline just one thing which I enjoy the most about the volunteering work, as what really excites me is the combination of many different factors and how they all come together.

First of all, volunteering work always bring me to people from all kinds of different backgrounds and everyone has their own story to share. It makes me look at life from a different angle, grow personally, understand myself and others better.

Secondly, when you volunteer, you get to forget about your personal worries for a while and focus purely on your surroundings. 

You bring your positive energy to people and they give it back to you. Participating in volunteering activities gives a sense of belonging and boosts wellbeing.

Thirdly, I develop new skills and enhance existing ones, learning a lot about different areas.

What type of voluntary work do you do?

I think the best way in which I can describe Community Volunteering is that we add colours into casual flow of the days in Cork, assisting with running various events throughout the year.

We are also available to provide help in emergency situations which may occur.

We were assisting with such events as Africa Day, Cork Film Festival, St Patrick’s Parade, etc.

The responsibilities of volunteers are always different and I can’t remember any two shifts which would be the same. They include working with event organisers to make sure they have everything they need, providing guidance to visitors and raising their mood, and responding to unexpected circumstances which may occur.

On my volunteering work as a befriender on coffee mornings in the Community Centre, I help people practice their English in a fun and informal way. 

We split in groups and encourage people to speak as much as possible, engaging them in different exercises and games.

What kind of impact does Cork Volunteer Centre have on the community?

Cork Volunteer Center serves as a bridge between volunteers and non-profit organisations, helping these two groups to connect and reach a mutual goal of creating a belonging community.

Both organisations and people who benefit from them receive the help they need.

When it comes to community volunteering, I think everyone needs some fun and diversity in their life. And that’s exactly what different events and festivals bring into the life of the Cork community.

Has volunteering changed your perspective on life?

When I look back at my volunteer journey of the last year, I can say it helped me to understand people around me and myself better.

Volunteering taught me to be patient, open-minded, compassionate, grateful - traits which I incorporate now every day to live a better life.

How to you unwind when you are not working or volunteering?

Communication with people is the number one thing which helps me to unwind. I’m very grateful for my family, friends and people whom I meet at volunteering events.

When I need some alone time, I love to try out different sports like climbing or yoga and do some creative activities like urban sketching or photo editing.

Any shout-outs to your volunteering colleagues?

Staff of Cork Volunteer Center are doing an amazing job every day. Adam, Ciara, Nina, Gosia, Volo and others, thanks a lot for your dedication and great energy.

Also, huge thanks to all community volunteers who regularly assist with different events.

It’s a great honour to be involved with such kind-hearted people!

Aims for the future

I really enjoy volunteering as a befriender and helping people improve language skills to facilitate their integration into the community. So my plan is to continue doing work in this area on regular basis and seeking out new opportunities where my skills could prove to be useful.

I’m really looking forward to this summer and autumn. This time of the year is usually packed with different events and festivals and the help of community volunteers is always in demand!

How can someone volunteer with or get involved at Cork Volunteer Centre?

Becoming a Community Volunteer is relatively easy.

The website https://www.volunteercork.ie/ provides all the information you need to get started in Cork.

On the website https://www.i-vol.ie/ you can find the national searchable database of volunteering opportunities in Ireland. Here you can fill out your details, register your interest and find an option which suits you.

You can also pop in the office at 13, North Main Street. It is open from Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 4.30pm and amazing members of staff will help you to commence your volunteer journey!