Why Volunteer?
Volunteering with Open House offers new experiences and skills, as well as providing a great opportunity to learn more about architecture and the built environment and to share your knowledge and interests with others. Volunteers will have priority access to events over OHD weekend (exceptions apply) and Architects can claim CPD points.
This year as part of the volunteer tour guide programme for Open House Dublin, all tour guides will receive bespoke training, designed in collaboration with Kate Drinane, Tours, Talks Training & Interpretation Officer from the National Gallery of Ireland.
The training will focus on audience engagement and tour delivery techniques, as well as accessibility awareness delivered by experts and activists in the field to ensure visitors feel welcome and encouraged to attend.
What’s involved?
Volunteer tour guides lead tours talking about the architecture, function and history of the building. Some level of independent research may be required to ensure your tour is informative and you are able to answer questions.
Tour guides are responsible for leading tours at scheduled times, help to ensure the health and safety of all visitors, and play a part in safeguarding the property and its assets. This role would suit you if you’re outgoing, you have an enthusiastic and friendly manner, you are confident in talking to groups of people, you have good time-management skills and you can project your voice well.
We will work closely with you to match you to tours that interest you and we welcome any ideas or suggestions you may have to contribute to Open House Dublin.
Volunteer Roles
Our volunteering opportunities are flexible. If you are interested in volunteering as a steward or helping us at OHD HQ just let us know. We will be recruiting for volunteers right up to October and we would love to hear from you. Please let us know if you have any extra support needs when registering your interest to become a volunteer. Volunteers must be 18 years or older.
If you have further questions about volunteering which aren't answered here, please contact volunteers@architecturefoundation.ie or call 01 874 7203
Volunteer tour guides lead tours talking about the architecture, function and history of the building. Some level of independent research may be required to ensure your tour is informative and you are able to answer questions.
Tour guides are responsible for leading tours at scheduled times, help to ensure the health and safety of all visitors, and play a part in safeguarding the property and its assets. This role would suit you if you’re outgoing, you have an enthusiastic and friendly manner, you are confident in talking to groups of people, you have good time-management skills and you can project your voice well.
Please note: In case of high demand, not every applicant will be assigned to their preference.
OHD stewards are public-facing roles and will be placed at our main events during the weekend, and help out on weekdays. The role involves welcoming visitors, managing queues, following tours, assisting the public and being mindful of the health and safety of all visitors during opening hours. This role suits outgoing, reliable and motivated volunteers. Applicants must commit a minimum of 4 hours and attend our volunteer session training.
These volunteers will be assigned to our weekday events or at our Info Hub. They will be at the Info Hub in the lead up to the event, available to help the OHD Team with mail-outs and preparation of OHD material.
This role is an ideal opportunity for anyone with a particular interest in event management to become more involved in Open House Dublin and to gain new skills. Our VAMs will be responsible for multiple buildings and volunteers and will need to maintain a constant line of contact with the OHD team.
VAMs will need to commit to a minimum of one full day of volunteering for OHD weekend, visit and monitor each building in a designated area, have flexibility and adaptability to varying scenarios, and make quick informed decisions in high-pressure situations.
Open House Dublin 2023
7-15 October Open House Dublin is a free festival of architecture with 100+ guided visits, talks, tours, lectures, workshops and more taking place across the city each October. Brought to you by the Irish Architecture Foundation, Open House Dublin celebrates great architecture, urban design and the people that contribute to the creation of built Dublin. This year we will kick off on 7 October with a dedicated weekend of tours and activities for families and young people. We will host a new series of lunchtime conversations during the week and a packed weekend of tours and events 13-15 October. Our full programme will be announced on 6 September.
Open House Dublin is part of the Open House Worldwide international network of more than 50 cities hosting festivals and conversations about architecture, design and cities across the globe from Lagos to Taipei, and New York to Santiago. We are uniquely positioned to take the lead on public engagement, discourse and debate in architecture and city-making in Dublin.
Open House Dublin is brought to you by the IAF – Irish Architecture Foundation
Established in 2005, the IAF is an independent organisation dedicated to the promotion of architecture as culture. We encourage people to engage with their built environment, to inspire new ways of thinking about architecture. The Irish Architecture Foundation is a vibrant and passionate organisation that seeks to champion the power of architecture to transform lives and improve the places where we live, learn, work and play. Through a dynamic programme of activity, we inspire people to understand and shape their world.
Volunteer Opportunities 2023
Each year more than two hundred people volunteer their time and skills to help us bring Open House Dublin to thousands of people across the city and county. Many volunteers have been with us since the beginning and have an abundance of knowledge and expertise about the city, its architecture and the stories and histories that make Dublin unique and every year we welcome new volunteers to our Open House family. We are now accepting applications for Volunteer roles for Open House Dublin 2023. Volunteering with Open House offers new experiences and skills, as well as providing a great opportunity to learn more about architecture and the built environment and to share your knowledge and interests with others.
What we offer our OHD Volunteers
●In-person or online volunteer training
●Opportunities to attend tours over Open House weekend (Volunteers will be given a VIP pass and priority access to tours and events)
●Training sessions specifically for OHD Tour Guides in collaboration with the National Gallery of Ireland
●References and CPD points
●Volunteer Party on the last evening of Open House Dublin
●Opportunity to develop self and group management, communication and teamwork skills
●Opportunities to meet new people and networking
● Learning about art and architecture
We will also host a special social event for Volunteers in September where we will present this year's programme and be available to answer any questions you might have in person.
Our volunteering opportunities are flexible and open to all. We are seeking volunteers for varied roles including Volunteer Stewards, Volunteer Tour Guides and Volunteer Area Managers.
Whether you are willing and available to volunteer for just a couple of hours or days we would greatly appreciate your skills and generosity and remember that volunteering with Open House Dublin also qualifies for CPD points.
We look forward to meeting you and welcoming you to the Open House Dublin family!
