Our Volunteers
80,000 hours of time given freely each year
Corrymeela’s work is made possible by the ten thousand hours of volunteer time freely given every year. From its first days, Corrymeela has been a place of gathering, work, faith and discussion; bringing people of different backgrounds, different political and religious beliefs and different identities together.
We believe that there is strength in gathering and that, when we can be with each other in commitment, no difference is great enough to break us. In the early days of Corrymeela, hundreds of volunteers gave up their holidays, weekends and summer breaks to host events, seminars, camps and conferences. In time, staff were employed who ran the site at Corrymeela and ran programmes in the wider community.
Corrymeela has always had a healthy combination of three types of people who have invested their time here. People who, like the early founders, had their own careers but who dedicated many, many hours to the work. Those who had the time to volunteer for longer periods of time on–site and invest in the lived community of Corrymeela. And full–time staff whose skill; expertise and leadership gave shape to the permanent work of Corrymeela.
We are honoured to continue this tradition. Now, 50 years after we began, we have almost 40 full time staff, we have a cohort of year–long volunteers and interns, and we have many other volunteers who come for shorter periods of time. Many of our volunteers have been working on the site for decades, generously giving time and service to the work. The Community of Corrymeela has grown too, with 150 members, 50 associate members and thousands of friends around the globe. Together we make commitments to be engaged with the world at its points of fracture, faith and potential.
Find out more about the Horizons Programme
Our 2024/25 Horizons Volunteers: