Would you like to help your co-op community and get to know other members, all while making your shopping more affordable?
Volunteering at the Co-op allows you to do just that.
As an organisation Dublin Food Co-op has always relied on our members (and especially our volunteers) to be the backbone of our community. Inspired by the pioneering work of food co-operatives like Park Slope Co-op, Co-op members realised that a significant proportion of the retail price of the food we all buy is the labour cost (everything from stacking a shelf to operating a check-out takes labour) and that a possible way to reduce the retail price for members was to reduce the labour costs associated operating our co-operative.
Our voluntary ‘Help Rota’ scheme asks members to volunteer their time at the Co-op in exchange for a discount on our retail price in proportion to their labour contribution.
This system has grown significantly over the years with members volunteering anywhere from 2 hours a month up to 4 or more hours per week – with a sliding scale of discounts to recognise the different contributions made. While regular membership entitles us to a 5% discount, volunteers discounts start at 15% off all of their shopping.
While the last 2 years has understandably caused significant disruption to our Help Rota we are now inviting members who are interested in volunteering to get in touch and put their names down.
Before the start of the pandemic we had a busy rota of 70 volunteers, a number we are working back towards. We then hope to increase the number of active volunteers significantly above this number. If you are interested in getting involved in your community, meeting like-minded people and making your food more affordable – considering joining the Help Rota today by clicking the link below.
We will be sharing other ways to access the best value through our Co-op over the coming weeks. Your first shift as a volunteer will be your Manual Handling training, which is prerequisite to starting your volunteering in the shop. We hold our manual handling trainings regularly, and after completing yours you gain access to your volunteer discount and can start a regular shift in the help rota.
We’re very much looking forward to welcoming new and returning volunteers back to the shop!
