How You Can Help

There are lots of meaningful ways to support the work of SJOG Housing Association, whether you have time to give, a voice to use, or a local connection you can activate. Volunteering and advocacy both help create stronger communities where more people can access a safe, secure home and live independently.

1. Partner with Us

At SJOG Housing Association, our mission is simple; to provide safe, high‑quality homes for people who need them most. To achieve this, we are building strong partnerships across Ireland.

We are actively seeking to work with:

Make a Meaningful Difference

By partnering with us, you help create secure, supportive homes for people with intellectual disabilities and mental health challenges – homes that allow individuals to live with dignity, independence, and community connections. Together, we can deliver more homes, faster, and make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.

2. Volunteer with Us

Volunteers come from all walks of life. What they share is a simple desire to make a positive difference in their community and in their own lives.

"After I decided on early retirement, I quickly realised that I had plenty more to do. With a desire to help others, I figured that I could give my time and energy. I searched for volunteering opportunities and a friend, a Saint John of God Brother, put me in touch with the Saint John of God Housing Association. I met with the housing team and we agreed that I would volunteer three days a week. I am based in Tessa House, Tallaght – an apartment block of twenty eight units for independent living. I organise the residents’ coffee morning, arts & crafts, and, when I can, I assist them with their day-to-day problems; giving them direction or helping them to find solutions. My philosophy is that volunteering is at the very core of being human. No one has made it through life without someone else’s help. So I give a little bit!"

John Galloway

Volunteer with SJOG HA

If you’d like to volunteer email housing@sjog.ie and tell us how you would like to contribute. Please note: volunteers are required to complete Garda vetting, which is arranged through our organisation.

3. Support Our Advocacy for Better Housing

Many people with intellectual disabilities or mental health needs are still waiting far too long for the right home, and the supports needed to live independently. Advocacy helps keep this need visible and helps decision-makers understand what’s required to make change happen. See our Advocacy.
Our strategic plan commits to advocacy actions such as developing an advocacy plan, taking part in local steering groups, making pre-Budget submissions, and building relationships with decision-makers responsible for housing and support funding.

What you can do locally (practical ways to use your voice)

Talk to your local politician (TD or councillor). Share what matters to you: the need for secure homes in the community and the supports that make independent living possible.
Contact your Local Authority housing team. Ask how disability-related housing need is planned and how accessible housing is being prioritised in your area.
Get involved through local participation and planning channels. In Ireland, Public Participation Networks (PPNs) bring together community and voluntary groups so their voices can be heard within local authority decision-making structures.
Join or engage with local housing and disability planning groups where possible. These local forums are an important route for community voices and lived experience to influence what gets prioritised.

Public Participation Networks (PPN)

If you’d like to understand the PPN model and how it works with local authorities, see the government’s overview Find your local Public Participation Network.

4. Help Strengthen Community Connection

Stable, welcoming communities make a real difference to people settling into a home. There are many small, practical ways people support community life, from welcoming groups and social activities to neighbourly initiatives that help keep an area safe and connected. If you’re connected to one of our communities and would like to get involved, the housing team can help signpost what’s possible and what supports may be available.

Get in touch

If you’re interested in volunteering or you’d like to support advocacy in your area, we’d love to hear from you. Email housing@sjog.ie and tell us a little about what you have in mind.