A new Irish community organisation
Everyone deserves a Friend First.
First Friend Ireland helps people move from stranger to friend, from isolated to connected, from newcomer to neighbour — through structured friendship, community, volunteering and mentoring across Ireland.
Why this matters
Belonging shouldn't depend on luck.
Moving to a new country, growing older, living with a disability, or simply moving to a new area can all mean the same thing: fewer easy chances to meet people and feel part of somewhere. Isolation rarely announces itself — it builds quietly, in the gap between wanting to belong and not knowing how.
First Friend Ireland exists to close that gap — deliberately, safely, and for everyone, not just one group. Age, disability, ethnicity, culture, and circumstance should never decide who gets to feel welcome.
What we do
Seven ways we build belonging
Every programme grows from a single main object: promoting inclusivity, age-friendliness, disability-friendliness, anti-racism and belonging in Ireland.
Friendship & Welcome
Structured friendship and welcome connections for people who are newly arrived in, or otherwise isolated within, their community.
Learn more about Friendship & WelcomeCommunity
Local activities, events and community programmes that give people ordinary, repeated reasons to take part.
Learn more about CommunityVolunteering
Recruiting, training and supporting the volunteers who carry out First Friend Ireland's work on the ground.
Learn more about VolunteeringMentoring
Intergenerational and cross-community mentoring that connects people across age, culture and experience.
Learn more about MentoringInclusion
Age-friendly, disability-friendly and anti-racist practice, built into everything the organisation does.
Learn more about InclusionLearning
Education, information, training and resources on inclusive, age-friendly, disability-friendly and anti-racist practice.
Learn more about LearningResearch & Advocacy
Research, public engagement and policy advocacy on inclusion, ageing, disability, racism and belonging.
Learn more about Research & AdvocacyWho we're here for
One mission, many people
First Friend Ireland is not built for one group alone — it's built for anyone in Ireland who wants to belong, or who wants to help someone else feel that they do.
- People newly arrived in Ireland
- Older people
- People with disabilities
- People experiencing isolation
- People from different cultures and backgrounds
- Families and communities
- Volunteers
- Anyone who wants to build belonging
How it works
Simple, by design
Connect
Reach out — as someone looking for connection, a volunteer, a member or a partner.
Meet
We introduce you, safely and thoughtfully, to the right person, group or programme.
Participate
Take part in structured friendship, community activity, mentoring or events.
Belong
Keep showing up — and help the next person feel as welcome as you do.
Stories
What belonging looks like
Finding a role as a volunteer
A second illustrative story, previewing how volunteer stories will appear alongside member and community stories.
Read more — Finding a role as a volunteerA welcome that stuck
An illustrative story showing how First Friend Ireland's story template will look once real, consented stories are ready to publish.
Read more — A welcome that stuckGet involved
There's a place for you here
Find Connection
Looking to meet people, or to feel more welcome where you live? Start here.
Find connectionPartner With Us
Schools, employers, local authorities and community groups — let's work together.
Partner with usWant to support our work financially? See how funding will work as we grow.
Our impact
We're just getting started — and we'll show our work honestly
[X]
people connected
[X]
volunteers
[X]
communities
[X]
chapters forming
Placeholder figures — real impact data will replace these once First Friend Ireland is active.