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Every month we will feature some of the activities organised by local Volunteer Centres across the country in recognition of the European Year of Volunteering.
South Dublin County is the featured Volunteer Centre for March and here is a taste of what is happening in South Dublin!
The South Dublin County Volunteer Centre is leading the celebrations of European Year of Volunteering in the South Dublin area along with many partner agencies.
Events to date planned by the Volunteer Centre include:
Monthly Volunteering Story:
Following on for the International Year of Volunteering, when the Echo newspaper ran a monthly volunteering story, 10 years on we are repeating a monthly story in the Echo newspaper. Volunteers from all walks of life will tell their volunteering stories to reporters giving a flavour of volunteering across the county.
South Dublin County Volunteer Corps
Conscious that we would like to leave a lasting legacy after EYV2011, the volunteer centre and local authority is piloting a brand new initiative call the South Dublin County Volunteer Corps. The Corps is volunteer led movement of citizens of the county who make themselves available to volunteer at various events and/or emergencies in the county. The volunteer corps will be contacted and mobilised to respond to extreme weather events as well as being available for large community activities such as St. Patricks’ Day parade, concerts, sporting events etc...
Already in 2011, over 80 people have signed up to be members of the Corps and we have had an initial information morning and our first ever outing of the Corps who helped out with the St. Patrick’s day celebrations in Tallaght Stadium on March 17th. Thanks to Salesforce who have helped us out by developing a database for us to manage communications with and on behalf of the corps.
Volunteer Management Training
The Centre will continue to deliver volunteer management training in 2011 and will highlight EYV2011 during training. Training takes place in March 11 in Tallaght and November 11 in Clondalkin.
Volunteer Managers Forum
The Centre will continue to promote the Volunteer Managers Forum in South Dublin during EVY2011. A special meeting of the forum in May 2011 will concentrate on highlighting the year and encouraging those who manage volunteers in the County to celebrate their volunteers as part of the year.
Active Citizenship Week 2011 (September 26 - 30)
The annual active citizenship week 2011 will have a particular EYV 2011 celebratory theme. Various events celebrating and promoting volunteering will take place including a volunteer recruitment fair, a national day of volunteering, a celebration of volunteering in the county and other promotional events.
Conference on Volunteering - November 16th
South Dublin County Council’s Social Inclusion Unit and South Dublin County Volunteer Centre will co-host a seminar on volunteering on November 16th entitled "making volunteering accessible to all". The conference will focus on how we can particularly include those who are most excluded and/or disadvantaged in volunteering. More details of guest speakers to follow soon!
Monaghan Volunteer Centre is February’s featured Volunteer Centre and here is a taste of what is happening Monaghan.
DIY Volunteers offer a Helping Hand!
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Monaghan Integrated Development’s Volunteer Centre and Peace III Older People’s Project are recruiting volunteers for Co. Monaghan’s first Helping Hands Project which will be launched shortly. The main aim of the programme is to assist older people to carry out necessary small repairs and improvements on their homes, enabling them to live independently in the community in increased comfort and safety. This service is aimed at older people living alone, older couples or vulnerable adults who are unable to do small household repairs or gardening. The Repair Service uses a pool of volunteers and handypersons to carry out small repairs and to complete minor home tasks for older people. Volunteers in effect provide a willing pair of helping hands to do a variety of small tasks that an older person may find difficult to do. If you would like to find out more about volunteering please contact Monaghan Volunteer Centre on 042 97 54551
Monaghan Song Writers and Poets get creative for EYV2011!
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The Monaghan Song and Poetry Writers’ Group prove that there is no shortage of creative talent in Co. Monaghan as they unveil their EYV2011 inspired songs and poems. Audrey Wilson (Monaghan Volunteer Centre) comments, ‘The songs and poems written by the group are a unique way of promoting the concept of volunteering. I am confident that their creations will encourage others to consider volunteering in EYV2011’. The group have been meeting regularly since February 2010 and were set up under Monaghan Community Forum’s ‘Hands Together’ project. The group has a very active membership and new members are always welcome. This project is financed by the European Union’s European Regional Development fund through the Peace III Programme and funded through Monaghan Peace III Partnership. If you would like to join the group please contact Dara MacGabhann at 047 73724 or Email; dmacghabhainn@monaghancoco.ie You can click on the names of the artists below to hear their contributions!
Golden Moments at Drumkill!
This service for older people run by older people proves that volunteering is not only for the young but for the young at heart! Drumkill Day Care Centre, Threemilehouse, Co. Monaghan opened its doors for first time 17 years ago in response ‘Year of Elderly’ research carried out to establish the needs of elderly people living in the area. The service currently provides a variety of vital services for older people between the ages of 65 and 95, including meals, hygiene/showering, laundry services and hairdressing and chiropody services. The centre also aims to promote social contact among older people and helps to prevent loneliness for people living in isolation. For carers and relatives it provides respite for families.
A dedicated team of volunteers are the core of Drumkill’s service. One volunteer remarked ‘without volunteers there simply wouldn’t be a service, especially now with all the funding cuts’. With an age range of 55 to 82 this inspirational volunteer team is a testament to the value of older people in the community. Their reasons for volunteering are diverse. Alice, 82, who has volunteered with the centre since it opened says ‘I enjoy it! It gives me a chance to meet my friends and I like getting to know the clients. I feel part of a family here and it breaks up my week.’ Mary Catherine, 78, claims ‘volunteering here keeps me from getting old!’ After retiring from the civil service Sadie Murphy started volunteering with Drumkill 3 years ago because she felt that she wanted to give something back to the community. Also retired, Delia states, ‘volunteering here gives me a great outlook on life, an outlook that is younger than my age.’ Margaret benefited from Drumkill’s support on a personal level ‘the help and support I received from Drumkill during my mother’s illness was invaluable. When my mother passed away I decided that I wanted to give something back to this wonderful organisation, that’s why I volunteer’.
When speaking to these volunteers their enthusiasm and dedication is undeniable. The outcome of their efforts is evident on the smiling faces older people that attend the centre week to week. Mina, 86, has been attending Drumkill since it opened, she says ‘I have been coming here for 17 years now. This is a good sociable place. The volunteers are fantastic, they are all very dedicated and look after us all. We get a meal and it’s a great social outlet especially for those who don’t have family or have families that live far away.’ There is no doubt that these volunteers are in the business of creating golden moments.
Volunteer Management Training Scheduled for April 2011
Fingal Volunteer Centre is also featured this February
At the launch of EYV 2011 in Fingal County in Baldoyle Library we announced our schedule of events for the European Year of Volunteering 2011. These events are being organized as part of Fingal Volunteer Centre’s contribution to the European Year of Volunteering 2011There will be 4 Volunteer Managers Forums four Volunteer Managers Forums (free.jpg)
to attend), which will take place during the year across the county to provide peer support to people managing volunteers in either a paid or voluntary capacity. The Forums will be held in Rush on 8 Feb, Swords 11 May, Malahide 27 July, & Baldoyle 3 November.
to attend), which will take place during the year across the county to provide peer support to people managing volunteers in either a paid or voluntary capacity. The Forums will be held in Rush on 8 Feb, Swords 11 May, Malahide 27 July, & Baldoyle 3 November. There will also be another two cycles of Volunteer Management Training Workshops during the year, both cycles consisting of four modules each. The first cycle will take place over 2 days in April (5th & 12th) in Balbriggan and the second cycle in Blanchardstown over four evenings throughout September. (6, 13, 20 & 27)
There will also be 2 Volunteer Expo’s, one on 31 March 2011 from 12:00 to 21:00 in the Blanchardstown Centre, Dublin 15. The second Expo 2011 takes place in Swords on 1 September. This will be a great opportunity for community and voluntary organisations to showcase their volunteer opportunities, let the community know about the work they do and network with other organisations.
In addition to these and other events being organised on a Dublin wide basis Fingal Volunteer Centre is currently mapping all the volunteer involving organisations in Fingal in order to assess both the organisational needs and to identify areas and locations in the counties where it is difficult for volunteers to access volunteer opportunities.
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