International Volunteer Day (IVD) December 5th is an international observance designated by the United Nations since 1985. It offers an opportunity for volunteer organisations and individual volunteers to make their contributions visible – at local, national and international levels – to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Apart from mobilising thousands of volunteers every year, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme works closely with partners and governments to establish national volunteer programmes to create structures that foster and sustain local volunteerism in countries. Through the Online Volunteering service, volunteers can take action for sustainable human development by supporting the activities of development organisations over the Internet.
The International Volunteer Day (IVD) mandated by the UN General Assembly, is held each year on 5 December. It is viewed as a unique chance for volunteers and organisations to celebrate their efforts, to share their values, and to promote their work among their communities, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), United Nations agencies, government authorities and the private sector.
Apart from mobilising thousands of volunteers every year, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme contributes to peace and development by advocating for the recognition of volunteers and working with partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming.
Through the Online Volunteering service, volunteers can take action for sustainable human development by supporting the activities of development organisations over the Internet. Every day thousands of people are volunteering, online or on-site, contributing to peace and development, working to achieve the MDGs and engaging people to shape the sustainable development agenda.
International Volunteer Day 2019
This year 2019, the theme is in alignment with that of the High-level Political Forum (HLPF), i.e., Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality.
The theme for IVD 2019 will pay tribute to volunteerism empowering people to participate in their own communities; volunteering to promote inclusion, diversity, non-discrimination; and volunteerism as a mechanism to reduce inequalities in society. Accordingly, the tagline for the IVD 2019 will be: Volunteer for an Inclusive Future
The Day is an opportunity for us all to promote volunteerism, encourage governments to support volunteer efforts and recognize volunteer contributions to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) at local, national and international levels.
UNV coordinates a campaign to promote IVD every year, building on the impact volunteers have in communities, nationally and globally. This year the campaign will focus on SDG 10 and the pursuit of equality – including inclusion – through volunteerism.
International Volunteer Day (IVD), 5 December, is an opportunity for us all to promote volunteerism, encourage governments to support volunteer efforts and recognize volunteer contributions to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at local, national and international levels.
For 2019 we are marking #IVD2019 with the theme “Volunteer for an inclusive future“, highlighting SDG 10 and the pursuit of equality – including inclusion – through volunteerism.
Volunteering provides opportunities for people, particularly those often excluded, to concretely impact their own lives and play a constructive role in their communities by volunteering their time and skills. Through volunteerism, communities around the world often experience strengthened solidarity and inclusion.
#volunteer4inclusion
Downloads and resources 2019
- Volunteer Ireland International Volunteer Day Poster (Adobe PDF)
- Volunteer Recognition Ideas (Adobe PDF)
- Download the International Volunteer Day 2019 toolkit (Adobe PDF)
- Download an animated version of the Volunteer for an Inclusive Future logo (MP4)
- Download the Volunteer for an Inclusive Future logo (PNG)
- Download an A4 sized International Volunteer Day Poster 2019 (Adobe PDF)
- IVD Messaging Grid 2019 (MS Word)
- IVD Volunteer Certificate 1 (MS Word)
- IVD Volunteer Certificate 2 (MS Word)
You can download other resources for the 2019 event from the IVD resource pages
Not only does everyone have the right to volunteer; everyone has something valuable to contribute. This course explores the benefits and risks of involving volunteers with additional support needs and how best to manage their integration with current volunteers and staff. At the end of the course you will be able identify those with additional support needs; determine what additional supports may be required for their inclusion and decide as an organisation whether you will involve volunteers with additional support needs and what policies should be put in place.
Trainer: Stuart Garland
Risk management should be integrated into every aspect of a volunteer programme. Although much of the analysis and policy development takes place at the board level of the organisation, the overall effectiveness is only as good as the staff and volunteers who carry it out. Upon completion of this workshop, participants will be able to: explain risk management and appreciate its importance regarding volunteers, discuss policies and procedures related to risk management, identify and evaluate potential risks in volunteer involvement, address and diminish risk with preventive strategies and techniques such as volunteer role design, screening and training.
Trainer: Stuart Garland
Volunteers play a key role in making events a success. They can fulfill a range of roles such as managing your social media, welcoming your attendees, finding sponsors or capturing video footage of your event allowing you to promote the work you do. This course has been designed to support you to develop the skills and knowledge to effectively recruit, manage and make the most of event volunteering. We will share our own experience of managing event volunteers – from small conferences to national festivals with over 800 volunteers.
About us
Volunteer Ireland provides a National Volunteer Management Training Programme which targets the needs of all those working with volunteers.
Our training courses have been developed to help you deliver the best possible volunteer support, resources and supervision, assisting you on your journey to become an outstanding Volunteer Manager and an inspiring volunteer leader
Trainer: Stuart Garland
Save the date in your diary now. The tenth annual National Volunteer Management Conference will take place on Wednesday 22nd April 2020 in the Institute for Lifecourse and Society at the National University of Ireland, Galway.
Read about the 2019 speakers or view the full conference programme here.
The National Volunteer Management Conference enables and enhances volunteering through the promotion of best practice in volunteer management.
The conference provides the opportunity for volunteer managers to spend some quality time on personal development, networking with colleagues and participating in a host of motivating masterclasses and discussions focused on volunteer recruitment, retention, training, support and management.
This event is essential to anyone who manages volunteers as part of their role (paid or unpaid) or anyone interested in volunteer management in the Community & Voluntary Sector or the Corporate Sector.
Further details will be online soon.
We are delighted to announce that Galway City who will host the European Volunteer Centre (CEV) Capacity Building Conference LEVEL: Large Events: Volunteering, Empowerment and Learning on Thursday 23 and Friday 24 April 2020 in the Institute for Lifecourse and Society at the National University of Ireland, Galway.
The event is organised by the European Volunteer Centre in conjunction with Volunteer Ireland, Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture, NUI Galway and Galway Volunteer Centre. Tickets will be available from Winter 2019. Be the first to get updates when you join our mailing list.
On Wednesday 22 April 2020 the Volunteer Ireland National Volunteer Management Conference takes place in the same venue (Further details).
The Capacity Building conference will explore how volunteers in large events can be best recruited & managed and provide the biggest added value for the success of the event, the wider community and the volunteers themselves.
The conference will seek to identify what are the specificities of volunteering in large events and will consider how such experiences can best lead to longer term volunteering for those who are interested to further contribute as a volunteer in other contexts.
Participants will learn how the well-being of volunteers in large events can be protected and how the question of their skills development can be best approached. The motivation of volunteers in large events will also be discussed and greater understanding reached.
Conference workshops themes
- Recruitment
- Legacy and sustainability
- Funding and expense coverage policy and procedures
- Volunteer / staff relationships
- Orientation including online pre-event training
- Good practice volunteering in for-profit events
- Volunteer culture development, branding and communication
- Validation and / or certification of learning.
Further information on the programme full be published here during the year as we get closer to the event. You will also be able to register for the event here.
Travelling to Ireland
Flying to Ireland
Dublin Airport is Ireland’s largest Airport with the most direct flights. You can check out the destinations in their winter schedule 2019. Flying to Dublin Airport gives you the most options in terms of flights and bus and train transfer to Galway. To book the best flights at a time that suit your schedule use Skyscanner or Kayak. You may also find the Access to Galway document from the Galway Convention Bureau a useful read.
Travelling to Galway City from Dublin
Bus transfer to Galway
Transfer by bus is the most direct and convenient way to get to Galway City from Dublin Airport. Buses depart every 30 / 45 minutes from outside the terminal building at Dublin Airport direct to Galway. This bus journey takes 2 hours and 30 minutes. Two companies operate a bus service: CityLink (timetable) and GoBus.ie (timetable). Both companies offer modern, air-conditioned buses with free wifi, toilets and reclining seats. The journey is on the motorway between the two cities and buses make only one stop to pick up or drop off in Dublin City Centre. A limited number of services go direct non-stop from Dublin Airport to Galway with no stops which are listed in the timetables. Galway Coach Station is in the centre of Galway and close to all accommodation and attractions.
You can also get a full clock face timetable of all bus transfers with CityLink and GoBus.ie from Dublin Airport to Galway City and Galway City to Dublin Airport.
Train transfer to Galway
If you’d prefer to take the train to / from Galway you can take the Airlink Express Bus 747 (Timetable) which operates from Dublin Airport through Dublin City Centre to Heuston Train Station (Bus Route) and costs €6 single or €11 return when booked online. The journey time from the Airport to Heuston Train Station is approximately 50 minutes. You can then take a train from Heuston Train Station to Galway (Ceannt) Train Station. Trains can be busy so please book trains and seats in advance online. You can download a train timetable here. Trains take approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes. Tickets online start at €35, if travelling by train it is best to book online in advance and book a seat. Galway (Ceannt) Train Station is located in the centre of Galway City.
Travelling within Galway City
Transferring to the conference venue
The conference venue is the Institute of Lifecourse and Society, National University of Ireland Galway, Upper Newcastle. If you want to walk it is a 35-minute walk from the train station. A taxi from the Galway (Ceannt) Train Station to the Institute for Lifecourse and Society (map) will take 10 – 15 minutes depending on traffic and cost about €10 depending on the number of passengers.
Flying into other Airports in Ireland
You can also fly into Shannon Airport, Cork Airport and Ireland West Airport. Please note there are not as many direct bus connections to Galway from these Airports.
Accommodation in Galway
As Galway is a popular destination and is celebrating its role as European Capital of Culture in 2020 we advise that you book your accommodation in advance to ensure the lowest costs. We will be advising of suitable venues presently. We suggest you use Booking.com, Airbnb, and Trivago. If you’d like to stay in a hostel we’d suggest you try Hostelworld.
The International Association for Volunteer Effort is pleased to announce the United Arab Emirates as the host country of the 26th IAVE World Volunteer Conference. After a rigorous selection process, the Emirates Foundation in Abu Dhabi has been chosen as the host organisation for this premier global event, to take place in 2020.
The exact dates will be announced soon. Please visit the International Association of Voluntary Effort (IAVE) web site for further details as they become available.
International Volunteer Managers Day (IVM Day) is celebrated globally on November 5 each year. The day is put aside to allow volunteer managers a chance to reflect on and celebrate the critical work they do, and more importantly, it allows an opportunity for them to educate others about the significant role they play in mobilising the often complex resources volunteers bring with them.
Mission / Statement of Values
We celebrate the profession of volunteer leadership because:
Volunteer Managers have the skills and knowledge to help people be part of the solution in meeting community needs. Even in cynical times, they practice the art of the possible.- Volunteer Managers change lives – both the lives of volunteers themselves and of those served by well-led volunteers. It is a life-changing profession. Volunteer managers provide the leadership and direction that allows people to build a good and just society and to mend the social fabric. Without professional leadership, people’s time, talents and efforts could be wasted.
- A well-run volunteer program shows the community, including potential donors, that the organisation is not afraid of public scrutiny and involvement and endeavours to make the most efficient use of monetary assets.
- Well-led volunteers become an advocacy and public relations force for an agency or program — a force no amount of money could buy.
Ways to take part
- Have the CEO head of your organisation write to each volunteer telling them how important the work of the Volunteer Programme Manager working in their organisation is.
- Remember to send a thank you message to the extended group of staff in your agency who support the work of volunteers (but who may not be recognised as a Volunteer Programme Manager). It’s a great way to gain support and educate.
- Send an e-card to your peers and colleagues.
- Encourage your local Volunteer Centre to host an event or mention the day in their newsletter.
- Find ways to educate your agency about your role through the promotion of the day.
- Use IVMDay as an excuse to write an article about your role for your agency newsletter or local paper.
- Place a link to the IVMDay website from your volunteer web page.
If you are a member of a professional Association, create an annual award to celebrate the work of Volunteer Programme Manager in your area. - Throw a party to honour Volunteer Programme Managers in your area.
- Hold a press conference and invite local dignitaries to talk about the community impact of the work of Volunteer Programme Manager
- Nominate your Volunteer Manager for a Volunteer Ireland Award
- Send a press release to the editor of your local newspaper that highlights the special work that Volunteer Programme Managers do in the community.
- Put a reminder to celebrate IVMDay on November 5 in the signature line of your emails.
- Prepare celebratory gift bags for the Volunteer Programme Manager so that they can have a treat on this special day.
- Encourage your local VolunteerCentre to host an event and then encourage as many Volunteer Programme Managers as you can to attend. Take lots of photos and remember to use them to publicise IVMDay the following year.
2019 Theme – Time for Change
Join our IVMDay 2019 campaign! The theme for 2019 was Change the Tune!
For volunteer managers and demonstrate how we are agents and advocates of change for volunteers and volunteering.
We hope that this timely theme will allow us to explore the changes needed in our great profession to ensure it remains relevant and powerful into the future.
The 2020 theme will be annoyed in Autumn 2020.
2019 Resources
Download a 2019 Pledge poster (for individuals)
Download a 2019 pledge poster (for groups)
2019 Branding
Please feel free to post your pledge by email your photos to andy@ozvpm.com
Get Resources for International Volunteer Managers Day from the IVMD web site.
Make sure you tag #IVMDay20 for 2020 events.
