PRESS RELEASE
Saturday 5th December
Fingal Volunteer Centre Welcomes Ireland’s First
National Volunteering Strategy
Fingal Volunteer Centre has welcomed the publication of Ireland’s first National Volunteering Strategy, launched by Minister Joe O’Brien earlier today. The five year strategy lays out a comprehensive plan to foster and support volunteering well into the future.
The strategy is the culmination of years of hard work and collaboration between Volunteer Ireland, Volunteer Centres and Government. Ireland is known across the globe for our generosity in giving time and lending a hand, currently sitting at number one in Europe and number ten in the world for volunteering time.
According to Fingal Volunteer Centre Manager Daiga Martins Borges, our high levels of volunteering make the strategy all the more important. “Ireland already has a strong culture of volunteering with over a quarter of the country giving their time each year. This strategy is about grounding and supporting that culture so that it exists well into the future and has the chance to grow. This year in particular has shown us the importance of volunteering to our communities and the positive impact volunteering has on society.”
“Volunteering is constantly evolving – how organisations engage volunteers is changing and how people want to give their time is changing. This strategy aims to enhance existing supports and structures to ensure that volunteers and organisations continue to flourish, and we can continue to meet their changing needs.”
On Fingal Volunteer Centre’s role in delivering the strategy, Daiga Martins Borges added “Along with Volunteer Ireland and the network of Volunteer Centre across the country, we have represented the views of volunteers and organisations throughout the process to ensure a robust and focused strategy. The key now will to be ensuring there are adequate resources to deliver the actions within the strategy and that an implementation group is convened without delay.”
“As a driver of volunteering in Fingal, we look forward to delivering many elements of the strategy in partnership with Government and other stakeholders in the sector. Ireland has always been a leader in volunteering and volunteer management; this strategy gives us the chance to embrace that role and pave a way forward.”
Ends
For further information contact Daiga Martins Borges – Daiga@volunteerfingal.ie / 01-8991921
Notes to Editor
About Volunteer Ireland
Volunteer Ireland is the national volunteer development organisation and a support body for all local Volunteer Centres and Volunteering Information Services in Ireland. Our vision is an Ireland where everyone who wants to volunteer can volunteer to create a better society. Volunteer Ireland works to increase awareness of, access to and quality in volunteering in Ireland. For further information, visit: http://www.volunteer.ie/
About Volunteer Centres and Volunteering Information Services
The 22 Volunteer Centres provide a placement service between individuals and groups who want to undertake voluntary activity and organisations that are seeking to involve volunteers. Volunteer Centres are the local leaders in community engagement, supporting and promoting volunteering. The aims of the 7 Volunteering Information Services in Ireland are the same as Volunteer Centres. As Volunteering Information Services are at the first stage of development of a Volunteer Centre, they provide a basic service, hosting a website and providing access to the national volunteering database. A full list of Volunteer Centres and Volunteering Information Services is available here.
Downloadable PDF: National Volunteering Strategy PR
