Galway Bay FM Newsroom – Galway 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 local Volunteer Centres, Volunteer Ireland, 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 Galway Volunteer Centre Manager Donncha Foley, Galway and Ireland’s high levels of volunteering make the strategy all the more important. “We already have 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 Galway Volunteer Centre’s role in delivering the strategy, Donncha 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 Galway City and County, 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.”
Since 2006 Galway Volunteer Centre has been supporting members of the public to find suitable volunteer roles in Galway City and County through selecting roles on our daily updated list of volunteer opportunities that it advertises on behalf of non-profits and community organisations in Galway.
The Galway Volunteer Centre team meets with people to help them choose volunteer roles that match their interests and availability. ‘We are always amazed by the amount of people who come to us with a desire to do something to help others, and we provide a confidential service that gets people doing something that they like and benefits others at the same time’, said Donncha.
For more information on Galway Volunteer Centre and to view currently available roles, please visit www.volunteergalway.ie , phone 091 581727 or visit 27 William Street West, Galway
