Next week (May 14th – May 20th) is National Volunteering Week and the Louth Volunteer Centre is encouraging everyone to get involved either by running their own event or by participating in some of the many projects which are happening locally.Barbara Donnellan of the Louth Volunteer Centre, which is based in Laurence Street, says there are many ways that people can get involved and make a big difference in the community.“You can take part in a project that is already happening” she said. “Alternatively an organisation or individual can participate by hosting their own event”.Suggestions for such events include: as a celebratory lunch or social evening to thank current volunteers, a clean-up or a gardening project in their own area, painting/decorating projects, joining with other groups to undertake a project for the benefit of others in the community e.g. gardening, painting projects etc.Or how about committing what Barbara calls a ’Random Act of Volunteering’ by cleaning up an area or helping an elderly neighbour with errands etc.

Some of the Volunteering Week events in Drogheda you can get involved in.

• Saturday 12th May – Boyne Navigation Branch at Canal Local at Oldbridge are having landscaping, litter removal, masonry repairs, carpentry, painting, construction work from 9.30am – 1pm (Tea & sandwiches will be provided)• Monday 14th May – Drogheda from 10am – 2pm, in conjunction with Drogheda River Rescue a clean-up will take place along the banks of the River Boyne from Horse Lane• All week – Samaritans Premises, Drogheda – A General Clean up will take place, along with some painting and power hosing of the yard.• Saturday 19th May – Information Coffee Morning & Thank you will take place at Samaritans Premises, Drogheda from 11am – 1pm.• Monday 21st May – Picnic in the Park, Drogheda (Dominic’s Park), Active 50 + will run their weekly exercise class at the park (weather permitting!/otherwise from Mayoralty street premises) followed by a picnic, 10.30am – 1pmSo, Go on! Give volunteering a try– even if it’s only for a minute, an hour, or a day – volunteering can make a big difference and be a lot of fun!To take part in any of the above events and to find out more about volunteering during the week:visit www.volunteerlouth.iePhone: 041 980 6900email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

National Volunteering Week

May 14th - May 20th 2012

To Celebrate the National Volunteering Week, The Louth Volunteer Centre is hosting a Volunteering Fair Day on Tuesday, May 15^th at Dundalk Library, Roden Place from 11am – 7pm.

If you are a community organisation who involves volunteers and would like to meet potential volunteers, we welcome you to contact us to book a free stand at this event.

Contact the Louth Volunteer Centre – 0419806900 with any queries & to book your place

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We are holding our next Volunteer Management Training in May 2012 (21st, 22nd, 28th & 29th over 4 hours per morning each day. If you are an organisation or an individual with responsibility for volunteers then this training could give you the tools you need to adequately manage and support your volunteers. Do contact us for further details & dates. Book early to avoid disappointment!

The Training consists of 4 modules which are delivered on 4 different 1/2 days. The modules are ;

National Volunteering Week

May 14th - May 20th 2012

Following 5 successful years of Volunteer Ireland’s National Day of Volunteering, 2012 will see Ireland’s first annual National Volunteering Week take place between May 14th – May 20th. National Volunteering Week is the one week of the year when we encourage everyone in Ireland to give volunteering a try, so that everyone can learn that – even if it’s only for a minute, an hour, or a day – volunteering can make a big difference and be a lot of fun! 

We encourage your organisation to get involved by recognising your volunteers in some way;

Some ideas ;

• Organise a Thank you Coffee Morning for your volunteers
• Organise a project such as clean up / decorating / gardening
• Organise an Arts & Crafts morning
• Organise a Social morning / evening
• Get your volunteers involved in other projects

Whether you are a community organization wanting to organize an event or an individual who wants to volunteer then call us today for more details.

So go ahead, grab some friends, family and colleagues and give Ireland a helping hand during National Volunteering Week!

To contact the Louth Volunteer Centre phone 0419806900

A survey from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reveals that the amount of time spent by Irish people volunteering outside the home is the third equal highest in the OECD. Ireland is the second highest country in the OECD for citizens volunteering time, giving money and helping a stranger.

The surveys says that on average 60% have done so in the previous month, compared to an OECD average of 39%. The survey - carried out in 29 industrialised countries - also reveals that Mexicans work the longest days and Belgians the shortest. Mexicans toil for 10 hours a day on average in paid and unpaid work, such as household chores. Belgians work just seven hours, which is one less than the average in most other OECD countries.

The study is based on surveys of people between the ages of 15 and 64 in 26 OECD member countries plus China, India and South Africa. The surveys required people to say what they were doing every five minutes or so over the course of the day.

The poll covered people in retirement or on days off from work, meaning the averages are skewed by countries with more generous holiday allowances or earlier retirement ages.

Key findings Ireland (Adobe pdf)
Key findings unpaid work (Adobe pdf)
Download the full report (Adobe pdf)

Volunteer Centres Ireland is delighted to announce that our bid for European Funding for the European Year of Volunteering flagship project has been successful. VCI’s application was made in partnership with three other organisations: Business in the Community Ireland, Focus Ireland and the National Standards Authority of Ireland to develop a national quality standard for involving volunteers.

The central objective of our proposal is to improve the quality of volunteering and we’re delighted the awarding body recognised the importance of that. We are also extremely excited to be working with BITC, Focus and NSAI on what we’re sure will be a fruitful project that will have a lasting and positive impact on volunteering in Ireland and a fantastic legacy for 2011 – the European Year of Volunteering.

As part of the project we will research, design, pilot and implement a quality standard framework for volunteer-involving organisations in Ireland appropriate to the community and voluntary sector here, which will be a model for other EU countries without an equivalent standard to learn from and adapt or adopt accordingly. The framework, incorporating policy, procedures and practices will serve as a benchmark for organisations to achieve best practice in involving volunteers and an award system to allow for public display of commitment to quality.

Our partners, Business In The Community and The National Standard Authority in Ireland will undertake the design of the quality framework, including the most appropriate and accessible format for volunteer-involving organisations to engage with it. It will be piloted in Focus Ireland, nother partner, and then it will be rolled out nationwide, providing a standard that we hope all not-profit volunteer-involving organisations in Ireland will aspire to achieve. The result will be more effective volunteer-involving organisations and a culture of best practice in volunteering in Ireland: a more enabling environment for volunteering!

Volunteers in Youth Organisations Building Europe! from European Youth Forum on Vimeo.