Society of St. Vincent de Paul Says THANK YOU to Volunteers

Below is a letter of thanks from Eamonn Murphy President of St. Vincent de Paul to volunteers who helped to make their Bag Packing Event such a success.

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Tullamore Tribune Publish Item on Offaly Volunteer Centre

Successful European Year Of Volunteering Competition In Offaly

Offaly Volunteer Centre wishes to thank all for their participation in the competition to celebrate the European Year of Volunteering 2011. Competition entries came from many areas around Offaly with the winning entry coming from a Rath base organisation.  Streetwise Building works on the ground in South Africa in construction of educational facilities in the poorest of townships.  Offaly Volunteer Centre advertises opportunities for all construction worker interested in helping out with the projects.  Fundraising events are also important part of the Streetwise work.  Visit www.streetwisebuildings.ie for more information. The other winning entries came from Banagher and Daingean and the entries illustrate volunteers at work in their local areas.  Photos are of Banagher Tidy Town volunteers in action reseeding the

grass edge of the road leading into the town while the Daingean volunteers are painting the wall of the graveyard.  Volunteerism is important in local communities as there is a firm belief that volunteering in our community is crucial to bringing people, the community and businesses needs together.  A volunteer receives much more back than they give.  They have the satisfaction of giving back to a community and have the opportunity to meet many new people and develop lifelong friendships.  Children and teens benefit greatly from volunteering because it teaches compassion, humility, gratitude and a good work ethic which are all great qualities that will follow them throughout their life.Visit www.volunteeroffaly.ie for more information or to source a volunteering opportunity.

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Letter to th Editor, The Irish Times 2011

Madam,

Carol Coulter draws attention to the backlog in the Garda vetting unit (Home News, April 1st). We would like to highlight the effect this is having on volunteering. Our volunteer centres, which provide access to Garda vetting for volunteers in non-profit and community and voluntary organisations, are experiencing delays of about 12 weeks in getting applications processed – even longer in some cases. The backlog presents a significant barrier to volunteering, precisely at a time when we should be encouraging and supporting those who want to volunteer. We would support additional resources being provided to the vetting unit to undertake these important duties.

Unrelated to Garda vetting, another significant barrier to volunteering is the misconception that those claiming welfare are not able to volunteer. A message from the Department of Social and Family Affairs to social welfare offices around the country clarifying the situation would go a long way to creating a more enabling environment for volunteering. 2011 is European Year of Volunteering. Now more than ever, it’s vital the Government plays its part in dismantling barriers to volunteering so that those who want to engage with community, are supported in doing so. – Yours, etc,

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Phoenix Project

New Beginnings Ltd

Across Ireland, Businesses, Farmers and Individuals are experiencing financial

crisis. The Phoenix Project is here to help……..

The Phoenix Project was established in late 2009 to cope with the effects of the global financial crisis

on many people in Ireland.The Phoenix Project is a new support centre for people facing severe

financial and emotional stress. The aim is to provide confidential support to clients and their families

with respect and dignity. Our support centre’s employees include Accountants, solicitors, Clinical

Counsellors and Support Staff. The Phoenix Project also engages volunteers with a wide range of skills

to provide support and assistance to their employees and clients.

Call: 1850 20 30 40

Or visit the Website: http://www.phoenixproject.ie/

Offaly Volunteer Centre is advertising some Professional Opportunities for the Phoenix

Project. For more information please go to 'Find An Opportunity'

Are you free over the weekend of 30th and 31st July 2011?

Can you give up two hours of your time?

We need you to come along and bucket collect for donations for Teenage Cancer

Teenage Cancer Trust has a charity partnership with Argos and Homebase which is worth an amazing £2.5m! This money will go a long way in helping young people fight cancer across the UK and in the Republic of Ireland

Contact Details:

Caroline on 02076120721

For more information on Teenage Cancer Trust Click Here to view Poster

Visit Teenage Cancer Website: www.teenagecancertrust.org

(Teenage Cancer Trust is a Registered Charity, Number 1062559)

ABOUT STREETWISE BUILDING

Streetwise is a group of Irish volunteers from all walks of life who have come together to

help with the construction of several specific projects in the townships of South Africa.

The organization was founded in 2004 by Padraig Mc Intyre who was shocked by the

dreadful conditions children suffer in the poor townships of South Africa. A group of

volunteers traveled in 2005, 2007 and 2009 to rebuild and renovate a home for street

children in Pinetown, Durban.

The continued generosity and support from volunteers and members of the community

enabled streetwise to evolve into its current committee. The new project is due to start in

June 2011 – the Don Bosco Educate Centre in the Delft Township, South Africa.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

You can easily contribute by buying some building materials or by donating what you

can. Our target is to raise €400,000. To date we have raised €160,000 through sponsorship.

We have funded the purchase of a minibus for the existing crèche and a site office and

computer for the project.

We guarantee that every euro donated will go directly to the project. (Only very basic

accommodation and economy flights will be provided for volunteers in return for their

labour.) A donation would be the ideal gift for your loved ones or business associates.

If you are interested in becoming a Volunteer, please read more on

Volunteering web page or Visit http://www.volunteeroffaly.ie/find-an-opportunity.html

The STREETWISE Committee Padraig Mc Intyre at Work

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NATIONAL AWARDS TO VOLUNTEERS IN IRISH SPORTS:

The Minister of State for Sport Michael Ring commemorated the work of 11 dedicated and selfless “heroes” at the National Awards to Volunteers in Irish Sports. The Aviva Stadium hosted a ceremony which is a joint initiative between the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and Federation of Irish Sports, which represents some 68 sports in Ireland.

The awards celebrate the contributions of volunteers to Irish sport, who number in excess of 400,000 people throughout the country. They voluntarily dedicate their time to sports clubs and organisations. Among the recipients was Jim Aughney, who is responsible for both the establishment and development of the Dublin Marathon and Race Series that attracts a field of over 11,000.

Brian Craig from Dublin also received an award for the major role he has played in the development of sailing in Ireland, specifically in Dún Laoghaire.

The youngest person honoured was 24-year old Doireann Ní Mhuiri from Cork, who has been involved in coaching at Blackrock Camogie Club since the tender age of 14.

Gerry Fleming, head coach of Neilstown Boxing Club, started there 31 years ago and counts Olympic silver medallist Kenny Egan as one who came under his tutelage. Egan admitted: “Gerry is not only my coach but a great friend. He has pushed so hard in getting Neilstown its own boxing club. It has been over 20 years coming and is finally here thanks to the hard work of Gerry and his coaching staff.”

The winners were selected by a committee chaired by Olympic gold medal winner Ronnie Delany, representatives from the Federation of Irish Sports, Irish Sports Council, The Irish Times, RTÉ and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.

Speaking at the presentation Mr Ring said: “The contribution of volunteers in supporting Irish sports people at every level, from when they first engage in sporting activity right through to developing elite athletes, should not be underestimated.

“Indeed, the army of volunteers who dedicate their time and commitment to each sport in Ireland assist in building strong and healthy communities, while giving everybody the opportunity to be the athletes they are.”

Award Winners

1. Doireann Ní Mhuiri (Camogie): Hailing from Ballintemple in Cork she has been coaching at Blackrock Camogie Club since the age of 14. She established hurling and camogie summer camps in 2004 when she saw that there were none in the local area; the emphasis at the camps was on fun and participation for all. While in college Doireann also coached camogie in a local primary school thereby introducing girls to the sport that would not otherwise have had the opportunity to play. In addition to her coaching Doirean also developed a website for the club and acted as administrator for a number of years. She also still finds time to turn out for the club’s camogie and women’s football teams.

2. Gareth Grundie (Hockey): Gareth has been a player coach with Northern Ireland Civil Service Mens (NICSM) and a coach to Ards Ladies for several years. His work with Ards has seen them become one of the top female teams in Ulster. This year saw the club finish third in Ulster’s Premier League thereby securing qualification for the Irish Hockey League. They also reached the quarter-finals of the Irish Senior Cup. NICS, meanwhile, finished top of their league while also winning the Irish Trophy Cup. Gareth’s commitment to both NICSM and Ards has seen a number of Ulster interprovincials and Irish internationals pass through his hands.

3. Gerry Fleming (Boxing): Gerry has been involved with Neilstown Boxing Club for 31 years principally as a coach but in addition over the last 10 years he has been an administrator and a driving force behind the newly-opened purpose built club premises. It remains the focal point in the community and is credited with making a difference in hundreds of young people’s lives. He has coached many national champions, the most successful being Olympic silver medallist Kenneth Egan.

4. Catherine Murphy (women’s Gaelic football): is synonymous with women’s football in Kinsale. She was the founding secretary of Kinsale Ladies Football Club in 2001 and more recently has served as both treasurer and registrar. In 2008 her under-14 team emerged as winners of the Kilmacud Crokes All-Ireland Shield Competition. The reality that Kinsale has become one of the biggest and most successful clubs in Cork in its short nine-year history is testament to Catherine’s diligence and commitment to the club.

5. Jim Aughney (Athletics): As race director of the Dublin marathon, he is responsible for the delivery each year of the Dublin marathon and race series. From Clondalkin, Jim has brought the Dublin City Marathon back to the spotlight over the past 10 years. In 2010, there were 13,200 participants from 63 different countries while the race series has seen a four-fold growth in eight years. He has achieved all of this including the management of logistics, liaising with gardaí, local authorities, the OPW, sponsors while holding down a full-time job. He uses his annual leave to take a week off in the lead up to the marathon while doing the same during the year to promote Dublin and its marathon at marathon expos around the world.

6. Tony Farrell (Swimming) : Tony took on the role as chairperson of Swim Ireland in 2004. He stepped down from the role after a three-year period but was re-elected in 2008. Farrell first took on the leadership of Swim Ireland at a time when the organisation was facing many difficulties. It had funding and other financial difficulties and had several legal actions pending against it. Tony’s perseverance, commitment to swimming and indeed personal strength and courage ensured Swim Ireland faced its responsibilities and addressed its difficulties culminating in a much more progressive and stable organisation today.

7. Pam Beacom (Special Olympics): Pam has been heavily involved in Special Olympics since the World Games in 2003. In the aftermath she was instrumental to the foundation of Blue Dolphins Special Olympics Club in her home town of Wicklow which now offers seven different sports with 66 athletes and 55 volunteers participating. Pam has coached at all levels in Special Olympics and will form part of the swim coaching team at this summer’s World Games in Athens where her daughter Aisling will compete.

8. Breeda Christie (Athletics/Community Games): Breeda is 80 years young and the founder and president of Community Games Tipperary. She has given in excess of 40 years’ service to athletes and volunteering in sport in Tipperary and remains as active today as when she first became involved in 1967, remaining the driving force behind Tipperary Town Athletics Club. Thousands of children have enjoyed the fun of being involved in sport thanks to her vision and dedication.

9. Brian Craig (Sailing): Brian has played a major role in the development of sailing in Dún Laoghaire and in Ireland with a specific focus on youth sailing. He has served as a volunteer on various club and event committees for the past 40 years and has been responsible in securing and chairing many successful, national, European and world championships to Dublin Bay. He has been largely responsible for submitting and successfully winning the bid for Ireland to host the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship for Dublin Bay in 2012.

10. Desmond Butler (Gaelic Games): Desmond is a born and bred Finglas man and has strong community ties to his local GAA club Erin’s Isle. He has been involved with Erin’s Isle for over 70 years and has represented the club at juvenile, minor and senior level. He was part of the junior team that won the D League final in 1947 as well as being a key player on the team that won consecutive championships in the early ’50s, bringing the club to senior status. He has found time to contribute as a team mentor, committee member, chairman and trustee and now president of the club.

11. Paddy Walsh (Gaelic Games): Paddy been involved with the Stars of Erin GAA for over 60 years. During this time he has taken on numerous roles including as the representative to the Dublin Junior Board, club referee and as co-manager and selector for the adult teams. Paddy remains the principle contributor to the weekly fundraising. He is extremely active selling weekly raffle tickets and drives around to his regular customers each week. A legend in the club Paddy is the oldest member and at 97 still umpires games when he can.

This article by John O’Sullivan was published in the Irish Times, Wednesday 1st June

Clara Tidy Towns Environmental

'Clara Tidy Towns Environmental is looking for volunteers for a range of activities this spring'

Clara Tidy Towns Environmental group has recently joined up with the new Clara town Action plan environmental group are putting in place a ‘3 Year Plan’. The plan has many aspects which include working with other agencies e,g Offaly County Council Offaly Local Development Company and FAS to make Clara a better cleaner community. Initiatives included in the plan are A Town Wide Clean Up, Competitions for Tidy Estates Tidy Area and Shop Fronts.

Volunteers are needed to make events successful

Clara Spring Clean Day on April 16^th 2011. We will be out in force cleaning the streets of Clara from 10a.m-1pm and its all hands on deck so do come along and help. Gloves and pickers will be provided

In order to fund this initiative Clara Tidy Towns Environmental have embarked on a fundraising drive that included a very successful 'Bag Pack'. We wish to extend a big THANK YOU to all who volunteered and helped in any way in making this 'Bag Pack' such a success.

The next fundraising event will be a 'Table Quiz' in May or June and we hope, with the help of the local community that this too will be a big success. Details available soon

For further information on any of the above events please contact Catherine on 057 9331928

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Tús (Community Work Placement Initiative):

Click on the Link to Offaly Local Development Company for more

information.

What will the role of Community & Voluntary Organisations be?

Their key role will be to propose and provide work placements that will provide Participants with valuable working opportunities in good quality work settings.

How are Participants assigned to Community & Voluntary Organisations?

• Community & Voluntary Organisations with a work placement opportunity should register this with the Local Development Company operating in their immediate area.
• They will then be required to submit a detailed work proposal outlining the work to be undertaken, number of Participants requested etc. for consideration by the Local Development Company
• Following assessment, the Local Development Company will contact the Community & Voluntary Organisations advising them of their decision.

Will there be costs involved for Community & Voluntary Organisations?

• This will depend on the nature of the work and the number of Participants assigned.
• All Community & Voluntary Organisations will be required to make a contribution, which will be assessed on a case by case basis.

Will funding be provided to cover costs?

• As a general rule, Community & Voluntary Organisations will be responsible for the costs that Tús is unable to cover.
• Funding will be provided in specific circumstances from a material budget maintained by the Local Development Company in each area.

How many hours will Participants have to work?

• Participants must work 19½ hours per week and hours of work will be subject to work placement.
• While not always possible, Participants may be able to work their hours in a flexible way, subject to agreement of local management.

What type of work will be undertaken?

All of the work undertaken while participating on Tús will be beneficial to the local community and the types of projects carried out are likely to include:

• Energy conservation work in homes and community buildings
• Social care of all age groups and people with disabilities
• Caretaking, securing, supervising of community buildings and spaces
• Renovation of community and sporting facilities, including the regeneration and enhancement of community, recreation and sporting spaces
• Work in support of cultural and heritage activities
• Community administration and community event management
• Coaching for sporting activities
• Repair of equipment for developing countries – Farm Tools, bicycles, computers, sewing machines, health equipment etc.

What is the selection process for the Initiative?

• The Department of Social Protection will identify and contact persons on the Live Register who satisfy the criteria and offer them the opportunity to be considered for local placement as opportunities arise.
• When those indentified agree to participate, they will be referred to the Local Development Company operating in their area for interview and consideration for placement.
• The Local Development Companies will maintain a panel from which persons will be recruited.
• As placement opportunities arise, those on the panel will be matched with the work and recruited.
• Prior to being offered a placement, it will be necessary to ensure that a person’s general suitability for the work involved and their experience of similar work, is established. This will be done at local level by the Local Development Company and the Community & Voluntary Organisation

For more information click on the link to the 'Social Protection' website

Friday 8^th April is Autism Awareness Day in Laois/Offaly.

Irish Autism are holding a number of fundraising events to raise much needed funds for children in every county in Ireland who are affected by autism.

All volunteers on the day would be greatly appreciated to help us out.

Irish Autism will have bucket collections on the day in the towns of Tullamore,Birr,Edenderry,Portarlington,Portlaoise and Abbeyleix.

Irish Autism have permits for these collections and health and safety measures as well as insurance are in place.

Hi-visibility vests will be provided and snacks,refreshments will be made available by one of our kind sponsors,Marks and Spencers.

Irish Autism are particularly short of help in Tullamore and would be very grateful if you could assist us in any way.

Any queries you have don’t hesitate to contact me.

Thank you,

Dara Fitzpatrick 0876734510

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Volunteers praised as ’backbone of country’ by President

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE: ST PATRICK’S Day is a reminder of the enduring solidarity of the global

Irish family, President Mary McAleese has said. In her St Patrick’s Day message, she also praised

volunteers whom she described as “the backbone of the country”. Mrs McAleese passed on her best

wishes to everyone celebrating St Patrick’s Day. “All across the world, on this our famous national day,

Irish people and their friends join in joyful, fun-filled celebrations of our great heritage and fascinating

culture,” she said. “It’s a day that reminds us of the enduring solidarity of the global Irish family, the

strength it gives us and the pride.” She said the country should take hope and inspiration “from past

problems transcended”, from the growing peace, and “from the depths of courage and generosity which

underpin the rich community and civic life we enjoy”. The President said St Patrick was an immigrant,

but was also a volunteer. “It is volunteers at home and abroad who not only fly the flag for Ireland on St

Patrick’s Day but, all year round, build up and sustain a culture of generosity that enriches life in so

many different ways,” she said. “They are the backbone of our country and they are its heart and its

soul.” Volunteers mobilised today under the banner of St Patrick, she said, “in a national and

international showcase of the indomitable Irish”. “In this year with its special focus on volunteering and

on this day of parades, music, dance and colourful spectacle which is so reliant on volunteers, I send my

warmest wishes and thanks to all who organise and participate in this great global festival,” she said

© Volunteer Centre Ireland

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Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2010

The Minister for Justice and Law Reform, Dermot Ahern T.D. introduced a new bill that will provide protection from liability for volunteers

The new provisions will provide protection from liability for persons described as ‘good samaritans’, who act in good faith, without expectation of payment or reward and in a way that does not constitute gross negligence, to provide assistance, advice or care during an accident or emergency. Protection is also being provided from liability for persons involved in voluntary work for charitable or other purposes for the benefit of society, including sports, recreation and rescue.

When welcoming the provision Minister Pat Carey T.D. Minister for Community, Equality and Gealtacht Affairs said:
“I welcome these new provisions which will help protect volunteers and good Samaritans from incurring liability while engaged in charitable works or assisting others in good faith. It is essential that those who give of their time to help others in a selfless and voluntary manner do not fear legal repercussions. In the current climate, it is vital that we encourage active citizenship and volunteering and protect those that partake in such activities. In addition to these provisions, I recently commenced further sections of the Charities Act 2009, which will help to safeguard the position of those charity trustees who fulfil their duties with integrity, but who still may be liable for court proceedings”.

Minister Carey concluded:
“Promoting volunteering and active citizenship is a policy area which needs to be addressed and strengthened. I believe these provisions will support this aim and will contribute to the Government’s objective of a society which is inclusive, energised and which continues to place a focus on high levels of community engagement.”

© Volunteer Centre Ireland

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Volunteering Makes a Resurgence

Volunteering activity is undergoing a welcome resurgence in post-Tiger Ireland, but the recession means there is a danger of such goodwill being exploited, writes KITTY HOLLAND VOLUNTEERING doesn’t just consist of helping out with the school football team on Saturday mornings, or visiting the old folks’ home two evenings a week. To many, it’s vital to the future well-being of society.

2011 has been officially designated the European Year of Volunteering. Activities in Ireland will officially get under way on Saturday with an event hosted by President Mary McAleese at the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham, Dublin. The aim of the year, says Elaine Bradley, chief executive of Volunteering Ireland, is to celebrate the work of volunteers across Europe, to enable more people to volunteer and to promote best practice in volunteering. It can, she admits, “all sound a bit innocuous and seem to mean everything and anything do-goodish”. But volunteering has the potential to feed a need we lost sight of during the non-stop economic expansion of the past decade. For so long, well-being has been assumed to depend solely on economic vitality. “GDP is not an effective measurement of progress and well-being in society,” she says. Official figures put the number of people who engage in voluntary activity in Ireland at between 750,000 and one million. Anna Hughes volunteers with Farranree Youth Clubs, in Cork. She first got involved in organising activities for children and young people in her Cork City Council housing estate on the northside of the city almost 30 years ago. “Basically there was nothing there for young people, so we had to do it. We got involved in starting summer activities and soon we were running youth clubs for three age-groups. Now we are affiliated to Ógra Corcaigh, a board of 36 youth clubs in Cork city and county. “I get the greatest satisfaction from volunteering. I have met the best friends I [ever] had through it. There is such a great sense of achievement against the odds. “There is a particular camaraderie – from achieving things together, from seeing young people flourish – that I am convinced you only get from volunteering. It’s different to work because it’s something you really want to do and it’s yours.”

Paul Lynch in Dublin, who organises long hill-walks in Co Wicklow for recovering addicts every second Sunday, says he would not want to be paid for his voluntary activity. His paid work is in a HSE addiction treatment centre in Finglas. “I found taking out for these walks was a good way to get a handle on them. The whinge factor is high in this business and this gets people out of Dublin, out of their situation. Walking suits the addicted mind, which is very selfish, tunnel-visioned. “I see it as something I do – and it’s selfish too. I found I could be quite on edge in the clinic watching all these young people sad and hurting inside. I find this helps. “I wouldn’t want to be paid for this. There would be checks and balances: you’d have to get insurance, start recording numbers. I’d rather [have] no official involvement. It’s a disorganised group of people and that’s just fine.”

Claire Connaughton, of the Children in Hospital Ireland charity, organises the training and recruitment of volunteers to provide play activities for hospitalised children. “We have 400 to 500 volunteers, about 250 of whom are in Crumlin Hospital for Sick Children. “First we get Garda clearance on all volunteers. Then there is comprehensive training over three or four sessions – about arts, crafts, the theory of play, listening skills. We support the volunteers if issues come up. It is an investment, but we also get support from the hospitals. “We are very particular that we are not replacing the play specialists and therapists who work in the hospitals. We are there to do a little extra for the children.”

These activities epitomise what volunteering should be about, says Bradley, who shares concerns among some that voluntary goodwill could be exploited. During a recession in particular, she says, the call for volunteers “needs to be dealt with cautiously”. She contributed to a position paper on the issue published in December by the European Volunteer Centre, which says the “abuse of volunteering” must be avoided. “It is unacceptable to look at volunteering as a cheap alternative to [employing] a workforce,” says the centre.

Says Bradley: “Voluntary activity should add value. It’s not about replacing paid staff.”

For more on 2011: European Year of Volunteering, see volunteeringireland.com; europa.eu/volunteering

© Volunteer Centre Ireland

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Focus Ireland Graduate Recruitment

Focus Ireland operates a graduate recruitment programme, known internally as “The CSV Programme”. This programme offers opportunities to college graduates to develop their skills & expertise in the area of social & community work. It is particularly suited to graduates of Social Science courses who are interested in gaining experience prior to returning to complete their masters in Social Science. The programme has been in operation for over 15 years. The programme runs from September to August each year with recruitment beginning early in the first quarter of that year. We accept 12 people on our programme each year.

The Graduates are required to work 39 hours per week and are paid a living allowance of just over €12,500. They can also apply for other benefits such as rent allowance which are allocated on a means tested basis.

For More Information follow this Link

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

I have just been reviewing our growing network of volunteers and want to thank you for the great service that you have given Sea Shepherd over the last 6 months. With the volunteer.ie network we have managed to attend 14 events, speak to 6400 people approx and build the start of a network of volunteers throughout the cities of Ireland. Thank you.

The Volunteer Fairs gave us the opportunity to meet possible volunteers face to face, to find out their needs and to design volunteer roles around them. The referral service has given us volunteers who are happy to use their professional skills to benefit the charity and volunteers have contributed a great deal of time to raise awareness about our international campaigns around the globe.

At present Sea Shepherd are undertaking our largest campaign, stopping illegal whaling activities in the Southern Whale Sanctuary. So, far this has been one of our most successful campaigns with not one whale killed by the three harpoon ships that are harassing our vessels in the Antarctic.

We are still in the Gulf of Mexico working to rescue and rehabilitate marine life after the BP Oil Spill, it may have gone out of the news but it is still as big and deadly as ever. In the Galapagos Islands our K9 unit has had a very successful run stopping the illegal export of live Iguanas! and have caught smugglers trying to take dried Shark Fins and sea horses poached from the Galapagos’s Marine Reserve.

We are still in Japan at Taiji, where wild dolphins are driven into the notorious “Cove” (just watch the covertly shot film) thousands of family pods of dolphins are tortured and slaughtered every year to support the live dolphin trade. Companies such as Ocean World, send trainers to pic young female dolphins, who they starve into performing tricks to entertain us, the unsuitable dolphins, male, babies, pregnant are then tortured and slaughtered. Our Cove guardians are there, documenting and informing the world about this practice.

We will be repeating our successful Blue Fin Tuna campaign in the Mediterranean and will be working with the Bridget Bardot foundation to protect Pilot whales in the Faroese Islands.

The Faeroes campaign is particularly relevant to Ireland. Pilot Whales (which are really dolphins), migrate to the Artic to feed, these are the same whales that swim through Irish waters which are nationally recognised whale and dolphin sanctuary.

They provide us with Ocean life Tourist industry opportunities such as whale watching. The mammals then swim to the North Sea, where if they survive the slaughter in the Faeroe Islands, where thousands of Pilot whales are beached and killed by the islanders every year; the Dolphins and endanger fin, blue and humpback whales face slaughter from Norway, Iceland and Greenland, who commercially kill thousands of Minke and endangered whales annually.

These whales do not return along their migratory route along the Irish coasts; this directly effects our own whale watch and ocean wildlife tours on the West and Southern coasts of Ireland.

We are seeking on shore volunteers in Ireland, to support our campaigns by providing us with professional skills, a professional and experienced fundraiser is urgently sought, along with people from all counties across the country to raise awareness of our campaigns.

If possible, could you promote Sea Shepherd in your newsletters to volunteers, and we are always happy to take part in events that you may organise, especially in the 2011 year of volunteering. Sea Shepherd has a vibrant international network of volunteers across the globe and we can build volunteer roles around individual volunteer’s skills and experience requirements, volunteers have excellent support, and can volunteer for a project, a set time or for longer periods.

Please feel free to mail me, call me on the number below and to keep updated about Sea Shepherd activities on our web page www.seashepherd.org and on face book Sea Shepherd Ireland.

Sue Anthony, Coordinator Ireland Sea Shepherd

Ireland - 086 067 9933 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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Message from Volunteer Centre Ireland (VCI)

“REACH OUT TO OLDER NEIGHGOURS”

VOLUNTEER CENTRES IRELAND has once again urged members of the public to reach out to their older neighbours during the cold spell to make sure that they are OK.

Temperatures are expected to plummet to below -10 this week and Met Eireann has warned they cannot predict how long the cold spell will last.

Older people are particularly vulnerable during periods of ice and snow with many older people becoming trapped in their own homes as they fear slipping and falling in the icy conditions.

Yvonne McKenna, CEO of Volunteer Centres Ireland said: ‘You don’t have to be affiliated with a voluntary organisation to help older people you know during winter. Just ring your neighbour’s doorbell to check that they are mobile - perhaps offer to fetch their groceries and ensure that their heating is working.’

Meanwhile Ireland’s network of volunteer centres has seen a surge of interest in volunteering opportunities in the run up to Christmas.

“Many people are encouraged to volunteer at Christmas, but much like the floods last summer, this spell of bad weather is bringing out the best in local communities around Ireland,” said McKenna.

© Volunteer Centre Ireland

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Some of the Volunteering Quotes from VCI website: - “ENJOY”

Volunteering Quotes and Other Words of Support

“When the story of these times gets written, we want it to say that we did all we could, and it was more than anyone could have imagined.”............................Bono

"There is a strong link between volunteering and active citizenship. Involvement in voluntary activities is a tangible expression of participatory democracy. But sometimes we as parliamentarians don’t pay enough attention to the other side of the equation - participatory democracy. This is where citizens through their activities participate in the democratic process and volunteering facilitates this important process." ....................... Marian Harkin MEP

“This Department is pleased to be working with Volunteer Centres Ireland to develop a transparent and consistent policy relating to the centres in Ireland. This development of a supportive framework for Volunteer Centres is important in the context of the Government’s commitments under Towards 2016 and the recommendations of the Task Force on Active Citizenship” ........................... Dept. of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

"We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean, but the ocean would be less because of that missing drop. We can do no great things, only small things with great love.” ....................................Mother Teresa of Calcutta

"Service to others is the payment you make for your space here on earth" ....................................Mohammed Ali

"One is not born into the world to do everything but to do something." .................... Henry David Thoreau, poet, writer, philosopher

"No one has ever become poor by giving"..............................Anne Frank
"We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give" ...................Sir Winston Churchill

©Volunteer Ireland

What could you achieve with an extra member of staff for three months?

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"KNOW YOUR TULLAMORE"

Big Event in Tullamore on Sunday 10th October 2010!!!!!!

‘Know your Tullamore’ is an afternoon of activities and events in Tullamore ranging from Tours, Arts, Entertainment, Water Activities and lots, lots more. Local Restaurants have come together to offer children FREE meals. Check out the link to Flyer on ‘RESOURCES' page from the top menu for more information.

If you would like to Volunteer as little as an hour then contact Rose on 086 0228433 for details.

National Day of Volunteering

Offaly Volunteer Centre

This year, the National Day of Volunteering will take place on Friday, October 1st. What’s it all about? It’s about giving volunteering a go and finding out that volunteering makes a difference and can be a lot of fun!

To mark the National Day of Volunteering the Offaly Volunteer Centre will hold and information giving event in the Bridge Centre, Tullamore for 10.00am to 6.00pm on Friday October 1^st. There are loads of ways you can get involved with the National Day of Volunteering from registering for an existing project to creating your own, or simply taking the time to thank a volunteer. The aim of the National Day of Volunteering is to encourage everyone in Ireland to give volunteering a go, to show that – even if it’s only for a minute, an hour, a day – volunteering can make a big difference and be a lot of fun! There are lots of ways you can get involved: you can register to take part in a project already happening, register a project yourself, commit a ’random act of volunteering’ or simply take the opportunity to thank a volunteer

How does it work?

• Community and voluntary organisation develop volunteering projects to take place on Friday, October 1st (or thereabouts) and register them on our website. The opportunities are wide-ranging and varied: from painting, decorating and restoration work, to environmental clean-ups; from day trips, to sporting, recreation and entertainment events.
• Organisations also choose to use the day to organise an official ’thank you’ event for their volunteers: a coffee morning, garden party or thank you ceremony, for example.
• Members of the public view the list of opportunities and register to get to take part.
• Members of the public, often in groups of friends, family, college or work colleagues, identify something that needs to be done in their community and organise to do it. It could be clearing a local canal, a green area or graffiti. They let us know they’re doing it via our website so we can count them in!
• Members of the public also join in by committing a ’random act of volunteering’: for example, dropping by to see if a neighbour is in need of anything; bring clothes to a charity shop; picking up a piece of litter. They let us know what they’re up to via our website so we can count them in!
• Anyone who wants to can also register a ’thank you’ to a specific volunteer or the organisation they volunteer with.

© Volunteer Ireland

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The National Day of Volunteering will take place on

Friday the 1st of October 2010

© Volunteer Ireland

NEWS

(c) Ireland Volunteer Centre

(Published Spring 2010)

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News from Volunteer Centre Ireland...................

The Profile of Volunteers Changing

New figures released today by Volunteer Centres Ireland (VCI), show that in the first half of this year, the recession continued to have a huge impact on the numbers of people registering to volunteer. Furthermore the profile of volunteers registering with volunteer centres has changed significantly since the recession.

The new type of volunteers registering with volunteer centres, tend to be highly skilled with considerable time on their hands. Volunteer centres are under pressure to find ‘meatier roles’ for volunteers were they can hone their skills and keep busy and active. Dr Yvonne McKenna, CEO of Volunteer Centres Ireland explained that ‘while volunteering cannot help the unemployment problem in Ireland, it does have a proven positive impact on the wellbeing of the unemployed and can help prevent some of the harmful effects of long-term unemployment. To this end, Volunteer Centres Ireland and its members are seeking cross-departmental support to help them meet the needs of the unemployed or under employed volunteers’.

Volunteer centres have seen a massive 72% increase in volunteering since the onslaught of the recession and this shows no sign of dissipating. The figures released today show that ‘recently made redundant’ is now one of the top ten reasons people are volunteering, while ‘free time’ and ‘to gain work experience’ are the second and third most popular reasons to volunteer, respectively. More than half the volunteers who registered that they were unemployed or recently made redundant were under 35, while 70% had never volunteered before. © Volunteer Centre Ireland

Junior Chamber International Ireland survey provides insight into community needs:

According to a public survey conducted by the leadership development group Junior Chamber International, ‘signing up with Volunteer.ie’ is the second most helpful act within a community, topped only by ‘planting flowers in a public area.’ ‘Signing up to Volunteer.ie’ and ‘running a charity event’ both received 16 per cent of votes for the best thing you can do to help a community.

Of course, signing up with Volunteer Centres Ireland is only part of the task, to better the community try completing a project! A fantastic opportunity for getting involved with VCI would be to participate in the upcoming National Day of Volunteering on October 1st, 2010. You could easily combine this survey’s first and second place winners into one great community building project by organizing a flower planting event and registering it on www.volunteer.ie

Interestingly, the choice to ‘become active in your local policital party’ did not recieve a single vote during the survey. ‘I was surprised to see that not one person would consider joining a political party,’ said JCI’s Mark Kelly.

Kick off JCI’s Active Citizenship Week with the National Day of Volunteering

Junior Chambers International in Ireland is encouraging people to become active in their community by participating in Active Citizen Week from October 3rth through the 10th of 2010. How perfect that VCI’s National Day of Volunteering is on October 1st! Why not kick of a week of active citizenship with a once-off volunteering project! JCI’s mascot, Active Alfie, says; "Over the past twenty five years Ireland has seen some dramatic changes, the Celtic Tiger saw Ireland’s economy boom. However at the expense of this great growth it would seem that some of the magic that held the Irish community together has started to disappear and the fabric of our communities has started to dissolve."

So why not visit his website at www.fifty-ways.com to get fifty easy ways in which the members of the Irish community can become more active citizens and put the magic back into our communities.

© Volunteer Centre Ireland

31% of Volunteers are under 25

New figures released in the first month of the year gives insight into the make up of Irish volunteers and it seems that 70% of those registering to volunteer via their local Volunteer Centre are under 35 while 31% of volunteers are under 25. The figures released by Volunteer Centers Ireland (VCI) show that in Ireland more and more young people are contacting their local volunteer centre to get involved with their local communities.

The number one reason young people give for volunteering is that they want to ‘Give Something back’, followed by ‘gain or improve skills’. ‘Make a Difference’, ‘Free Time’ and ‘Want to Do Something for my Community’ also make the top 5 reasons young people are volunteering. While young people have mostly altruistic motivations to volunteer many of them are using volunteering to keep active and upskill during the downturn in the economy.

Indeed Volunteer Centers Ireland has seen a huge increase in the numbers of young people coming forward to volunteer during the last eighteen months with a more than 100% increase in the numbers of people volunteering overall.

The Chief Executive of VCI, Yvonne McKenna, says that the recession has been good for active citizenship and volunteering.

‘In part the explosion in active citizenship is down to the turn in Ireland’s economic circumstances as thousands of young people who have either lost their jobs or, indeed, cannot find work after graduating from second or third level education are being proactive and are seeking out fulfilling opportunities and the chance to learn skills that could lead to full-time employment.

‘However, other people are seizing the opportunity to show solidarity with their neighbours and communities by pitching in where necessary. This has been apparent by the numbers of people reaching out to the flood victims here in Ireland but also by the numbers of young people who have come forward with fundraising ideas for the people of Haiti.