To mark International Volunteer Day 2020 we are delighted to share the publication of Ireland’s first National Volunteering Strategy. The Strategy was launched today, Saturday 5th December 2020, by Minister Joe O'Brien of the Department of Rural and Community Development. 

The purpose of the strategy is to recognise, support and promote the unique value and contribution volunteers make to Irish society. Volunteering benefits large sectors of society in the areas of education, arts, heritage, education, health, sport and the socially marginalised. Research has also shown that the act of volunteering has a positive impact on the health and well-being of the volunteer.

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. Local volunteers and organisations who involve volunteers in their work contributed to this strategy through Louth Volunteer Centre. According to Gráinne Berrill, Louth Volunteer Centre Manager, “Ireland already has a strong culture of volunteering with over a quarter of the country giving their time each year. We see this here at local level all the time. 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. 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”

Launching the strategy Minister O'Brien stated “We want the strategy to help bring new people to volunteering. We want to develop an environment and set of support structures that facilitates the highest standards so that all involved can benefit to the greatest degree. I cannot emphasise enough that through the approval and publication of this strategy, government is recognising the value of volunteering and how important it is to our communities.”

The strategy contains 56 actions to be implemented over the next five years, with Government working in partnership with volunteers, volunteering bodies, the community and voluntary sector and the business and corporate community to deliver its objectives.As a team we in Louth Volunteer Centre look forward to working with our friends and colleagues in local statutory agencies, the community and voluntary sector and our community as a whole in delivering many of the elements within the strategy at local level. 

Click here to read the strategy in full.

This International Volunteer Day we would like to say an enormous congratulations to Olive Murphy of Scaleforce who was recently surprised with a national Volunteer Ireland Award. Olive was one of the volunteers featured in our #LouthLandofLegends campaign earlier in 2020 and was nominated for the national Volunteer Ireland awards as a result.

Olive set up Scaleforce because she could see the need for adults to connect or reconnect to playing musical instruments but did not want finances to be a barrier. She also could see that connecting people through music could be a great social outlet for people and that formal music lessons or settings may take the joy out of the music for people so she has created a unique group encouraging adults to take up playing traditional music that is very inclusive with people of all ages and abilities participating. Olive gives her time to prepare all the music in advance, record the pieces for members to practice on and keeping connected with the group as a whole. 

They now have over 20 members who have become lifelong friends even though their paths may have never crossed in normal life. Since March 2020, she has been livestreaming sessions through their Facebook group which has been a lifeline for members throughout the pandemic.

Olive received her award, certificate and a hamper of goodies to celebrate in a surprise coordinated by Louth Volunteer Centre, Volunteer Ireland and her son Eoghan. Like other award winners across Ireland Olive had received a thank you card in the post, which she had been delighted with. Speaking of her award, Olive said; “It was such a lovely surprise and I was delighted to know (my son) Eoghan knew and helped Louth Volunteer Centre and Volunteer Ireland to organise the surprise. I loved the thank you card and I was going to get it framed.  Little did I know that I had actually won an award and what else I was going to get"

Congratulations Olive, well deserved!

Click here if you would like to let us know about the work of fabulous volunteers like Olive in our community.

The theme of International Volunteer Day 2020 which takes place on Saturday 5th December is #TogetherWeCan.

On that day, through the CRiTiCALL iniatitive individual volunteers and community groups are fulfilling the spirit of #TogetherWeCan by coming together to support women and families who have been impacted by domestic abuse. 

CRiTiCALL is a community partnership between Louth Volunteer Centre, Safe Ireland (Drogheda Women's and Children's Refuge and Women's Aid Dundalk), Scouting Ireland Louth and local Red Cross branches.  The aim of CRiTiCALL in Louth is to support women and children in the area by facilitating the donation of critical goods to those that need it most. 

Dundalk Women's Aid are opening two apartments for women and families in Dundalk and would appreciate support in collecting household items in setting these up. Drogheda Women's and Children's Refuge have requested specific items that they are running low on (list below).

Click here to indicate your interest in taking part and find out more.