Tipperary will Celebrate National Volunteering Week 2019
PJ Gallagher – Comedian and RNLI volunteer – was on hand to launch this year’s National Volunteering Week campaign. National Volunteering Week 2019 takes place form 13th – 19th May. The Tipperary Volunteer Centre will be hosting events across the county celebrating volunteers and showing people how they can get involved.
“Volunteering is an intrinsic part of life in Tipperary. It affects us all whether we are volunteers ourselves or not,” according to Derek Fanning, manager of Tipperary Volunteer Centre. “National Volunteering Week aims to showcase the scale of volunteering in Tipperary and inspire people to volunteer but this year we want to go even deeper. We will go into the heart of communities across Tipperary and hear from volunteers and the organisations that involve them”.
Anchors aweigh on National Volunteering Week: Students Oscar Egan and Saoirse Hannigan help PJ Gallagher and fellow RNLI volunteers Laura Jackson and Kieran O’Connell launch this year’s National Volunteering Week (13th – 19th May).
“It is an opportunity for anyone who is considering getting involved in volunteering to take that next step. The staff will be going to towns and villages across the county throughout the week. It would be a chance for people to meet our team and see how they can get involved. There are hundreds of volunteer opportunities available right now in Tipperary” said Derek.
Tipperary Volunteer Centre also encourage organisations and community groups to celebrate their own volunteers during National Volunteering Week. “Whether it’s a thank you celebration or a simple coffee and chat with their volunteers. National Volunteering Week is the perfect chance to thank volunteers, share their stories and recognise the impact they have on organisations and communities across Tipperary” Derek said.
2019 also marks an historic year for volunteering in Ireland as the Government develops the first ever national volunteering strategy. The strategy has the potential to progress and enhance volunteering in Ireland. Tipperary Volunteer Centre held focus groups throughout the county in January to get direct feedback from the community on the issues they face in terms of volunteering. Volunteer ‘burn out’ and feeling undervalued were some of the common themes that emerged from the focus groups. To this end, National Volunteer Week could be the perfect opportunity for community groups and organisations to reflect on the value of their volunteers and celebrate them.
If you would like more information on National Volunteer Week or how to get involved in volunteering, you can contact the Tipperary Volunteer Centre on 062 64775 or info@volunteertipperary.ie. You can visit their website on www.volunteertipperary.ie
