Minister launches volunteers' week

Margaret Ritchie, Minister for Social Development, will launch the Volunteers’ Week (1 – 7 June) campaign today, 4.00pm, at Volunteer Development Agency, 129 Ormeau Road, Belfast.

The Minister said, “I am really pleased to be here to launch Volunteers’ Week in Northern Ireland. ‘Inclusiveness’ is an important element of the Week – this is the only campaign that recognises volunteers involved in all kinds of organisations - from grass roots community groups through to national and international charities. These organisations are all linked by volunteers – without whom, their work would not be accomplished.”

Wendy Osborne OBE, Director, Volunteer Development Agency, said, “There are over 282,000 volunteers across the country who donate their time for the benefit of others and the community. Volunteers’ Week is about celebrating their commitment and encouraging more people to think about volunteering. The celebrations include an opportunity to experience ‘bite size’ volunteering roles with local environmental and heritage groups and presentation of a Volunteer Recognition Award supported by Northern Bank.”

Colin Dundas, Regional Manager Belfast, Northern Bank said, “We encourage our staff to volunteer through corporate programmes but we also provide grants for organisations with which they volunteer in their own time. We are always looking for new ways to motivate staff to volunteer, so we are delighted to support this new Award which recognises good practice for volunteer involvement.”

For further details of Volunteers’ Week activities visit: www.volunteering-ni.org

NOTES TO EDITORS:

• The Volunteer Development Agency: The Volunteer Development Agency is an independent charitable company established in 1993. Our mission is ‘strengthening communities through the promotion and development of volunteering’ and this forms the foundation of all our work. We recognise volunteering as a vibrant expression of active citizenship.
• We are a membership organisation that provides training, help and advice and publications on volunteering, volunteer management, child protection and voluntary management committees.
• We actively promote volunteering as an important aspect of everyday life through campaigns such as the annual Volunteers’ Week (now in its 23rd year) and were responsible for co-ordinating the Year of the Volunteer 2005 and International Year of the Volunteer 2001.
• The Agency also administers several grant programmes on behalf of the Department for Social Development (Community Volunteering Scheme and Volunteer Bureaux Initiative) and the Department of Education (Millennium Volunteers). These funding programmes relate to the promotion, support and increase in participation in volunteering.
• Volunteering and volunteers refers to individuals and the work or action they undertake for the benefit of others or the community (outside one’s immediate family), undertaken freely and by choice and not directly in return for wages.
• For media enquries contact Fidelma Glass, Marketing Manager, Volunteer Development Agency 028 9023 6100 Direct line 028 9081 8324.