Volunteers needed for Operational Trials at Dublin Airport (July - October)

Trials of individual processes and systems will commence in early July and build through the late summer to a number of advanced trials in September and October. Advance trials will involve the simulation of full passenger journeys through the new terminal and boarding gate pier.

The DAA has set up a special online registration process for individuals and groups who wish to participate in this exciting project and be amongst the first members of the public to view and experience the new facility.

Volunteers can register from today.  As the DAA needs to reflect in its trials, the type of passenger mix expected to travel through Terminal 2 from November, it will select volunteers according to the requirements of each trial and the specific date each is being held.

“We believe these trials represent a unique opportunity for members of the public to help us road test Terminal 2, one of the most important pieces of public transport infrastructure to come on stream for many years,” said Brendan Daly, Director of the DAA’s Operational Readiness and Airport Transition (ORAT) programme.

“It also offers people the chance to be amongst the first to experience the design and layout of the new building and to see at close hand how it operates.

“We want to replicate the full range of airport scenarios, encountered on a daily basis, and identify and address any issues that arise in advance of our November opening. We need business passengers; passengers with reduced mobility; passengers of all ages and genders; passengers with special requirements; family groups; tour groups; clubs and sports groups. In other words, the full cross-section of passengers who travel through an airport and avail of its various services,” he added.

Volunteer passengers will be provided with specific scripts on the day of the trial, outlining the particular role they will be asked to play. Volunteers and the designated observers who monitor their progress will then complete post trial reports. These will be evaluated in detail and used to fine tune preparations for the opening of Terminal 2 in November.

All volunteer participants in the trials will be provided with catering at the airport and with a goody bag to commemorate the event. All volunteers aged over 18 will be entered into a draw to have a chance to win valuable prizes including a holiday worth €5,000.

Information about Terminal 2

· The budgeted cost of Terminal 2, its associated 420 metre boarding gate facility Pier E, its dedicated energy centre, and a new campus road network is €610 million

· Terminal 2 has been the largest single construction project in Ireland this century with over 2,500 construction workers per day at peak earlier this year and over 1,000 still on site every day into July.

· Terminal 2 will accommodate all scheduled long-haul traffic out of Dublin Airport and has a comfortable capacity of 12-15 million passengers per annum.

· Terminal 2 will allow passengers travelling to the US to clear full US customs, immigration and agriculture controls on departure. This service will be unique to Dublin and Shannon Airports, outside North America.

· Terminal 2 will offer passengers an exciting new travel experience in terms of space, comfort, light and efficient service.

· Terminal 2 will commence passenger operations in November 2010.

Haven is launching an urgent appeal for funds in the wake of a massive earthquake in the Haitian capital Port au Prince.

The house building charity has projects in two areas of Haiti, in the northeast and southwest.

The earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale has caused massive destruction around the capital Port au Prince with a large number of public buildings destroyed. Haven is trying to establish the well being of their Haitian staff and their families, but communications with the country are difficult with phones and emails down.

As most of Haven’s houses building projects are based in rural parts of the country, the charity is hopeful that the impact of the earthquake will not be too great on them.  

Founder of Haven Leslie Buckley says “We are going to assess the extent of the damage in Port au Prince and also around our house building projects, but it is already clear this is a massive catastrophe and Haiti will need our help to assist survivors. In the longer term, Haiti will also need help in building new homes and rebuilding damaged ones” 

Haven will be working with aid agency GOAL, which works in neighbouring Honduras, in its response to the earthquake. 

Donations can be made via Haven’s website www.havenpartnership.com or cheques sent to Haven, The Malthouse, Grand Canal Quay, Dublin 2. 

Haven is also recruiting volunteers to travel with it to Haiti in April to help build homes for some of the poorest people there.  

For further information contact Deirdre Grant on 086 0484 279

Marian Harkin Expresses Her delight that the European Parliament have supported 2011 as part of the European Year of Volunteering.

As leader of the campaign to have the year 2011 designated by the EU as ‘The European Year of Volunteering’, Marian Harkin MEP has warmly welcomed the overwhelming vote in favour of the designation by the European Parliament in its Plenary Session in Strasbourg today, Thursday, November 26th.

“This is the culmination of the Campaign I organised with cross group colleagues from different countries to secure deserved recognition for the role the 100 million volunteers play throughout the European Union and not least in Ireland.

“I am also very happy that the increase of €1 million I proposed has resulted in a €3 million preparatory budget for 2010 while the overall commitment for 2011 is now €10 million.

Two and a half years ago I proposed this idea as part of my Report on Volunteering to the Parliament and then successfully led a Written Declaration from the Parliament to the Commission on this matter. I am so grateful for the support of voluntary groups throughout the EU and also from the Committee of the Regions. This was an example of a collaborative success between the voluntary sector, the Parliament and the Commission and as an avid supporter of the Community and Voluntary Sector I am proud to have played the leading role in the European Parliament.

“In Ireland volunteering and volunteers play a huge role in providing a range of services and I look forward to seeing the contribution of these 1.5 million plus activists duly recognised in the Irish celebrations throughout 2011.

Press Release from Volunteer Centres Ireland

Date: 2^nd September 2009

THE recession has seen a massive increase in the number of Irish people seeking to volunteer in their local communities.

New figures released today (WEDNESDAY) show that the amount of citizens who are prepared to give up their time to help others has more than doubled over the past year.

For the first time a large number of young people are citing the fact that they have recently been made redundant as a primary reason for volunteering. The release of these new figures from Volunteer Centres Ireland (VCI) coincide with the latest statistics from the CSO, which shows that more than 440,000 people are now on the Live Register. The standardized unemployment rate has climbed to 12.4%.

A total of 8,551 individuals have registered to volunteer with Volunteer Centres Ireland – the state supported national volunteering organisation.  This represents an increase of more than 115 per cent on last year.

There has also been a large increase in the number of not-for-profit organisations looking for volunteers to assist them.  This figure now stands at 3,650 representing an increase of more than 1,000 over the past year.

More than 2,500 individuals have already been placed in volunteering opportunities which will generate almost one quarter of a million hours of volunteering in 2009.  This directly equates to nearly 150 full-time equivalent workers and almost €3.5 million in earnings.

The Chief Executive of VCI, Yvonne McKenna, says the most striking aspect of the new figures is the changing profile of volunteers in Ireland and how young people are reacting to the recession.

“One positive consequence of our changed economic circumstances has been an explosion in active citizenship as people are seeking to re-engage in their communities and help both others and themselves by volunteering,” said Dr McKenna.

“It has become abundantly clear that thousands of 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.

“Our 20 Volunteer Centres around the country, which match willing volunteers with suitable opportunities in their area, and our website, www.volunteer.ie, have witnessed unprecedented activity recently.”

Seven out of ten volunteers are 35 years of age or younger.  Half of these are below the age of 25.  Six out of ten people who have registered to volunteer this year have never done so before.

Of the volunteers who have recently been made redundant, 60 per cent are below the age of 35.

“Irish society and the economic landscape has changed faster over the past 18 months than it has in several decades.  Hundreds of thousands of people who have lost their jobs are suffering but community organisations that provide essential services to the less well off have also seen their funding radically cut,” said Dr McKenna.

“The silver lining in this very dark cloud is the way that people who have little or no previous experience of economic hardship have reacted.  They are stepping up, showing solidarity and seeking out opportunities where they can donate their time and existing abilities while helping others and acquiring new skills.

“We have witnessed several situations where people who have volunteered have found work directly as a result of that process and who continue to volunteer while working.”

Ends

For more information or to set up an interview with Dr Yvonne McKenna please contact Deirdre Grant on 086 0484 279

Editor’s note:

Volunteer Centres Ireland (VCI) is the representative body for Ireland’s community of Volunteer Centres. It is a national organisation with responsibility for developing volunteering nationally and locally. VCI manage the only national database of volunteering opportunities through its website - volunteer.ie.

There are currently 20 volunteer centres that are members of VCI, located across the length and breadth of the country. As well as coordinating activities for the national day of volunteering, VCI regularly contribute to the debate on the role of the voluntary sector in Ireland and assisted the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in developing the national policy on volunteer centres in Ireland.

Give it a Swirl – The National Day of Volunteering – will take place on Friday 25th September and South Dublin County Volunteer Centre are once again facilitating projects in the South Dublin County area.

We wish to remind you that the closing date for registration is fast approaching and that we’d be happy to help your group flesh out a proposal, should you have an idea in mind. We will then actively seek businesses/volunteers to carry out your project.

Click here to download our project application form

Click here to download some frequently asked questions.

Click here to download some examples of projects carried out in the past.

Click here to download our checklist for organisations

Click here for more information on Give it a Swirl day

Please feel free to contact us for more information

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29.05.09 Curran announces funding for network of volunteer centres across Ireland

John Curran T.D., Minister of State for the National Drugs Strategy, Community Affairs and Integration, at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, today announced a funding package of €2.8 million in 2009 for a network of 21 volunteer centres across Ireland. The primary role of the centres is to match members of the public interested in volunteering with local community organisations seeking volunteers.

Following a review in 2008 of a three-year pilot scheme to fund volunteer centres, Minister Curran also launched a series of measures to support the network of centres into the future. Volunteer Centres in 21 locations will be funded, including in Carlow, Cork, Donegal, Drogheda, Dublin City South, Dublin City North, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Limerick (County and City), Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Sligo, South Dublin, Tipperary, Westmeath and Wicklow.

Announcing the funding Minister Curran said:

“Ireland can be proud of its long tradition of volunteering. While Irish society has undergone many fundamental changes in recent years, we have retained a tradition of people helping each other, of coming together and pooling resources and skills when a task needs to be done.  The fact that we are now seeing a significant increase in the number of people of all ages and backgrounds who are interested in volunteering bodes well, I believe, for our volunteering culture into the future.

Over the last number of years, the Government has sought to encourage the dynamism of volunteers and communities working together, and has prioritised significant new resources in support of this. These new policy measures and the funding that I am announcing today is a further sign of the Government’s ongoing commitment to creating an enabling environment where volunteering can flourish.”

Note for Editors
The aim of the policy measures for the network of volunteer centres is to maximise their impact in generating and supporting volunteering opportunities, on a value for money basis. Key points contained within the policy document include:

• Provision of quantifiable service standards for volunteer centres;
• Introduction of a peer-review mechanism to assess the performance of centres;
• Clarity and guidelines regarding funding;
• Cost sharing with local agencies