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The County Wicklow Volunteer Centre Ltd

ANNUAL Report

2010

ContentsPage No.

Executive Summary

1.0Introduction1

2.0About The County Wicklow Volunteer Centre Ltd1

2.1Aims and Objectives1

2.2Services For volunteers1

2.3Services to voluntary and community groups1

3.0Summary of achievements 20102

3.1registration of voluntary and community groups2

3.2registration of volunteers3

3.3 Working with the corporate sector5

3.4Training, Support and Information 7

3.4.1Training in Voluunteer Management7

3.4.2garda vetting8

4.0Marketing and publicity9

4.1Outreaches, Exhibitions etc9

4.2National Day of Volunteering 20109

4.3 Other projects 10

4.3.1Volunteers Ambassadors 10

4.4website 11

4.4.1Social Media 11

4.5networking 11

5.0Development of a County Wicklow Service12

5.1Volunteers11

5.2Policy Development12

6.0Funding12

Executive Summary

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

2010 was another busy year for The County Wicklow Volunteer Centre Ltd (CWVC) with an increase in the number of individuals volunteering and the numbers of groups looking for volunteers. The offices in Bray, Arklow and Wicklowcontinue to expand their services, despite limited staff resources.

53local and national groups registered with the Centre in 2010, bringing the total number of registered groups to 498. 270 new long-term volunteering opportunities and 17 project (time limited) opportunities were created in 2010bringing the total number of active vacant opportunities to 404 at the end of 2010. Volunteering opportunities were varied and including everything from making tea to offering financial advice and from building a web-site to building a wall.

Volunteering Opportunity – Film Hour Coordinator – St Coleman’s Hospital, Rathdrum

The purpose of the role is to give clients of St. Coleman’s a chance to watch, enjoy and discuss a range of films. The volunteer will promote each weekly film within the hospital by putting up postersto advertise the schedule. The volunteer will set up the room and collect a film from the library (library card supplied). A box set of Reminiscences Films is also available. The volunteer will encourage attendees to chat about film and stimulate discussion

449 individuals contacted the CWVC offices hoping to volunteer. This reflects the new reality of shorter working hours, and increased unemployment. In addition, 334 people were registered as part of school/business project groups. A total of 341 individual placements were made in the year[1].

Over 20 outreaches took place in the year such as:

  • Wicklow County Partnership Unemployment Exhibitions held in Tinahely and Newtownmountkennedy
  • Wicklow Older People’s Network A.G.M and Exhibition
  • Arklow Social Inclusion Network – Presentation on services for the Unemployed

In addition, CWVC visited 10 schools including Blessington Community College, St Mary’s College, Arklow Community College, Loreto Convent Bray and the Dominican College Wicklow.

The County Wicklow Volunteer Centre Ltdworked with the National Learning Network, Sunbeam House Services, Wicklow Supported Employment Network, Festina Lente and Cheshire Homes to encourage their clients to become active as volunteers.27 individuals withdisabilities registered with CWVC and have been placed in a variety of individual/project volunteering roles by the Centre.

Volunteers gave a total of 21,864 hours to a range of groups including Bray Lakers (Bray), Wicklow Cancer Support (Wicklow Town), Mountain Meitheal (Dublin/ Wicklow Mountains), Luisne Spirituality Centre (Kilcoole), Croa Rath Naoi (Rathnew), Order of Malta (Rathdrum), WSPCA (Glenealy), among others

Over 20 voluntary and community groups across the county were offered in-depth on-going support in areas such as developing a volunteer policy, engaging with volunteers, managing volunteers and designing volunteer roles.In addition, 30 people attended Volunteer management training and 14 people from 12 groups attended training on Garda vetting.

CWVC worked with 8 local groups to supply a Garda Vetting service processing almost 200 applications.

Special projects in 2010included;

  • The National Day of Volunteering (formerly Give it a Swirl Day)2010 in which over 280 people participated, including groups from companies such as Dell, Salesforce and Elavon
  • Two Volunteer Management Training coursesheldin which 30 people from 26 local groups participated.
  • Garda Vetting Course held for 14 participants and five (5) new groups registered for the service.
  • CWVC staff participated in National Social Inclusion Week by giving a talk in Bray and helping to launch the County Wicklow Community directory in Blessington see
  • Participated in Skatejam (Arklow) with County Wicklow VEC Youth, Arklow Town Council, Arklow Tidy Towns, and Arklow Local Drugs Taskforce – a celebrative community event promoting youth and youth involvement in developing community structures.

Volunteering Opportunity – English Tutor – Ballywaltrim School Completion Project

The volunteer will give support to students doing the Leaving Certificate who are struggling with the curriculum. This role is suitable for a qualified English teacher or someone with a good knowledge of the Junior Certificate English Curriculum. The ability to work on an 1: 1 basis is essential. Previous experience working with teenagers is highly desirable as is the ability to encourage the development of the student.

In 2010, CWVC received funding from the following organisationsDepartment of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs,Bray Area Partnership Ltd,County Wicklow Partnership, Wicklow County Council,CABS and Bray Town Council.

The County Wicklow Volunteer Centre Ltd continued its policy of meeting all newly registered volunteers and groups. This approach takes time (the average length of time spent with newly registered groups and volunteers is one (1) hour but ensures:

  • The needs of potential volunteers are understood
  • The volunteering opportunities registered by groups are well defined and the needs of the groups understood.

As a result 66% of volunteers have been successfully placed with local and national groups.

Case study: Volunteer Sean

Sean (mid 30s) is a volunteer with special needs who lives with his elderly mother. During the week Sean attends a workshop from 10 – 3, but likes to get out of the house at weekends as he finds them quite lonely. Sean has been volunteering with Bray Tidy Towns for over a year and has become a valued member of the team as he has an expert knowledge of native flora.

“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

1.0 Introduction

The County Wicklow Volunteer Centre Ltd (CWVC) was opened as Bray Volunteer Bureau Ltd in August 2004. Since its inception, the service has gone from strength to strength and now operates offices in Bray, Arklow and Wicklow and conducts regular outreach services across the county. The County Wicklow Volunteer Centre is a member of Volunteer Centres Ireland (VCI) the national association of volunteer centres.

2.0 About The County Wicklow Volunteer Centre Ltd

CWVC is an independent organisation committed to the promotion, development and support of volunteer participation in the Wicklow and its natural environs. CWVC supports the development of volunteering through the provision of services to volunteers, voluntary and community groups and the local community and by participation at national level in Volunteer Centres Ireland.

2.1 Aims and Objectives

The primary objectives of CWVC are to:

  • promote, support and encourage organisations whose activities involve volunteers, particularly in their own local areas and community.
  • promote volunteering and recruit and place volunteers in a wide range of voluntary and community organisations.
  • promote good practice in voluntary activity, through the provision of training, support and information.

2.2 Services for Volunteers

The main focus of CWVC is the volunteer. It is on their behalf that CWVC works. To volunteers CWVCprovides a confidential and free service and,

  • A meeting with a member of staff to discuss volunteering opportunities
  • Access to a database of volunteering opportunities so that the volunteer can choose the volunteering opportunity that best suits them.
  • Information on the how, why and where of volunteering, the volunteer’s rights and obligations and best practice in volunteering, including a handbook on volunteering.
  • Support for the volunteer through regular contact.

2.3 Services to Voluntary and Community Groups

CWVC’s confidential and free service provides voluntary and community groups with:

  • Assistance with the sourcing and recruitment of volunteers.
  • Information on best practice in voluntary activity including a series of fact-sheets and newsletters.
  • Volunteer Management Training and training on a wide range of subjects including Garda vetting.
  • Support for policy development and the development of new and innovative projects.
  • A Garda Vetting Service for those groups that do not have access to this service through a parent organisation or association.
  • Regular contact with CWVC staff to discuss any issues they may have about volunteering.

3.0 Summary of Achievements 2010

The CWVCoffice in Bray opens three full days and two mornings each week. Arklow and Wicklow Volunteer Centres are open 2 days per week respectively.

3.1 Registration of Voluntary and Community Groups

53 new local and national groups registered with CWVC in 2010, offering a range of opportunities from joining a committee to driving, from accounting to community gardening. This brings the total number of registered groups to 498.

Figure 1: Sample of Registered Groups 2010

Name Of Group / Name of Group
  • Wicklow Hospice Foundation
/
  • 1stWicklow Scout Troop

  • One in four
/
  • Newcastle Tidy Towns

  • Failte Isteach (Wicklow and Arklow)
/
  • Heart Children Ireland

  • Sea Shepherd Conservation Ireland
/
  • Greystones Community Affairs Committee

  • Irish Horse Welfare Trust
/
  • Irish Wildlife Trust

  • Blessington Citizens Information
/
  • Barretstown

  • Fighting Words
/
  • Women’s Aid

  • Capuchin Day Care Centre for the Homeless
/
  • Carnew Citizens Information Centre

Case Study: Cheshire Homes, Greystones registered 2010

Cheshire Ireland, in partnership with the HSE, provides a range of supported accommodation, respite and other services to adults with physical disabilities. Their mission is to provide quality, person-centred services which facilitate people with disabilities to live a life of their own choosing. Cheshire recently established a new housing service in Greystones. CWVC has worked with Greystones Cheshire to develop a number of volunteering roles including writer’s assistant, tutor, and driver in response to the needs of tenants in the Cheshire complex.

149 organisations registered 270 new long-term volunteering opportunities in 2010. Opportunities ranged from horse grooming to musical production assistant and from English tutor to strategic marketing and fundraising advisor. The majority of groups registered one or two opportunities and a number of groups registered multiple opportunities, e.g.

  • Irish Seal Sanctuary: 10 opportunities including on-call driver, mechanic, tour guide, and sustainability development officer.
  • W.H. Five Loaves: 7 opportunities including Bingo caller, drumming tutor, basic cookery tutor and computer tutor.
  • Wicklow Day Care Centre: 6 opportunities including crafts assistant, beauty therapist, story-teller and prayer group leader.

Fig 2: Sample of Volunteering Opportunities created in 2010

Volunteering Opportunities / Volunteering Opportunities
Web-site and social networks updater / Arts and Crafts Tutor
Drama Coach / Cookery Tutor
Spirituality Group Leader / Adventure Youth Club Leader
Applied Behaviour Analysis Tutor / Irish therapy Dogs Visitor
Path-saver / Mini-bus Driver
Reminiscence Group Leader / Beauty Therapist
Public Relations Coordinator / Big Brother, Big Sister mentor
Charity Shop Assistant / Strategic Marketing Advisor
Sports Coaching (Football, Basketball, Badminton, Tennis, Bocce, Swimming, Pilates and Fishing) / Practical Work (Gardening, litter picking, , handymen, , tea & coffee making, plumber, social outings escort )

17 new project (time limited/once off) opportunities were created including

  • Fundraisers (Wicklow Hospice, Open Door Day Care Centre, Irish Cancer Society, Irish Heart Society)
  • Stewards/Marshalls (Bray Lakers, Arklow Pastoral Council, The Hope Foundation and Arklow Skatejam)
  • Litter-pickers (Bray Tidy Towns, Newcastle Tidy Towns, Kindlestownwoods Green Community Group )

Having a wide range of volunteering opportunities is essential to the successful placement of volunteers. CWVC works with groups on an individual basis to develop their opportunities. All registered organisations are contacted by phone a minimum of once a year to ensure that we are responding to their needs in terms of the volunteers and the supports and services we offer.

Figure 3: Opportunities by main category created in 2010

3.2 Registration of Volunteers

A total of 783 volunteers registered with the centre in 2010. The total number of registered volunteers is 2015. For organisational purposes, volunteers are divided into two groups – those seeking long-term placement and those interested in once-off projects. This combination of volunteers has proved very successful as it means the CWVC can supply a pool of project volunteers at short notice and satisfy the needs of those organisations which need a more long-term commitment. The number of individuals looking for long-term volunteering opportunities in 2010increased to 449, as people who have recently been made redundant, those whose hours have been reduced and recently qualified students registered to volunteer as a way to keep their skills, explore new options and give something back to their community. All volunteers who express an interest in short-term/project opportunities are sent two emails a month listing up-and-coming projects. These events are also advertised on the front page of the web-site. A total of 334 project volunteers participated in once –off volunteering events in 2010, with some groups completing multiples tasks.

The main reasons for people, other than school and college students, to volunteer were to (1) give something back/do something in the community and (2) to gain or improve skills.

Figure 4: Reasons for volunteering

Volunteers who have registered with the Centre’s offices include older people, students, asylum seekers, immigrants, people with disabilities and members of the travelling community. There are currently people from 25 different countries/ethnic groups registered with CWVC.

Volunteers of all ages have registered with CWVC in the last year with a marked increase in the number of people between the ages of 18 and 49.

Figure 5: Volunteers by age group

Of those who have registered as volunteers with CWVC, 2/3 is volunteering for the first time.

Of the total number of volunteersboth project and long-term, 66% have been successfully placed in either long-term or short term volunteering roles. Volunteers have been placed with national organisations, e.g., ISPCC and local organisations e.g., Community Mothers Programme (Bray), Autism Initiatives (Wicklow), Suicide or Survive (Arklow) and St. Catherine’s Association (Newcastle).

All newly registered volunteers are met with to discuss their volunteering options. Regular contact is maintained through-out the volunteering application period with both the volunteer and the group involved. Newly placed volunteers are contacted within a number of weeks of starting their placements and a further two times within their initial period of volunteering. All volunteers are contacted by phone a minimum of twice a year to ensure the continued success of their placement. By keeping in regular contact with our volunteers we can respond to their changing needs and ensure their volunteering placements are running successfully.

3.3 Working with the corporate sector

This year saw a welcome surge in corporate volunteering. In previous years, national day of volunteering attracted a certain amount of interest and participation from companies but this year interest was sustained and built upon with companies returning to groups they had volunteered with in previous years and in some cases choosing to volunteer with several sectors of the community and in different areas of the county.

Various departments of Salesforce in Sandyford left the comfort of their offices to volunteer in three separate projects.

Ten volunteers spent a very cold day in November creating a vegetable garden for Holy Rosary Primary School and re-decorating the Wicklow Family Learning Centre from stem to stern. Despite the cold weather the ten enthusiastic volunteers donned their gardening gloves, wellies and overalls and set to work helped by the parents, staff & children of the school.With their help each class in Holy Rosary will have their own patch to plant fruit and vegetables in the spring time. The Family Learning Centre got a scrub down and a new coat of paint throughout making it a brighter place for the children to enjoy.Another Salesforce team of ten spent a day planting a large area of hedgerow which now provides a shelter belt for the more exposed dog runs and kennels in the Animal Sanctuary, Sharpshill, Rathdrum. Again it is hoped to build on this project and make it an annual event.

Dell continued their successful collaboration with Sunbeam House Services and provided one to one computer tutoring on National Day of Volunteering for the clients of Sunbeam. A Dell team also re-decorated Bray Cancer Support Centre giving the centre a much needed fresh coat of paint.

Elavon in Arklow were new to corporate volunteering and hoped to form a lasting relationship with a community group so that they could have an annual volunteering event. After some consultation with the CWVC, they organised a fun day out in Avondale Forest Park for the clients of Ballyraine Sunbeam House Centre. The day was a resounding success and will be repeated next year.

Other corporates such as Airtricity and Microsoft contacted CWVC and considered some projects but could not commit for various reasons. It is hoped that we can continue to help build relationships with these companies so that communities can continue to benefit.

3.4Training Information, and Support Services For Voluntary and Community Groups

CWVC offers a range of services to support local voluntary and community groups. The support offered by CWVC includes:

Help with the establishment of a group and or running an event

  • This year CWVC supported Sailfest (Wicklow), Sidmonton Square Residents Association, Stable Lane Residents Association among others.

Help with development of policies relating to volunteering