Donegal people are being invited to take a chance to make a big impact with small actions through volunteering.
National Volunteering Week 2021 (17th – 23rd May) was launched this week with events to take place across the country under the theme Small Actions, Big Impact.
According to John Curran, Donegal Volunteer Centre Manager, “This National Volunteering Week, we’re asking people to think small! Whether it’s an action you can take to support your community like picking up litter or doing something for yourself like meditation or enjoying a walk in a different area, even the smallest acts can have a big impact. The last year has been hard on us all but there are small things we can do for ourselves, and for each other, that make a big difference.”
The programme of events, run by Donegal Volunteer Centre, will take place across the week, with a theme of local environment and personal wellbeing. The Donegal sessions will include talks on wellbeing, nature, storytelling, social media and a session on cooking. All are free of charge and booking links are available below.
National Volunteering Week is a time to recognise the contribution of volunteers in our communities and say thank you for all that they do.
“This is a week long celebration of volunteering and it’s our chance to say thank you to volunteers across the country. Donegal would be a much different place if it weren’t for the wonderful volunteers who give their time each year-helping their local community groups. This has never been more obvious than throughout the pandemic. We want to say thank you to each and every volunteer for everything that they do, inspire others to do the same and encourage volunteers to join an event and take a moment to step back and recognise the positive impact they have,” Brian Carr, Chairperson of Donegal Volunteer Centre concluded.
The events calendar is now live on www.volunteerdonegal.ie with volunteers and community groups encouraged to sign up to free events across the week. DVC is also inviting organisations in Donegal to think about how they can thank their volunteers with lots of ideas to get started available now on the Volunteer Ireland website.
EVENTS
MONDAY 17th MAY
1pm – 2pm, Maria Whelan, MINDFULNESS session on Wellbeing & Resilience.
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/
7pm-8pm, LAUNCH of the COMMUNITY HERITAGE BOOKLET which has been developed as part of the UnCover & reDiscover your local heritage project supported by and delivered in conjunction with Donegal County Museum.
TUESDAY 18th MAY
10.30am – 12.30pm, CHANGEMAKERS who are an Inishowen (IDP) based group focused on promoting and supporting public awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) and enhancing the impact of same will be delivering a Session for volunteers / groups with the theme of responsible production and consumption.
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/
2pm-3pm, Organisation CULTURE & RECOGNITION of PRIOR LEARNING, This joint workshop with Siobhan Murray Donegal ETB & Isobel McWilliams DLDC will focus on two themes for groups the first being Recognition of Prior Learning, which is a programme delivered by the ETB which allows for skills learned while working / volunteering to be translated in qualifications with the ETB system.
The second element of the session will focus on helping groups to enhance their understanding of supporting Staff / Volunteers as a key aspect of delivery of community services and to place same the centre of group planning and delivery
7pm-8.30pm, Keith Corcoran who is a MASTER STORYTELLER will join us for a relaxing session that will include tales and wonders from across Donegal. This session will be delivered in a fireside style with volunteers invited to join and relax. This session is also being shared with the Bealtaine Festival
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/
WEDNESDAY 19th MAY
11am-12 noon, BIRDWATCH IRELAND & INISHOWEN RIVERS TRUST. This Environmental session will be jointly delivered by Trish Murphy from Inishowen Rivers Trust & Daniel Connaghan, conservation officer with Birdwatch Ireland. The IRT element will have a focus on the work of the project and the supports they can provide to those interested in river conservation and the development / protection of rivers and waterways. The Birdwatch Ireland element of the talk will focus on connecting with nature as a method of relaxation and discovery.
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/
2pm-3.30pm, Strategies to Help Your CHARITY SHOP Succeed ONLINE session delivered by Aidan Spence. One of the key learning form C19 for the Charity Shop sector was that they to can trade online and can engage with a mew and wider audience when doing so, increasing income without footfall.
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/
730pm – 830pm, Maritime Heritage Ahoy! Join Dr Connie Kelleher as she reveals more about IRELAND’S SECRECT PIRATICAL PAST and their illegal operations around Ireland’s Atlantic coast. This is a Bealtaine event that we will be sharing as part of the NVW programme.
THURSDAY 20th MAY
11am-12noon, Sian McCann of the WILD FUSCHIA BAKEHOUSE, The session will focus on cooking an easy to make three course meal with local seasonal Donegal ingredients. This session will be delivered in a casual style with volunteers invited to join and relax. This session is also being shared with the Bealtaine Festival.
2pm-3pm, SUPPORTING OUR BEES, Kieran Flood, Irish Wildlife Trust, this Environmental workshop will focus on what groups / volunteers can do within our communities and gardens to help protect, support and enhance the bee populations within our community spaces and private gardens.
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/
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