European Year of Volunteering 2011 was officially launched last week. Over 300 individual volunteers and non profit organisations from all over Ireland came together for the colourful ceremony, sponsored by Intel to celebrate the commitment of up to one million active volunteers in Ireland at RHK, Dublin.
Volunteering Ireland, which is appointed the National Coordinating Body for EYV2011, launched a dedicated website EYV2011.ie calling on volunteer organisations all around Ireland to register their events to the online calendar, so that volunteers can see what events are happening in their region where their skills might be required.
The primary aim of EYV2011 is to raise awareness of the impact that volunteering activities has on society. In Ireland, it is a celebration of the estimated 750,000 to one million volunteers who give their time to countless industries, activities, and guises. The year is also about empowering people to volunteer by promotion and facilitation and to raise awareness of the value which volunteering inherently provides to communities.
There are 40,000 volunteer-involved organisations in Ireland transcending every sector of society – from sports, community, children and young people, animals, and environment to arts culture and media, campaigning and raising awareness, international development and health and training - the contribution required by organisations and communities from volunteers is evident throughout Ireland.
For more information on the European Year of Volunteering 2011 log on to www.eyv2011.ie
