New funding for Mayo Volunteer Centre is set to extend the agency’s services on a countywide basis, opening up opportunities both for volunteers and employers requiring volunteers throughout Mayo. The launch of the extended service will take place later this month and mark the opening of a second office for the agency in Castlebar, to add to its existing office in Ballina.
Mayo Volunteer Centre is a local agency working to improve the extent, range, and quality of volunteering by providing guidance and support for anyone wishing to volunteer and to any not-for-profit organisation that involves volunteers in its work. A large range of comprehensive opportunities is available to view online or potential volunteers can drop in and go through the listed opportunities with staff.
The centre also offers volunteer management training to not-for-profit organisations. Mayo Volunteer Centre staff have been trained - accredited through Open College Network Northern Ireland (OCNNI ) - to deliver the Volunteer Centres Ireland National Volunteer Management Training Programme. The programme consists of four half-day modules delivered in a hands-on, participative, style and is designed to provide organisations with a best practice volunteer management framework for involving volunteers in their organisation.
Mayo Volunteer Centre can now also act as an authorised signatory for Garda vetting purposes, for voluntary and community organisations that do not otherwise have access to an authorised signatory. The centre is affiliated to Volunteer Centres Ireland and is the representative body, support agency, and membership organisation for the growing number of volunteer centres in Ireland, which currently stands at 23.
In 2007, funding was secured from the Department of Community, Rural, and Gaeltacht Affairs for an office in Ballina, and now with newly secured funding from the Department of Community, Equality, and Gaeltacht Affairs in 2010, an office also operates from the Le Chéile Family Resource Centre, Tucker Street, in Castlebar.
The official countywide launch will take place on Thursday September 30 next in the Lough Lannagh Conference Centre, Castlebar, where the guest speaker on the day will be Mary Davis.
A National Day of Volunteering, designed to encourage as many people as possible to give volunteering a go, will take place on Friday October 1. It aims to show that even for a minute, an hour, or a day, volunteering can make a big difference and be a lot of fun. For ideas and advice on what to do on the day, check out www.volunteer.ie or contact Mayo Volunteer Centre on 094 92 50706/087 6796937 (Castlebar ) or 096 71444/ 087 7555899 (Ballina ).
