Leitrim Volunteer Information Service is delighted to announce the provision of funding to upgrade Leitrim VIS to a full Volunteer Centre in 2019. Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development, Sean Kyne TD made the announcement of funding of €1.2m from the Dormant Accounts Fund to upgrade eight Volunteer Information Services to full Volunteer Centres.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who supported our efforts to establish a Volunteer Centre in Leitrim, particularly the many voluntary groups in Co. Leitrim who we have the privilege of working with; and Leitrim Development Company, who established and manages Leitrim Volunteer Information Service since 2015.
This announcement gives effect to the commitment contained in the Dormant Accounts Fund Action Plan 2018, announced by the Minister last July, to provide the necessary funding to upgrade Volunteer Information Services to full Volunteer Centres, in order to provide a consistent level of volunteering service nationwide. The locations involved are Cavan, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Laois, Offaly, Roscommon, Waterford and Wexford.
Volunteer Centres provide a placement service between individuals and groups who want to undertake voluntary activity and organisations that are seeking to involve volunteers
Minister Kyne said: “I am very pleased to have secured through my Department’s Budget 2019 an allocation to enable the upgrade of the eight Volunteer Information Services at these locations to full Volunteer Centres. These organisations play a central role in facilitating and supporting the development of volunteering in their areas.”
The Minister went on to say that the value of Volunteer Centres and their direct impact on volunteering cannot be overstated. In 2017, over 14,000 people used the services of Volunteer Centres to explore the potential for volunteering, while over 8,000 volunteer involving organisations engaged with Volunteer Centres. As a result, over 480,000 hours of volunteering were provided in 2017 at a value of over €10.5 million.
The Minister concluded: “Volunteering has a key role to play in developing sustainable communities. The funding provided by my Department is designed to strengthen and foster volunteering in Ireland. As a result of this additional funding, the entire country will now have the necessary volunteering infrastructure support”.
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