Getting the volunteer vibe

“VOLUNTEERING was something I always said I would do but I never got around to it until I saw an ad for a recruitment night outside St Vincent’s Centre, Navan Road,

? Andy Keating says when asked why he became a volunteer.

“I thought I would go and see what it was all about. I was hooked and one year later, I’m still here.

?

Andy, a drummer by profession, supports

‘Achieve’, a dynamic group of young men with intellectual disability, and helps produce a fortnightly radio programmes for their local community radio station.

“It can be challenging but on the whole it’s very enjoyable,

? he says.

“I was very nervous at the start but Louis, the staff member with Achieve, is great with the lads and I just follow his lead.

“Louis is also a great support to me. It has been a really rewarding experience.

?

Andy went the extra mile for the

‘Achieve’ lads earlier this year when he organised a fundraising gig in the Briffini Inn last January. Local musicians Gavin James and The Gypsies on the Autobahn donated their services for free and all the money raised went toward the Achieve Group.

Andy is organising another gig for September so watch out as this gig will be well attended.

It’s virtually impossible to overstate the impact that volunteers have on the lives of people who access the services of the Daughters of Charity. Volunteers are involved in all aspects of their work.

Recently there has been an emphasis on project focused volunteer roles. These are short term project roles that are interesting for both the volunteer and the person they are supporting.

For example, volunteers have been involved in a DJ course, a computer course, the recording and production of a CD, circuit training, and gardening projects.

These types of projects tend to suit people with a limited amount of time to volunteer.

“I was between jobs so volunteering really suited me,

? says John, a volunteer involved in a music project.

Volunteer co-ordinator Rhoda Judge says it’s important to match a volunteer’s skills with the centre’s needs.

“We want to find a role that suits the volunteer, a role that they will enjoy, whether it be a befriending role or an activity role,

? she explains.

The Daughters of Charity are one of the largest providers of care on the Northside, supporting over 800 people of all ages with varying degrees of intellectual disability.

There are three main centres – St Joseph’s in Clonsilla, St Louise’s Centre in Chapelizod (opposite Mount Sackville School) and St Vincent’s Centre, Navan Road.

The centres are well known to people in Dublin 7 & 15 but the service also has 38 community houses. The aim of these houses is to ensure that all those living there have an exceptional quality of life and participate fully in their community.

The professional staff who work both in the centres and the houses are a truly dedicated group of people who cannot be praised highly enough for the level of care they provide says Rhoda.

“Volunteers bring something extra, diversity of personality and backgrounds and a wealth of experience,

? she adds.

“They are not a homogenous group.

?

Rhoda cannot stress enough the importance of getting new people from different walks of life involved in the volunteer programme and points out that

“it is very true that a little time can make a big difference in the life of a person with an intellectual disability.

?

No particular qualifications are necessary to become a volunteer apart from a willingness to make a reliable commitment and a desire to make a positive impact.

?¢ The Daughters of Charity Disability Support Services volunteer co-ordinator would be delighted to hear from anyone interested in getting involved and making a difference by giving an hour or more of their time.

For further information contact Rhoda Judge, Volunteer Co-ordinator, St Vincent’s Centre, Navan Road by email at [email protected] or by phone on 01-8245449.