Drive launched to revive an interest in voluntary work across Cork

Thu, 27 Oct, 2022 - 08:34

Mick Finn

“THE best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others”: Mahatma Gandhi.

Thousands of people are doing just that on a regular basis in the clubs, organisations and societies that make up the fabric of community life in Cork and ongoing, creative efforts are needed to ensure they are continued to be looked after and appreciated.

Pre the Covid-19 pandemic, some 250 volunteer-led youth clubs operated throughout Cork city and county in addition to all the sporting and other organisations that form part of parcel of everyday life in towns, villages and urban centres across the county. This year, the number of active youth clubs has dropped by almost half as the fallout from the restrictions and lockdowns becomes apparent.

Cork Education and Training Board has forged strong links with these youth clubs that are dotted around the breadth of the county, helping to fund activities via the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme (LYCGS). The five-person strong Youth Services section of Cork ETB has worked to build strong relationships with the club leaders and volunteers as part of its remit, providing support and training as well as the vital funding. In 2022, €270,000 has been distributed to 125 volunteer-led youth clubs to help with re-opening and usual running costs and activities: in many areas, and particularly those isolated by geography, these clubs are the only services available for young people outside of sport or music groups.

Recognising that this vibrant and hugely important sector needs some support and reinvigoration, the ETB is rolling out a series of events in November in a bid to re-ignite the interest in volunteering generally but especially those clubs that are dormant and that have yet to re-open post Covid.

Cork ETB is leading the way on this with other education and training boards looking on with interest to see how it will be received.

Nine activation and volunteer appreciation events, dubbed Re-VIVE, will take place in November aimed at recognising what’s being done by people in their spare time but also to help reconnect with those volunteers who may have lost appetite or interest. Replenishing that interest and underlining the importance of volunteering for communities in urban and rural Cork where clubs are currently operating and where they were once in action is the goal. As well as validating the efforts of current volunteers, the hope is that new volunteers might be encouraged to emerge and to help get the other clubs back up and running.

Re-VIVE appreciation and recruitment nights will be held in Mallow, Charleville, Carrigaline, Cobh, Midleton, Clonakilty, Skibbereen, Macroom and Cork City throughout the month of November with the Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr. Danny Collins and Lord Mayor of Cork City, Cllr. Deirdre Forde expected to attend some of the events.

Passion to help others and contributing to the success of communities is what underpins volunteering efforts, but many prospective volunteers can be put off getting by time commitment issues and a belief that they have nothing to offer young people.

Yet, everybody has something to offer young people, whether it’s a quiet word of support, a coaching idea, helping to provide a safe space or delivering a specialist skill knowledge or experience…we all have something that youngster will benefit from and that intervention so often makes indelible differences to young lives.

Watching young people progress and fulfil potential is the great reward for giving up some time and can be life-changing for the volunteer as well as the young person. We encourage people to put their hands up and get involved in their local youth club or sports organization or drama group or Tidy Towns…you won’t regret it.

In the words of JFK, “Every person can make a difference, and every person should try.”

Cork ETB’s Re-VIVE events will take place at the following locations, starting on each evening with refreshments at 6.30pm. Some nominated volunteers will be recognised for their efforts and a short workshop on generating activity ideas and maximizing youth spaces will be given each night.

Upcoming events: