Volunteering in Laois needs you to come aboard

Laois Volunteer Centre is seeking new members to join their board. 

Laois Volunteer Centre, which was set up in 2020, helps people who want to volunteer in their community to find suitable volunteer roles and helps local non-profit organisations to recruit volunteers. 

The board are particularly looking for people with expertise in HR, Legal and finance experience.  

The aims of Laois Volunteer Centre are:

·         to promote the value of volunteering and civic responsibility and to increase the range and quality of volunteering; and 

·         to increase access to volunteering by offering a support service to the public and volunteering involving organisations (VIOs); 

·         and to carry on these charitable purposes for the benefit of the inhabitants of Co Laois and its environs.

To fulfil these aims and in turn enrich the Laois community, Laois Volunteer Centre engage with organisations to discuss volunteering opportunities which will be of benefit to both them and to their volunteers.  

A volunteer application portal and database for Laois known as ‘I-Vol’ has now been established and therefore provides the following services to organisations: 

·         Advertisement of organisation’s volunteering vacancies on Laois Volunteer Centre’s database (I-Vol) of volunteering roles

·         Free volunteer referral service.

·         Training to organisations on issues such as volunteer management.

·         Consultancy and advice around policy issues and governance in relation to your volunteer programmes.

·         Garda Vetting service for organisations.

Conor Ganly is the Chairperson of the Laois Volunteer Centre Board and commented that although there is an element of work involved in being a voluntary board member, it is good to give back to the local community. 

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“With this new dedicated volunteer centre, headed up by manager Caitriona Ryan, we have a dedicated space with the staff resources to focus on making volunteerism a success here in Laois. We do however require additional board members, particularly those with HR, Legal and Finance experience”, said Mr Ganly.  

Mr Ganly added that the centre has been made possible thanks to the invaluable funding from the Department of Rural and Community Development under an initiative spearheaded by Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development Joe O’Brien. MORE BELOW LINK.

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Present board directors include: Chairperson, Conor Ganly, Secretary, Pauline Flanagan, Treasurer, Catherine Corbett, Julia O'Connor. Rosey Kunene also sits on the board. 

Anyone interested in joining the board, please contact Board Secretary Pauline Flanagan at [email protected] and Conor Ganly at [email protected]

More on the Laois Volunteer Centre HERE.