All kinds of volunteering can make a difference to society, but opportunities like these have community enrichment at their core.

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Tuesday Jun 28, 2011

Summertime

I finally finished the Jazz Festival Evaluation last week and I thought I would never get it finished. We did though I think it was a lot more work than first envisaged but we'll know for next time if it comes up again and I learned a lot too from doing it.

I'm once again at a crossroads but looking into a possibility of doing it a BSc Community Development Course, there's lots to think about at the moment though and I'm not sure what to do mainly because of the travelling.

Last night I was volunteering at The Drink Think Project Launch of family conversation tool kit night, running games which encouraged families to work together and be able to talk about issues that can be difficult to talk about like alcohol. You can visit the link below to find out more:

http://www.drinkthinkproject.org/2011/06/22/launch-of-family-conversation-tool/

As well as all of this we're now in the run up to Feile 2011 so planning for that is well underway running this year 5th-15th August so there's lots of planning going on to find volunteers to help at the different events over the Feile as well as Roaring Meg; and Busy Bee Summer Scheme; as well as new volunteers now coming in over the summer so lots of busy times ahead; lets hope the weather is good too!

Posted by Moira ( 4:47 PM )
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Thursday Jun 23, 2011

Seeing the difference

Last night I went to my first school governors' meeting in quite a while, after we had to postpone the meeting that was planned for earlier this term.

It has to be said that I really enjoyed it! I said to another governor as we were leaving that it felt like the main difference was that I had been at the preceding full governing body. So, when anyone referred to something that we discussed in the last meeting I was much more readily able to know what we were talking about.

I think the other thing I found particularly inspiring last night was a physical change at the school. Last term we had discussed and approved the installation of two canopies to provide shade for reception and the early years and it was really lifting to see them in place as I walked into the school last night.

These canopies are just a physical example of the pace of genuine change within both this particular school and the educational landscape more generally. We will be having a lot of changes that will be exciting and challenging at the school as we embark on a project that will be large in both scale and effect.

I for one am really looking forward to seeing the gradual transformation over the coming months and years. It seems very clear to me now that this is the reward governors get for their hours spent sitting in meetings!

Posted by Will ( 9:07 AM )
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Tuesday Jun 14, 2011

Volunteers week, celebrations and farewells

Well its been so busy for me since I last blogged about my experiences of late. So here's what I've been up too.

Visit to Stormont and the Dáil as part of FETAC Level 5 Campaign & Lobbying course

It was really enjoyable and I learned a lot too about the history of both Stormont and the Dáil. We had a tour around both of them and got to have question time with some MP's in Stormont and seen Taoiseach Enda Kenny in debate too in the Dáil; it was great to be able to say I've been there and see a debate in action; as well as having question time with some TD's (Assembly Delegates).

It was great to be able to compare the two and as a group we also took part in some campaigning while at the Dáil - No to FGM (Female Genital Mutilation). It was great to see Campaign & Lobbying in action and to take part in.

My actual campaign on Attacks on Emergency Services and setting random fires is still underway but was great to get the opinion of MP's and TD's about the issue.Last weekend it was the last of all these courses- the last course to complete; Reconciliation And Peace Programme (RAPP) all three weekends have been great but this last residential was fantastic- we got to go to Y Care conference on the Saturday. It was interesting to see the work they do and how widespread it is and a recap of campaign of lobbying thrown in too.

We also finished off files for the course and went on tour round Belfast hearing about the history and seeing all the murals too.On Thursday we had a celebration night for all these courses with the YMCA also bringing everything to a close. I was asked to speak about my experience on the courses I've done and what I've got out of it, I wrote something down to say and I only actually used a line of what I wrote. The rest I just said from the heart and from what I remembered of doing through all the courses it was really good night; and I would do it all again and its helped me in my volunteering, confidence and getting to know people too.

On the 2nd June the Gas Yard also had a celebration night as part of Volunteers week celebrations; so leading up to it. I was asked to do a 5minute speech about my volunteer experience and this time I didn't write anything to say just told it like it was; and it appears to come across really well. It was a brilliant night and I got a Special Award for all my volunteering which I really wasn't expecting and was nice surprise! Last Tuesday I went as part of Volunteer's week to a volunteers event near where I live after being asked by the volunteer coordinator so to give a hand, and talk about volunteering. It was a great day and lots of people came to the event; and it was lots of fun too. I also did Emergency First Aid Training and Community Relations training which was all good and will help with volunteering and just in general too!  I've also been collating information from when Derry City Council (DCC) had the Jazz Festival in between all of this; which should be done and dusted this week. Anyway hope you've enjoyed reading this I must get on with finishing Jazz Festival Evaluation now. Think I'll have a bit of a quiet week now or will I....So until next time

Posted by Moira ( 11:07 AM )
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