6 June 2008

Celebrating Volunteer Week in Armagh

Volunteering brings benefits to both the volunteer and the recipient and this is evident in the case of a young man from Coalisland who is making a significant impact on the life of a Caledon man who is blind and has a hearing impairment.

Michael Quinn has a learning disability and is a keen sportsman, participating at Special Olympics events and local mini marathons. Michael is also one of the estimated 280,000 formal volunteers in Northern Ireland who help another person regularly. Every two months, he travels to Armagh on a Saturday morning where he meets his friend Paddy Gallan whom he has known for 25 years. The duo set off to do errands and business that Paddy wouldn’t be able to do without the skills and knowledge of Michael.

Speaking about his volunteering, Michael says, “I really like helping Paddy and we have great chats together, meeting people along the way and enjoying lunch together.”

Paddy adds, “I appreciate the time that Michael gives me. I think our time together improves the independence we have as individuals and we make the most of our trips. I would say that we have learnt a lot from each other. Michael is a willing helper, very reliable and it is important for him to be recognised as a volunteer as well as a friend.”

Eileen Canavan, Community Access Officer for Learning Disability at the Southern Health and Social Care Trust, contacted the Armagh and Dungannon Volunteer Centre on Michael’s behalf so that he could be formally registered and recognised as a volunteer.

“At present there are over 250 volunteers in the Southern Trust area. Volunteers are involved in all areas of the Trust including hospital and facility settings and working one-to-one with clients in their homes. Volunteers are invaluable in supporting social inclusion, assisting independence, providing a listening ear and improving the quality of life of the person receiving the support.”

The Volunteer Centre has offices in Armagh and Dungannon and the local manager Seamus Donnelly says that volunteering is an integral part of the local community.

“Volunteers have a valuable and purposeful role to play which is distinct from the role of paid staff. Volunteers reflect the interests, needs and resources of the community it aims to serve and, through a variety of satisfying and interesting tasks, enhance the quality of care or service provided to clients who often become close and valued friends.

“Recruiting and selecting volunteers and the follow-up support and training is a vital part of our work. Making the volunteer’s experience a rewarding and enjoyable is very important. The Volunteer Centre has successful partnerships with the Southern Health and Social Care Trust and other statutory and voluntary agencies to develop innovative and interesting volunteer roles that improve the quality of care provided to patients and clients.”

The Volunteer Development Agency is the body that leads the campaign to highlight the benefits of volunteers and volunteering. More information is available at www.volunteering-ni.org