April Over 950 University Volunteers Recognised at NUI Galway Ceremony

NUI Galway President, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh recently presented over 950 student volunteers the ALIVE Certificate for Volunteering. The ceremony was attended by Galway City Mayor, Councillor Pearce Flannery.

NUI Galway students have volunteered with a variety of local and national organisations throughout the year including Conservation Volunteers Galway, Galway Autism Partnership, Galway Civil Defence, and Croí to name a few. Volunteers have also brought experiments to Galway schools through a wide range of science outreach workshops and participated in reading and mentoring through school homework clubs.

Ceremony guest, Robert Farrell, Head of Direct in Aviva which employs more than 350 people in Galway, said: “Caring more for the communities in which we live, is part of our DNA in Aviva Ireland. We carefully encourage the instinctive generosity of our employees, encouraging them to give of their time, skills and passion to their local communities. To facilitate this, we give them three days paid leave to volunteer for their local charities and we match the funds they raise for local causes. We commend the work of NUI Galway in promoting volunteerism amongst the student body.”

ALIVE is the student volunteering programme at NUI Galway and students are awarded Certificates to acknowledge their contribution to campus programmes and local and international community volunteering. The ceremony is an annual event to encourage volunteering and to thank all the community partners for hosting student volunteers. This year the ALIVE programme worked with higher education institutions across Ireland to successfully launch StudentVolunteer.ie a national platform to match students to non-profits.

This year’s event is to highlight corporate social responsibility as employee’s growth and development through volunteering advance leadership skills and team building. Lorraine Tansey, Student Volunteer Coordinator at NUI Galway, said:  “As future professionals, students are well placed to learn how volunteerism in their future is an opportunity company’s embrace.”

Annelise Garrison, NUI Galway student who volunteers with the Irish Cancer Society Charity Shop and the Galway Pride Festival, said: “By volunteering, I helped create a safe place for people to be themselves and celebrate their diversity.”

Darragh Doyle, NUI Galway student with Enable Ireland learned about sustainable fundraising and said, “We need volunteering to help raise the much needed funds so that these important services can continue. We also need awareness for the extent of the work that Enable Ireland provide.”

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