merrion street

Jimmy Deenihan T.D., Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, was at Volunteer Ireland Headquarters in E.U. House, Dawson Street, this afternoon (1pm) to launch the Volunteering in the Arts Toolkit.

The Volunteering in the Arts Toolkit is a new document published by Volunteer Ireland which provides valuable information for volunteers and volunteer groups.

The Toolkit outlines how to recruit volunteers, how to include them in activities, how to up-skill them and how to retain them. It also gives guidance on equality and diversity, and addresses topics such as induction and training, support and supervision, health and safety, expenses and insurance.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Deenihan said: “This toolkit arises from a response to growing interest amongst volunteers themselves to participate in the art and culture this nation has to offer. It is a very useful and important document for volunteer organisations, and from the volunteer’s viewpoint, it offers a window into what they can look forward to when volunteering.”

Between 2010 and 2012, over 1 million volunteer hours were registered by Volunteer Ireland with a total value of €22.7m to the economy. The Minister commented: “It is in the nature of volunteers to be humble, but I think they should be admired and celebrated for the value they contribute to Irish society.”