DEPAUL IRELAND VOLUNTEER NEWS DEPAUL IRELAND - VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER - SPRING 2010 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……......
WELCOME Welcome to the Spring 2010 edition of the Depaul Ireland’s Volunteer News. We would like to take this opportunity to once again thank all our volunteers and student placements for the commitment you have given to Depaul Ireland. It is just amazing for us to see the work that is going on in the projects that is initiated by volunteers. This is your newsletter. We hope that you as a volunteer, will contribute to it. So if there is anything that you would like to share with us in relation to your experience here or any other news story or event that you think people should know about, just contact us and we will endeavor to include it.
EVEN GOD FILM Local Cloverhill Families Project volunteer Dominic Caddell was featured as an extra in a short film about a fictional homeless man reconnecting with his family. The EVS volunteer house in Belfast was used as a location for film on Easter Tuesday. As Atlantic House was previously a homeless project it was perfect for shooting some of the communal scenes for the film. A huge thanks to all the volunteers who helped the crew with their work and for their patience with their home being host to actors, technical crew and a large amount of equipment.
STELLA MARIS BIG WHEEL TRIP FRIDAY 9 APRIL Belfast’s Big Wheel finished its 2 year location at Belfast City Hall despite originally being scheduled for only 6 months. EVS volunteers Susi (Austria) and Johannes (Germany) decided to organise a trip for Stella Maris residents. With the last few days of the wheel being open, some of the residents were keen to overcome their fear of heights to get one last ride on this attraction that has been popular with both tourists and locals alike. They all enjoyed the ride and made the most of the opportunity to take photos of the panoramic views of Belfast city and the surrounding hills.
BACK LANE - COMMUNITY BEFRIENDING PROGRAMME Nathan our hardworking Volunteer got our gardening project up and running in February. Our participants are spending 3 hours, twice a week working on the allotment and very soon we hope to see the fruits of their labour! 10 new volunteers coming on board in April has brought our befriending team up to 29! With the help of our volunteers we are currently providing informal support for 23 men with referrals coming in steadily each month which makes the befriending team busy bees with some new projects coming on stream.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Volunteer Programme / Sundial House, 140 James’s Street, Dublin 8. + 353 1 633 9226 / T + 353 1 607 4476 / F volunteer.coordinator@depaulireland.org / E www.depaulireland.org / W
DEPAUL IRELAND VOLUNTEER NEWS BEAT INITIATIVE CARNIVAL WORKSHOP Turkish EVS Volunteer Pinar Yavuz contacted a Carnival Arts Company to deliver a free masking making, drumming and dance workshop for Cloverhill Homeless Families project. On Tuesday 6th April excited group of Cloverhill residents created masks, were taught basic dance moves and how to drum. All the activities were part of the preparation for the Beat Initiative’s community festival to be held in Lisburn city centre.
VIP VISIT TO THE ISLAND ARTS CENTRE, LISBURN
LOGO SELECTED FOR EUROPEAN YEAR OF VOLUNTEERING 2011 The logo for the European Year of Volunteers 2011 has been selected by the European Commission. You can see logo below and it will feature at a wide range of events in 2011. The slogan for the year is « Volunteer, Make a Difference »
Turkish EVS Volunteer Pinar Yavuz organized a resident’s trip to the Island Arts Centre in Lisburn. She made use of the free “Community Buzz” offer for local groups to get a free arts workshop. Free transport and refreshments were also laid on. On 24th March four adults and five children from Cloverhill Families Project boarded the bus to the Island Arts Centre. For many it was the first time that they had ever been to the large arts centre which has a gallery, workshop space and hosts a diverse range of music, dance, theatre and art classes. They took part in a Movement and Expression class for adults and children to dramatise a typical day right from waking up to walking in the rain and looking for rainbows. A great time was had by all.
VALENTINE’S DAY IN STELLA MARIS Susi Wohlschlager one of our Belfast based EVS volunteers made a dried flower display to celebrate Valentine’s Day. An inscription read “Be kind to each other. Everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle”.
STELLA MARIS EASTER EGGS EVS volunteers held an Easter egg hunt in Stella Maris. Susi Wohlschlager and Johannes Maas hid chocolate Easter eggs amongst the recently donated furniture and plants in the back yard. Residents painted hard boiled eggs and Susi also taught the Austrian Easter tradition of Egg Fighting. Two people each have a boiled egg and the aim of the game is to crack the opponents egg shell resulting in the loser having to eat both eggs. Resident Bernie Coleman also explained the Irish tradition of rolling eggs at Easter. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………................
FAREWELL TO OUR DUBLIN VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR Hi there, I just wanted to say a final farewell to you all as I step down from the role of Volunteer Coordinator. I want to thank you for your best wishes and emails over the last few weeks. It has been great pleasure to work with volunteers and student placements in Depaul Ireland and I will take some very fond memories with me. Many thanks are due to all the staff in Depaul Ireland for their support. In particular I must mention Jenny, Orla and Margo who I have worked with as well as Barbara and Wendy for their support of the Volunteer Programme. Stuart