EU seminar hears how Sligo has fared as EVC 2017

“AS our year as European Vol‑ unteering Capital is coming to a close, one of the things we need to do is to build on that legacy,” urged MEP Marion Harkin.

In her opening remarks to a Volunteering Seminar at the European Parliament last Wednesday, the former teacher stressed that ‘volunteers effect change in an important way.’ She said policy makers and politicians must work togeth‑ er with ordinary people who volunteer in order to improve volunteering overall.

Head of the European Solid‑ rity Corps Gabriella Civico took the floor to say: “I represent the volunteer sector in Europe. My job is to remind policy makers about the importance of vol‑ unteering.”

She explained that the Eu‑ ropean Solidarity Corps gives 18‑30 year olds the opportunity to do volunteer or paid work helping the community and wider society. For example in the aftermath of the Italian earthquakes, the EU funded a volunteering effort for young people.

“We have €341.5m of funding for 2018‑2020,” she said.

Awarding towns and cities the status of European Vol‑ unteering Capital is another important way to promote vol‑ unteering within Europe.

Gabriella Civico compliment‑ ed Sligo on securing the title: “Sligo was awarded this because you have politicians who under‑ stand the values of volunteers in supporting the community. Congratulations to the policy makers in Sligo.”

And some of those represent‑ atives were at the seminar.

Sligo County Council CEO Ciarán Hayes said: “I come from the council perspective, a bureaucratic red tape organ‑ isation. The challenge for us as a statutory organisation is to be able to build the capacity in our community for volunteers to make a difference.

“Public office requires the skill of listening. Our door must be constantly open to answer the needs of the wider community. The voices of the community comes from the council members. I recently got an approach from a council member who asked me to meet with a group of individual vol‑ unteers who want to bring the Irish open to Sligo for 2019. This is a very serious volunteer effort to bring a major flagship event to Sligo.”

Quoting the late Neslon Man‑ dela, Mr Hayes said: “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”

He said that this applies par‑ ticularly to volunteers.

“As a council, we have to be receptive, tap into pride of place and community spirit. During the Royal visit, if you look at the pictures on the faces of the people, pride oozes from those photos, of Sligo putting its best foot forward. For Sligo that was a cathartic moment.”