Small Grants for Volunteering Programme 2009/10 

Loughside Volunteer Centre is the local managing agency for the Small Grants for Volunteering Programme for voluntary and community organisations who involve volunteers in the Antrim, Carrickfergus and Newtownabbey area.

Funded by the Department of Social Development (DSD), the programme is designed to encourage and support volunteering opportunities for people who are not in paid work and groups currently under-represented in volunteering such as ethnic minorities; people with disabilities; older people and younger people. In doing so, the programme seeks to develop a wide range of volunteering opportunities; benefit local communities; support good practice in relation to volunteering and target social need.

Grants are available up to £1,100 and can be used for volunteer out-of-pocket expenses such as travel, subsistence, dependent care, training, project running costs and essential equipment.  Local voluntary and community organsiations that involve volunteers with an income of less than £100,000 in the previous financial year are eligible to apply.

For more information on the programme and an application pack, please contact Loughside Volunteer Centre Small Grants for volunteering Programme, 10d High Street, Antrim, BT41 4AN or telephone 028 9446 6644 or email on loughsidevc@talktalkbusiness.net

Closing date for applications is Friday 16th October 2009 @ 4.00pm 

Acclaim for volunteers at 2008 Newtownabbey Volunteer Accolades

The prestigious Volunteer Accolades were held on Thursday 30 October at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown Campus. The awards, which were organised by Newtownabbey Borough Council in association with Loughside Volunteer Centre and the University of Ulster, recognised individuals and groups who volunteer in the local area. 

The ceremony was hosted by BBC Northern Ireland presenter Sarah Travers, with Minster for Social Development, Margaret Ritchie MLA presenting some of the awards. Speaking at the event Ms Ritchie said; “I believe that Volunteering is a cornerstone of our society. Volunteers are remarkable people doing remarkable things. They are the foundation of a caring, inclusive and progressive society. I’m pleased to join Newtownabbey Borough Council in paying tribute to the activities and achievements of local volunteers. Tonight’s awards show me that people care about each other. They turn their time and energy into acts of support, kindness, and neighbourliness. Their volunteering is making a real difference to the lives of people here in Newtownabbey. I would encourage people everywhere to join in, get involved and build a better Northern Ireland.”

The recipients for the Newtownabbey Volunteer Accolades 2008 were:

Launch of 2008 Newtownabbey Volunteer Accolades

Margaret Ritchie, Minister for the Department for Social Development (DSD) joined 120 voluntary and community representatives at Mossley Mill to launch the 2008 Newtownabbey Volunteer Accolades supported by Newtownabbey Borough Council in association with Loughside Volunteer Centre and the University of Ulster.

Having initially being introduced as a celebration event to help recognise the International Year of Volunteers in 2001, this is now the fifth occasion that Newtownabbey Volunteer Accolades has been held. And this year’s event promises to be bigger than ever with the University of Ulster at Jordanstown again hosting the presentation of accolades evening which is planned for October.   

In launching the Accolades the Minister said, “The Volunteer Accolades scheme is a wonderful opportunity for the people of Newtownabbey borough to acknowledge local volunteers who have made a difference in the lives of others. I would urge people to make their nominations and help give their volunteers the recognition they deserve.”  

The minister also praised the council, who run the Volunteer Accolades scheme in partnership with Loughside Volunteer Centre and the University of Ulster at Jordanstown. She said, “The Volunteer Accolades scheme is an excellent way for Newtownabbey Borough Council to recognise and reward the massive contribution volunteers make to civic society in the borough. It is especially welcome that the work of volunteers is celebrated as part of the council’s 50th anniversary celebrations and I wish them every success with this very worthwhile scheme.”

Volunteering takes place within the borough of Newtownabbey at all levels – from informal volunteering where individuals are working in small community-based projects to formal volunteering with larger borough-wide organisations.  The Accolades aims to reflect all aspects of volunteering with eight categories available for nomination:

• Youth Volunteer of the Year
• Senior Volunteer of the Year
• Arts and Heritage Volunteer of the Year
• Sport in the Community Volunteer of the Year
• Good Relations Volunteer of the Year
• Good Neighbour of the Year
• University of Ulster Volunteer of the Year
• Community Volunteers of the Year (Group category)

Overall Volunteer Accolade 2006 recipient Seamus Kelly (pictured 2nd left) who spoke at the launch event in Mossley Mill reflected on how much it had meant to him to be recognised for his contribution to voluntary work, particularly in the field of good relations.  He added that he was extremely honoured to have be nominated and thanked everyone for the support that he had received from his local community.

Volunteering plays such a vital role in the health, well-being and development of our local communities.  Newtownabbey Volunteer Accolades is an ideal opportunity for organisations to say thank you to their volunteers and to profile their achievements and commitment. 

Nomination form can be downloaded from Newtownabbey Borough Council website http://www.newtownabbey.gov.uk/community/volunteer.asp or by phoning 028 9034 0208.

The closing date for submission of nomination forms is Thursday 31 July 2008 at 4pm.

Volunteer Centres have Northern Ireland covered

Volunteer Centres Northern Ireland (VCNI) has launched a new website, which will enable potential volunteers to find out about opportunities across Northern Ireland.  The site which can be accessed at www.volunteernow.co.uk was officially launched at Loughside Volunteer Centre in Antrim on Monday 5 June as part of the annual Volunteers’ Week celebrations.

Paul Dinsmore, Manager of Loughside Volunteer Centre said, “The introduction of this website brings a whole new dimension to the way volunteering can be promoted.  It means that anyone interested in volunteering can instantly find out about volunteering opportunities available locally or in other parts of the country.”

He added, “The site includes a search facility whereby users can choose the kind of activity they are interested in and the type of organisation they want to volunteer with.  Volunteers can match their skills and interests to the opportunities available and simply register online.”

In conjunction with the launch of the website Loughside Volunteer Centre is launching its new branding which means that it will be instantly recognisable as part of Volunteer Centres Northern Ireland (VCNI), a network of 15 volunteer centres across Northern Ireland that help people get involved in voluntary work.  The launch of the website and branding as part of Volunteers’ Week is supported by the Department for Social Development and Northern Bank.