Volunteering to have Europe-wide focus in 2011 – Kitt

Galway East Fianna Fáil TD Micheal Kitt has welcomed the announcement from the European Council that 2011 is to be designated the ‘European Year of Volunteering’.

The European Parliament has approved €3 million in 2010 for preparatory actions and €8 million for the year itself.

“Volunteering and active citizenship is as important in Galway as it is in Geneva. This is a truly European-wide issue and we can all benefit from working together in promoting volunteerism,” Deputy Kitt said.

“The Government continues to be supportive of volunteering and active citizenship and as recently as last month some €116,000 in funding was allocated to the Galway Volunteer Centre.”

“More and more people are starting to turn their focus back to the community to see what they can give back and centres such as the Galway Volunteer Centre are doing wonderful work in facilitating people with worthwhile projects.”

“The Government is committed to strengthening community activity and increasing civic engagement across all sectors of society in order to develop a nation of diversity with a sense of shared values, of belonging and of pride of place in our home communities.”

“The aim of dedicating a year at European level to Volunteering is to promote the movement from the bottom up by empowering volunteer organisations and improving the quality of volunteering.”

“I look forward to working with groups across County Galway to see how we can play a role in the European dedicated year of volunteering and promoting active citizenship,” concluded Micheal Kitt TD.