Potential volunteers find out more about Skillshare Ireland

Issued : Monday 1 March, 2010

On Saturday 20th February, Skillshare International Ireland attended the Overseas Volunteering Fair, hosted by Irish Aid at University College Cork. The fair was an opportunity for potential volunteers to find out more about long-term and short-term placements and to meet representatives from 22 organisations including Skillshare Ireland.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Micheál Martin, T.D, said that events such as these provide the ideal opportunity for people interested in volunteering abroad to discuss their options with various organisations and to get as much practical information as they needed to make a more informed decision. He also emphasised that it should help "promote cooperation between organisations involved in volunteering. The health and safety of development workers and volunteers overseas is of crucial concern and it is very important that volunteers are organised and managed in a professional manner. The Volunteering Fair will showcase the Code of Good Practice for Sending Organisations which supports organisations that adhere to best practice in managing and working with volunteers."

This was the first time Irish Aid had organised an Overseas Volunteering Fair outside of Dublin and we noticed a different visitor profile to previous years, as many of the visitors were retired and interested in short-term placements. Former international volunteer Joan McGarry, who is now on the Skillshare Board, attended the event and reflected "All in all it was a great day and I feel that it was extremely important that Skillshare was represented there."

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