New Year, New You

To many people, this New Year will be marked by an array of resolutions from joining a gym to changing career.  Volunteer Now, the lead organisation for promoting and developing volunteering across Northern Ireland, is asking people to think seriously about volunteering in order to maximise their success at sticking to such resolutions.

Denise Hayward, Chief Executive, Volunteer Now said, “The New Year marks a fresh start for many of us, full of possibilities and good intentions,  but by the end of January some of those good intentions have faded away.  Volunteering offers a whole assortment of opportunities which can help meet your personal goals as well as helping others.  If you want to be more active, why not get involved in something sporting or environmental or if you are thinking of pursuing a job in a particular area, what better way to see what it’s like than by volunteering in that area?  Volunteering also brings the opportunity to meet new people and have new experiences – what could be better?

Volunteer Now works with thousands of organisations throughout Northern Ireland, highlighting their volunteer opportunities.  We recently met with Fermanagh Community Transport to chat to their new Manager, Jason Donaghy.

Speaking to Lynn Johnston, Project Outreach Officer based in our Enniskillen Office at Fermanagh House, Jason told her that he was truly excited to be given the opportunity to take on the role and join such an amazing team of directors,trustees, staff and volunteers who make such a profound difference to some of the most vulnerable people throughout our County.  Jason has 22 years experience across the community, voluntary, public and private sectors, 15 years of which he ran his own consultancy business.   Jason said that the FCT Board, Staff and Volunteers are an incredible team of people, whom together plan, coordinate and deliver vital transport services which amount to some 30,000 individual member journeys per year.  He explained:   “Our volunteer social car scheme drivers play a critical role in allowing us to reach out to some of our most isolated and excluded community members.  They don’t just provide transport, they provide so much more.  Since starting in this role, I have continually heard our members say that the social car scheme delivered through our volunteers is a ‘lifeline’.  Without this professional and compassionate service delivered by our volunteers, many of the people we assist might not see anybody for days or weeks, effectively being confined to their homes, removed from the opportunities that everyone else takes for granted.’ 

Jason summed up his hope for Fermanagh Community Transport by saying;  ‘As a team, we want to reach out to the maximum number of people in Fermanagh who need access to transport so that they can lead fulfilling and engaged lives and avail of the life opportunities open to those who can’t use public transport or private transport, regardless their age, ability or background.  2019 will very much be a new year and new journey for FCT, our volunteers and members.’ 

If you are interested in volunteering with the Transport scheme have a look here: bit.ly/2FkQW65 or contact Lynn Johnston 07467486638