International Volunteer Day at DCU
The United Nations International Volunteer Day was marked at DCU on 5th December 2016, the Helix, with an event celebrating the contributions DCU students make through volunteering locally, nationally and internationally. The event focussed in particular on overseas volunteering, active global citizenship and raising awareness about development work and pressing international issues.
Speakers at the event included Caoimhe Butterly, Irish peace activist, Stephen Cassidy from Suas, Jayann Maher of The Hope Foundation and Emma Kavanagh from Campus Engage and studentvolunteer.ie.
All speakers emphasised how significant the work that international volunteers is in addressing and challenging social and economic inequalities, injustices, poverty and other global issues. The transformative power of volunteering was also stressed, both at an individual volunteer level and in host communities overseas, with ethical volunteer engagement recognised.
The event was attended by former and current DCU overseas volunteers, representatives from DCU Clubs & Socs, as well as those interested in getting involved in international volunteering and members of staff.
The winner of the competition launched during DCU Volunteer Expo and held by DCU Volunteering among DCU students registered on www.studentvolunteer.ie was announced at the event, with Ketan Warke, MSc in Computing, receiving the prize of a Google Chromebook, kindly sponsored by DCU ISS.
After the event, Professor Ronnie Munck, Head of DCU Civic Engagement Office said: "Student volunteering is a barometer of a university's engagement with society. Our students are committed to volunteering on the basis of 'making a difference'. As a university committed to having a positive impact on society we fully support such an objective. DCU students are engaged with society in multiple ways.”