Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 18: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will provide an update on the progress made to date in implementing the package of measures he announced earlier in 2005 to provide immediate support for volunteering, including measures directed at promoting volunteering in second and third level institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22595/05]

Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 34: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if his Department has discussed the way in which the proposed voluntary work module is to operate in courses offered by the Dublin Institute of Technology. [22735/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 34 together.

The progress on the new volunteering package, which I announced in March 2005, is as follows. Core funding will be provided to six volunteer bureaux, totalling €900,000 over the next three years. The Department has recently provided funding to the Ballyfermot volunteer bureau and, subject to completion of contracts, funding for 2005 totalling €50,000 will be made available shortly to the remaining five bureaux and to Volunteer Centres Ireland for the recruitment of a development officer. ADM Limited has requested proposals from all of the partnership companies relating to the further €500,000 of local area partnership funding which was ring-fenced for measures that encourage volunteers and volunteering.

With regard to the Cohesion Fund of €500,000, I hope that the Department will shortly be in a position to make a call for proposals through the city and county development boards of which the volunteering initiative will form part. Funding up to €600,000 is being provided to support the young social innovators programme, including the annual showcase awards, which will receive €75,000 per annum over three years. A total of €45,000 of that has been paid by my Department to date towards the YSI showcase awards for 2005 and, subject to completion of contract, funding of the YSI programme of €125,000 per annum will be made available shortly.

Funding up to €110,000 per annum will be provided by my Department to put the community learning programme on a sustainable footing over the next three years. Funding for the 2005-06 academic year will be made available shortly subject to the completion of contracts. This programme is a relatively new teaching method in our educational system which works by integrating classroom learning in any subject with suitable volunteering activity. The programme has been running on a pilot basis in the Dublin Institute of Technology since September 2001 through the school of hospitality, management and tourism with 12 students involved. By 2004 there were 65 students involved across a wide range of volunteering projects.

The institute's aim is to have the community learning programme method incorporated in all faculties over the next three years. It is my hope that this initiative will serve as a model for other third level colleges over the coming years. The DIT community learning programme includes provision for ongoing review, and the effectiveness of the Department's funding will be assessed within three years.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Minister of State for that reply. When a parliamentary question was tabled in April on the issue of locating volunteer centres on the campuses of third level institutions, he indicated that in this context he would discuss the relevant matters as they arose with the Minister for Education and Science. I welcome the initiative in DIT as it is moving in the right direction. However, it needs to be spread out geographically. The idea of having volunteer centres on the campuses of universities and institutes of technology is an important initiative as younger people are exposed to the voluntary sector and are educated in community development. This amounts to loving one's neighbour, especially when one's neighbour is in need.

There are also recommendations in the joint committee report. One of them was for an element of volunteering in the transition year. Another was to carry the junior certificate CSPE on to leaving certificate level. These are not directly within the Minister of State's Department, but he indicated that the issues on third level volunteering would be discussed with the Minister for Education and Science as they arose. Has there been any discussion in the interim?

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I do not think so. The package announced was for €2 million per annum, which is all we can do at present. It includes the aspect on second level and third level. The young social innovators annual showcase awards were held in Dublin six weeks ago. About 2,000 students were at it and the project is done in transition year. That group existed before we got this funding, but the funding, at €200,000 per annum for three years, will help to promote the project. Many of the projects now being carried out in transition year have a volunteer ethos. It introduces young people to different social projects, many of which are about drink and drug addiction, caring for the elderly and so on.

The third level project which we are supporting exists to create a volunteering ethos among young people. We are trying to make it part of a programme where the students get grades and credits for it. We have not yet done anything about a bureau on campus. We felt that this project would attract young people in second and third level and would give them a taste of volunteering. It is to be hoped that they will carry that on with them into later life. We have not developed it beyond that which we have already announced. I was in DIT a few weeks ago and some of the questions related to education policy. My interest is just to encourage volunteering. I cannot take over the Department of Education and Science. I understand what the Deputy is saying and we may get an opportunity to look at that.