Schools in Kerry encouraged to celebrate their volunteering achievements

Kerry Volunteer Centre has invited all primary and secondary schools in Kerry to get involved and celebrate their students volunteering on Give it a Swirl Day, the National Day of Volunteering on Friday 25th September. Geraldine Sheehan, Manager of Kerry Volunteer Centre, highlights that Kerry’s schools, both primary and secondary students, have a fabulous living tradition of volunteering within the schools themselves and in their communities of which they can be very proud. She stresses that the voluntary efforts of students accompanied by that of principals, staff and parents of students play a vitally important role in Kerry schools and local communities. The voluntary efforts of schools are deserving of recognition and Kerry Volunteer Centre is strongly encouraging them to celebrate their volunteering to date!

There are 100’s of Kerry Students involved voluntarily in Student Councils, Green School recycling initiatives, school newsletters, mentor programmes and community based initiatives such as visiting local community hospitals, performing Christmas plays at community centres, teaching older people computers and tidy town initiatives. Many students such as those in Colaiste Na Sceilge, Cahirciveen have received “Gaisce” Presidents Awards in recognition of their volunteering.

The positive effects that volunteering has on school children and teenagers lives; on schools and on communities are enormous. For example the secondary school children volunteering to teach basic computers to older people as happened in Pobalscoil Inbhear Sceine,  Kenmare,  has succeeded in benefiting both students and older people, friendships have been build, skills have been shared, common  misconceptions and stereotypes’ that often accompany  age gaps between young and old have been challenged and corrected. Initiatives such as Trociare’s Pamoja initiative with Colaiste Na Sceilge involved secondary school students gaining understanding  and awareness of  third world development issues such as refugee camps and sharing their knowledge voluntarily with primary school children and community groups in Cahirciveen.

School mentoring initiative facilitated by teachers  and supported by the KDYS which involve older students volunteering to befriend first year students are another wonderful example of the willingness of young people to make a difference and the positive impacts that their volunteering can have on each other’s lives. Student councils, green school committees, recycling initiatives, school newsletters, mentoring project, fundraising fasts for Charities, as well as the teaching of older people computers highlights not only the diversity of students volunteering but also illuminates the many benefits, skills and insights that volunteering provides students, their schools and local communities with. 

Since its inauguration two years ago circa 300 children and teenagers have got directly involved in hands on volunteering projects for Give it a Swirl Day. For example in 2007 student of Scoil Eoin Tahilla collected rubbish on their nature walk path, Students in St. Michaels NS Sneem did  a litter pick up , children from local after school homework clubs in Tralee  planted over 100, students from Pobal Scoil Inbhear Sceine Kenmare did an autumn tidy up, whilst student of St. Michael’s College Listowel volunteered with Listowel’s tidy Towns Committee planting spring bulbs in the town park. In 2008 students in Knockderry NS, Cullina NS, Lauragh NS, Tahilla NS, Coolick NS, St. Michaels College Listowel and Killarney Community College all got involved and hosted Give it a Swirl Day projects. Already in 2009 Pobal Scoil Inbhear Sceine Kenmare, Scoil Eoin Tahilla, Coolick NS, Knockderry NS and Colaiste Na Sceilge, Cahirciveen, Killarney Community College, Coolick N.S, Cullina N.S and St. Olivers NS have registered projects.

Give it a Swirl Day aims to encourage hands on involvement in Volunteering and this year it has an additional aim to thank, celebrate and recognise volunteering locally. School are invited to get involved and are being advised that projects can take the shape of a hands on volunteering project or they can be a celebration and recognition event such as developing a volunteer wall of fame for the school, having a mobile phone recycling day for the Jack and Jill Foundation, doing a autumn tidy up of green areas, having a uniform free day, making thank you posters for students, staff and parents who volunteers in the school, using the schools intercom system to raise awareness of and to thank students and staff for their volunteering. To get involved and to register your schools event contact Kerry Volunteer Centre on 066 7117966 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .