Sadhbh Byrne
Illustrations Editor
Volunteer Ireland’s National Day of Volunteering took place last Friday 30th September; celebrated nationwide by a series of events aimed to encourage people to give volunteering a try, even if only for a minute.
Several of TCD’s societies and charities ran workshops, talks, and other events to mark the occasion. The Voluntary Tuition Programme (VTP) ran a collaborative event entitled “Helping Hands” in the Physics Square by the Pav, whereby children from the weekly VTP Art Club programme placed their handprints in autumnal colours on a huge poster of a tree trunk, forming the leaves falling off the tree. Ebullient volunteers roped in students passing by to ‘give them a hand’ by adding their prints, while Provost Patrick Prendergast and his children also lent their prints the following day. The resulting artwork can currently be seen hanging outside the J.M. Synge Theatre in the Arts Block, and will continue its whirlwind stadium tour by making its way to the Hamilton next week.
The Day
I don’t wish to head down that much-trodden path of recession, recession, recession – but the fact that instilling a sense of the necessity of volunteering now more so than ever cannot be denied. There is a real need for people to help other people, to extend the hand of friendship and assistance – as every citizen is now only too aware, the era of ‘every man for himself’ did not bode well. Yes, we may be embarrassed to find ourselves on the bottom of the EU heap, that any global headlines Ireland may be making are those of gloom and criticism (except, perhaps, if all goes well on Saturday morning!), but maybe it’s time to reclaim our sense of citizenship and pride. With the ever-continuous negativity and despair that surrounds us, I think it’s time to step away from this new mantle of pessimism, and turn to the simple things that bring guaranteed satisfaction.
At the VTP orientation meeting it was mentioned by the Chairperson, Aisling Flanagan, how she often trudged towards Ringsend with a heavy heart, assignments on her mind and raindrops drenching her already sodden clothes, only to find a room full of kids absolutely delighted to see her. Although this kind of reciprocal altruism, where the realisation hits that you’re getting as much out of it as the recipients of your assistance, may inform the guilt complexes of some well-meaning souls who suddenly feel like selfish sons of guns.. well, to that I say, don’t be absolutely ridiculous! All the better if you’re not only helping another but also getting something out of it yourself – twice the contentment can’t be a bad thing.
Speaking of contentment, it’s easy to smack down your gloriously messy and paint-drenched hand on a piece of paper, and indeed as I know from my two years experience, Art Club is always an hour of unbridled, glitter saturated fun. However what is really needed is people to volunteer to teach physics, or patiently explain long division. University students may be commitment-shy at the best of times, but as Volunteer Ireland state and I personally reiterate, volunteering really does not have to mean donating every millisecond of your spare time to the cause. Even half an hour a week is enough to make a huge difference.
And so, while National Day of Volunteering may have been a one-day event, Volunteer Ireland have also kickstarted their Random Act of Volunteering project. They have compiled a list of 30 examples on their website, including the following:
Pack an extra lunch and give it to someone who needs it.
Let someone in a hurry cut ahead of you in the queue.
If you aren’t interested in a coupon, give it to the sales clerk to give to someone who is.
Offer to take a photograph for a group of tourists.
Take these for inspiration, and go out there and save the world, one handprint (or similar) at a time.
