Is doing good, good for you

Unlocking Potential
16 August 2010 - 11:00am
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Tagged as:

• Health and wellbeing
• volunteering
• Research

Volunteer Now's Unlocking Potential Project in conjunction with the University of Ulster is carrying out an exciting new study which will measure the impact of volunteering on the health of the 50+ age group.  The research findings will help illustrate if and in what way volunteering is having an impact on older people in Northern Ireland.  This local evidence will be used to influence decision makers, improve organisational practice and promote volunteering to older people in our communities.

Older people are hugely important to volunteering in Northern Ireland.  They bring a wealth of skills and life experience to the causes they support.  There are approximately 99,000 volunteers aged 50 or over in Northern Ireland, contributing the equivalent of £202 million pounds a year to our economy.  This huge resource goes largely unmentioned but as older people are becoming an increasing proportion of the Northern Ireland population, they must also become an increasing proportion of the volunteer base, if volunteering is to flourish.

We would like to recruit as many people who are 50 and over as possible onto the study.  It doesn't matter how long you have been volunteering, who you volunteer with or what you do, we want to hear from you!  The research will involve completing four questionnaires over an 18 month period.  We would also like to hear from organisations that involve volunteers and would like to support the study.

If you are interested in finding out more or receiving a questionnaire contact Christine Irvine at christine.irvine@volunteernow.co.uk or by telephone on 02890 818332.