Volunteers from County Kildare attend landmark Foróige event

Foróige volunteers from all over Ireland, including from Kildare, came together in the Tullamore Court Hotel in County Offaly last weekend, September 30 to October 2, 2022, for Foróige’s annual volunteer conference.

This was the 50th annual Foróige Volunteers Conference, with 120 delegates from 16 counties enjoying a wide variety of guest speakers, group discussions and social events aimed at exchanging ideas to continue Foróige volunteers' work throughout Ireland. 

Green Party Minister Roderic O’Gorman was in attendance and spoke to volunteers, praising their continued efforts throughout the pandemic.

He said: "Foróige volunteers have helped create communities that are vital to our society: the value of the contributions that are made by these volunteers cannot be overstated."

"Not only does volunteerism positively impact our communities but it can provide people with a sense of purpose, improving their own wellbeing, enhancing their empathy and allowing them to connect with young people in their communities.

"Foróige has to be commended for the innovative approach in involving young people in the decisions that impact their lives," the Minister added.

Dr David Coleman, clinical psychologist, broadcaster and author was the keynote speaker at the conference and gave his insights into how to communicate with and help teenagers tackle the problems they're facing in their lives. 

Earlier this year, Foróige celebrated its 70th year anniversary with the first Club meeting in Mooncoin on March q4, 1952.

The following year a number of pilot Clubs came together under the name Macra na Tuaithe, operating in rural communities, for the most part in local Vocational Schools.

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Barbara Daly, Foróige Chairperson, opened the conference, where she said about the momentous anniversary: "This year marks the 70th Anniversary of Foroige, and if we view the challenges ahead through the lens of history, we see that the organisation has continually evolved and changed through those seven decades, adapting to the needs of a given generation of young people, crossing each hurdle in its path and using obstacles as springboards to progress."

Foróige now has over 5,500 volunteers working in its 550 clubs, 150 projects and programmes, including Leadership for Life; Be Healthy Be Happy, the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), and Big Brother Big Sister.

The organisation engages with over 50,000 young people per year.