COPE Galway has become the first group in the West of Ireland to receive an Investing in Volunteers award for the strength of the work they do with this local charity.
The volunteers who help COPE Galway deliver its essential service in looking after the homeless, the abused, and the at risk in Galway accepted the award from Volunteer Ireland at a ceremony in the city museum this week.
Lucia Canavan, COPE Galway’s Volunteer Co-ordinator said, “Our volunteers give so much to our organisation and we want to continuously improve each volunteer’s experience with us.”
Throughout the audit process for this award, COPE made adjustments to its system to make it easier for people to join the 220 volunteers that help deliver COPE’s services.
“With this enhanced Volunteer Programme, we hope to make the experience of volunteering with us the best possible,” Lucia added.
Sean Quain is one of those volunteers, working at the COPE’s charity shop. He believes that volunteering with them in any capacity has been a worthwhile endeavour.
“Whether it’s in the Lunch Clubs, the Shop, Community Catering, you’re going to be working in an environment with people who are kind,” Sean said.
“There’s always camaraderie and good fun, but you’re also doing something for the people of Galway and that’s the most important thing.”
Investing in Volunteers is managed by Volunteer Ireland here in the Republic, working in partnership with Volunteer Now in Northern Ireland.
They assessed COPE’s suitability for this honour last August, looking at the charity’s practices and holding meeting with over 30 volunteers, Board Members and Staff.
Terri O’Brien, Volunteer Ireland Quality and Programmes Manager said COPE, “demonstrated a real commitment to volunteering and proven that their volunteer management policies and procedures meet nationally recognised standards.”
COPE Galway CEO, Jacquie Horan added that they are committed to making the experience of volunteering with COPE Galway the “Best in the West”
“We are offered assistance across all our services for Homelessness, Domestic Violence and for Older People, as well as at our Charity Shop and our events.”
“We simply couldn’t do the work we do without our ‘Tribe’ of exceptional COPE Galway volunteers and for that we are very grateful.”
photo: Cope volunteer Sean Quain
