Volunteer Profile:
Dolores Corcoran Dolores Corcoran is a voluntary management committee member of Cumann Na Daoine CDP, based in Youghal, Co. Cork. Since her entry into the Community Development Programme as a volunteer, she has become a paid development worker with Dungarvan CDP. Here she talks about her volunteering. What are you reading at the moment? 'Secrets in the Attic’ by Virginia Andrews. What’s the last film you saw? The new Batman film ‘Dark Knight’. Person you most admire? Michael Schumacher, he’s the world’s best! The top 4 issues in Ireland today? The down turn in the economy, health service, drug and alcohol misuse, being honest. Most issues today can be as a result of our economy be it on the up or down. We need more … … action! More work and educational opportunities for men and a proper support structure for the CDP Programme. We need less … … talk shops and bureaucracy. How long are you volunteering with the CDP? I have been involved for over nine years now. How and why did you get involved? Two people in particular got me involved - Flo Dineen and a nun by the name of Sr Maura. It was at a time in my life when my self confidence and self-esteem were very low and they thought it would do me the world of good. They were right! Ha Ha! What difference has being involved made to you? It has made a huge difference both personally and professionally. Being part of the CDP I regained my confidence,
challenged my own views, gained skills in management committee roles, staff support and supervision training, facilitation skills, putting together work plans for the Department. Also, it meant meeting people from different socio-economic backgrounds to myself. I definitely discovered loads and it was a place I could be me. And now I work as a Community Development Worker, so yep it certainly has changed my life. Have things changed for (your community, eg women, older people) today? Cumann Na Daoine has very strong women and men’s groups. They outreach into the community in Youghal and beyond. It is great to see the growth in those people within their own community. They have a big input into the CDP. A disability action and awareness group was recently set up in the CDP and they have been very active in Youghal in its perceptions of people with disabilities. Our biggest news is we acquired our own building which is accessible to everyone in the community What motivates you as a volunteer? The learning you get from being involved, it continues to challenge me, not alone by attending meetings where we have to sort out business, but it challenges my own thought
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process and views. It gives you a look at the bigger picture - nothing is black and white (well most of the time). It motivates me too to look at all the people I was first involved with and what the CDP did for the them and the community of Youghal. How do you get new volunteers? Just the other week we had a volunteer induction night. We put up posters, spoke to people involved in other groups, our staff encouraged participants of our groups to come along and 12 interested people turned up. Members of the management committee welcomed everyone and spoke about the work and structures of Cumann Na Daoine and how we got involved. It was very informal and they filled out a questionnaire just for us to get a general idea in what area they would like to volunteer in or what their interests were. They will get a couple of nights training on Community Development and hopefully we will have extra volunteers on our management committee and sub groups as a result. •For more information about Cumann Na Daoine CDP contact Elmarie McCarthy Co-ordinator on: 024-91900. Note: If you wish to nominate a volunteer from your CDP, call the editor.
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