Promises must be met by action on youth volunteering

4.30.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 5th May 2006

Young Alliance Chair Cllr Ian James Parsley

Young Alliance Chair Cllr Ian James Parsley has said Government must meet its promises to ensure more people become involved in volunteering in Northern Ireland.

Speaking after an Alliance Party meeting with Millennium Volunteers, Cllr Parsley stated: "Bringing value to society is not necessarily about economic figures, it is about people participating in their communities to promote their well-being. Volunteering offers the perfect way to do this.

"We have a young generation of great promise in Northern Ireland - one which understands the need to take responsibility for a cleaner, healthier, happier society. We seek to overturn the cynicism and dependency culture that is all too apparent in many areas of Northern Ireland.

"However, volunteering is not being given enough priority in practice. The requirements to promote volunteering have changed fundamentally even within the past decade, as young people have had to put in more hours working and studying than ever before. Yet again, we find Government and political leaders lagging behind on such matters!

"There is a genuine feeling within those promoting volunteering that volunteering is misunderstood, and that Government is not fulfilling its promises. The UK Home Office and Treasury had promised a UK-wide campaign, yet we have seen scant evidence of it here.

"For our collective well-being, we need to be better informed about volunteering opportunities so we can enjoy healthier and more prosperous communities in the longer term."

ENDS