(Leagan Gaeilge) NUI Galway has been announced as the partner of the Volunteers Programme for the Volvo Ocean Race stopover in Galway from 23 May-6 June 2009. As Ireland's leading University in the development of student volunteering initiatives, NUI Galway will work with non-profit event organiser Let's Do It Galway to help mobilise the small army of volunteers needed for the two-week festival in Galway City. To date, almost 1000 people, including many NUI Galway staff and students, have offered to volunteer their time and skills in support of the Galway Volvo Ocean Race. The University will bring its considerable experience in the field of volunteering to the event. Every year, through its ALIVE volunteering programme, NUI Galway supports thousands of students who volunteer with over 80 local and international community organisations. NUI Galway President, Dr James J. Browne, is proud of the role the University plays in actively encouraging volunteering initiatives: "NUI Galway has a specific commitment to embracing community and civic engagement as a core part of our mission. Our University is at the forefront in Ireland of pioneering models for civic engagement including volunteering programmes that annually actively engage over 1,500 NUI Galway students to think critically about society and their place within it. We are proud of our role in helping to shape socially-aware citizens, who are active members of their community through their voluntary activities". According to Fiona Lawless, NUI Galway graduate and Volunteers Manager with Let's Do It Galway: "This is a unique opportunity for people to play an integral role in the biggest international sporting Festival within Europe in 2009. Volunteers will be key to the success of the Galway Stopover and are the 'face' of the event to visitors at the Race Village. The reality is that the number of events being staged during the two week festival would not be possible without the enthusiasm and commitment that people have demonstrated. During the event volunteers will be the heart and soul of the festivities". Lorraine Tansey is Student Volunteer Coordinator at NUI Galway and runs the University's ALIVE programme: "Our partnership with Let's Do It Galway on the Volunteering Programme for the Volvo Ocean Race is a natural fit. There is an ethos of civic engagement here at NUI Galway and that will spread around the City in the coming weeks". Volunteers are already playing major roles in the pre-event Let's do it Galway team, and the amount of time and high standard of work is highly valued by the organisers. Claire Heskin, a marketing graduate from NUI Galway, is currently volunteering in the Let's Do It Galway Office as Marketing and PR Assistant, says: "This is a once in a lifetime festival and it's hugely rewarding to be involved as a volunteer. I will experience the Volvo Ocean Race from a different perspective and every day more volunteers are coming on board. We have a great team, loads of energy, and the excitement is growing every day as we count down to the 23 May".

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Oibrithe Deonacha OÉ Gaillimh do Rás Aigéin Volvo (View in English) Tá sé fógartha gurb í OÉ Gaillimh comhpháirtí an Chláir Oibrithe Deonacha do stad na Gaillimhe de Rás Aigéin Volvo ón 23 Bealtaine – 6 Meitheamh 2009. Ó tharla gurb í an Ollscoil seo an ollscoil is gníomhaí sa tír ó thaobh tionscnaimh dheonacha a fhorbairt i measc na mac léinn, oibreoidh OÉ Gaillimh leis an eagraí neamhbhrabúsach Let's Do It Galway le cuidiú leis an mbaicle bheag oibrithe deonacha a bheidh ar fáil don fhéile a mhairfidh ar feadh coicíse i gCathair na Gaillimhe. Go dtí seo, tá beagnach 1000 duine, go leor d'fhoireann agus de mhic léinn OÉ Gaillimh ina measc, tar éis a gcuid ama agus a gcuid scileanna a thairiscint dúinn le tacú le Rás Aigéin Volvo na Gaillimhe. Cuirfidh an Ollscoil an taithí mhór atá aici i réimse na hoibre deonaí chun sochair na féile. Gach bliain, trína chlár oibrithe deonacha ALIVE, tacaíonn OÉ Gaillimh leis na mílte mac léinn a bhíonn ag déanamh obair dheonach i mbreis agus 80 eagraíocht phobail áitiúil agus idirnáisiúnta. Tá Uachtarán OÉ Gaillimh, an Dr James J. Browne, mórtasach as an mbaint atá ag an Ollscoil le tionscnaimh oibrithe deonacha a spreagadh: "Mar chuid thábhachtach den mhisean atá againn, tá cúram ar leith á dhéanamh ag OÉ Gaillimh den chomhpháirteachas pobail agus poiblí. Tá an Ollscoil seo ar thús cadhnaíochta in Éirinn ó thaobh múnlaí ceannródaíocha comhpháirteachais phoiblí a bhunú, agus i measc na múnlaí sin tá cláir oibrithe deonacha ina spreagtar breis agus 1,500 mac léinn de chuid OÉ Gaillimh le machnamh criticiúil a dhéanamh ar an tsochaí agus ar an mbaint atá acu féin léi. Táimid bródúil as an ról atá againn ag múnlú saoránach atá feasach ar an tsochaí agus atá gníomhach sa phobal tríd an obair dheonach a dhéanann siad." Seo an méid a bhí le rá ag Fiona Lawless, céimí de chuid OÉ Gaillimh agus Bainisteoir na nOibrithe Deonacha le Let's Do It Galway: "Is deis iontach é seo do dhaoine le ról gníomhach a bheith acu san Fhéile spóirt idirnáisiúnta is mó san Eoraip in 2009. Beidh a fheabhas a éireoidh le Stad na Gaillimhe den Rás ag brath go huile is go hiomlán ar na hoibrithe deonacha arb iad 'aghaidh' an imeachta iad do chuairteoirí ar Shráidbhaile an Rása. Is é fírinne an scéil nach bhféadfaí an líon imeachtaí atáthar a reáchtáil le linn na féile coicíse a eagrú gan an spéis agus an dílseacht atá léirithe ag daoine iontu. Cuirfidh na hoibrithe deonacha a gcroí agus a n-anam san fhéile." Is í Lorraine Tansey Comhordaitheoir Obair Dheonach na Mac Léinn in OÉ Gaillimh agus tá sí i mbun chlár ALIVE na hOllscoile: "Tá an chomhpháirtíocht le Let's Do It Galway do Chlár Oibrithe Deonacha Rás Aigéin Volvo ag luí go nádúrtha le clár ALIVE. Tá spiorad láidir comhpháirteachais phoiblí anseo in OÉ Gaillimh agus beidh sé le brath ar fud na Cathrach as seo go ceann cúpla seachtain." Tá oibrithe deonacha an-ghníomhach cheana féin ar fhoireann réamhimeachta Let's Do It Galway, agus tá an lucht eagair thar a bheith buíoch den mhéid ama atá á chaitheamh acu leis agus d'ardchaighdeán na hoibre. Tá Claire Heskin, céimí Margaíochta ó OÉ Gaillimh, ag obair go deonach in Oifig Let's Do It Galway mar Chúntóir Margaíochta agus Caidreamh Poiblí: "Is féile eisceachtúil í seo agus tá an-sásamh le baint as a bheith páirteach inti mar oibrí deonach. Beidh taithí eile ar fad agam ar Rás Aigéin Volvo agus tá líon na n-oibrithe deonacha ag méadú lá i ndiaidh lae. Tá foireann iontach againn, neart fuinnimh, agus táimid ag éirí níos tógtha de réir mar atáimid ag druidim leis an 23 Bealtaine." -Críoch-