What is the Civic Engagement Fund and how does it work?
The ALIVE Civic Engagement Fund was established to support students to develop their own volunteering initiatives.
The fund enables students to act on their ideas, interests and passions with community organisations, campaigns and projects. Individuals and groups of students may apply. NUI Galway ALIVE volunteers have, in recent years:
- brought the national 'Soup for Life' Gorta campaign to NUI Galway
- organised the Health Sciences Ball raising almost €2,000 for Voices for Galway
- created events on campus to fundraise for the Irish Kidney Association
- organised a table quiz for Friends of Londiani
- held a campaign to sign the Irish flag for a trek to Mount Everest with the HOPE Foundation.
To take a lead on your volunteering contact ALIVE for support in making your idea a reality.
ALIVE Leaders
An ALIVE Leader is a student who has volunteered in a community organisation and is willing to take on a deeper role and be the liaison with the ALIVE programme and support their fellow student volunteers.
Now is your chance if you want to create deeper links between your volunteering organisation and ALIVE - sign up to be an ALIVE Leader. Leaders receive training, hoodies, funding and opportunities to attend conferences.
James Blackwell, ALIVE Leader 2015-2016
James is a second year student studying Physics. He is the leader for the Castlegar Homework Club.His favourite thing about coordinating his fellow students to be volunteers is their enthusiasm and hard work.
Resources available to ALIVE Volunteers
Bring your ideas ALIVE!
- Fundraising support: ideas, venue booking, supplies, application form to fundraise on and off campus
- Preparation: Child protection training, posters, social networking, learning opportunities at conferences and workshops
- Administrative resources: Photocopier, meeting space and wifi in the Hub, Áras na Mac Leinn
- Funding: Civic Engagement Fund application form available from ALIVE
- Event Management: how to recruit and engage fellow volunteers successfully, health and saftey, trips
ALIVE volunteers often travel to conferences and events and we'd like to help you get there! Please complete this form to plan insurance and funding. Thanks!
Social Entrepreneurship
You can take your ideas to the next level and become a social entrepreneur! Here are some great links to get you started:
NUI Galway Enterprise Awards - Social Category
Social Enterprise Network in Ireland
Ashoka Ireland
Social Entrepreneurship Ireland
Social Marketing & Social Innovation are key concepts for social entrepreneurs. NUI Galway has particular expertise in this area.
Dr. Christine Domegan, Marketing Discipline and Leader of the Social Innovation and Policy cluster, Whitaker Institute at NUI Galway chats with Angela Sice about Social Innovation and how it is used to address ‘Wicked Problems' in society.
Listen to the definitions of Social Marketing and Social Innovation and examples of movements to improve lives:
Short Podcast Interview with Dr Christine Domegan, NUI Galway
Fundraising Policy for Students and Community
Our committed, enthusiastic and ambitious staff and students fundraise extensively across the campus. Please contact the CKI if you hope to plan a fundraiser at NUI Galway.
Within the NUI Galway Fundraising Policy is a helpful guide to successful event planning and links to national fundraising networks. Helpful support documents can be found on the Student Services Policy website. Fundraising events are reviewed via the Application Form, that you can fil in here!
Summary
In this section we covered:
- Creating your own volunteering opportunities
- Developing management skills as an ALIVE Leader
- Social enterprise programmes
- Start and lead your own fundraiser!