Volunteers' Week: Ryan - volunteering in Northern Ireland
We are lucky to have many passionate volunteers that help make events successful. They help integrate participants into our physical activity, promote our activities everywhere and also support the delivery of programmes through assistant coaches and walk leaders. At present, we have six volunteers currently helping with our programmes in the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon borough council area.
The most challenging aspects of the programme is to ensure disabled and non-disabled people can access our opportunities. Our aim is to ensure every participant gets the most out of our programmes so we deliver activities that are suitable for all. We do this through consultation with various groups. We try our best to adapt activities and exercises to suit all, our participants and volunteers are extremely happy to support and engage with any newcomers.
One volunteer in particular has really bought into the ethos of the GOGA programme. David has been involved from the commencement of the programme, firstly as a participant but now as a volunteer. As a well-known member of the community who recognises the importance of physical activity for all, David is extremely good at promoting the GOGA programme within the community. He invites new participants to get involved in the programme, going above and beyond the call of duty. Without his efforts, it is fair to say the GOGA programme would not have been as beneficial in our area as it has been.