ALIVE Certificate Awards Ceremony Celebrates Student Commitment to Community

NUI Galway’s ALIVE Programme today (Tuesday, 1 April) celebrated 11 years of student volunteering with the presentation of awards to 865 student volunteers at a special ceremony on campus. The ALIVE certificate acknowledges volunteering efforts by NUI Galway student both on and off campus in a range of clubs, societies and community-based organisations.

Senator Hildegarde Naughton, who presented the awards, said “I continue to be overwhelmed by the efforts of NUI Galway students in terms of their contribution and generosity to the wider community and society. I feel that students have some much to contribute, not least having a positive influence on so many children in our local communities through youth based activities, mentorship and homework club assistance. I am honoured to be part of this important celebration.” 

The ALIVE (A Learning Initiative and the Volunteering Experience) programme was established by NUI Galway’s Community Knowledge Initiative (CKI) in 2003 to harness, acknowledge and support student volunteering.

Over 8,000 students have received ALIVE Certificates, under the scheme endorsed by the President of NUI Galway, Dr Jim Browne. The programme draws on a strong tradition of student engagement both on and off campus and assists students who wish to actively volunteer while developing tangible and transferable skills alongside practical volunteering experiences. ALIVE is the first ever student volunteer programme to be embedded within an institution of higher education in Ireland.

At today’s ceremony, Daithí de Buitléir also launched RAG Ireland’s latest initiative called the #COLLEGEFOOTPRINT.  This initiative challenges students to do at least one positive deed every day for the month of April, capture the deed on their phone and share via the Twitter machine or Facebook with the hashtag #COLLEGEFOOTPRINT. This initiative aims to change the way the world looks at students while also earning some life affirmation.

Daithí de Buitléir, founder of RAG Ireland, said: “I want to tell the students that they are doing great and to ask them to continue to make a difference as we have a stake in society. I think that many of them will sign up to #COLLEGEFOOTPRINT as it resonates with their aspirations and ambitions for community engagement. RAG Ireland is very excited to bring #COLLEGEFOOTPRINT to NUI Galway.”

More information is available at http://www.nuigalway.ie/cki  or http://www.ragireland.ie/.

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