Public urged to get involved in National Volunteering Week

Volunteer Ireland is calling on people across the country to make a positive difference in their community by getting involved in National Volunteering Week.

Research carried out by the group shows there is a growth of interest among young people in volunteering - with 36% of those registering their interest being under 25 years of age.

Some 53% of organisations surveyed say they are more reliant on the services of volunteers due to the recession.

"We find that more than half of them have said that they couldn't, literally, survive without involving volunteers," said CEO of Volunteer Ireland Yvonne McKenna.

"That three-quarters of them wouldn't be able to offer the same level of service without volunteers, but also that more than half of them were experiencing difficulties recruiting volunteers."