VOLUNTEERING SCHEME

The Minister’s calls for volunteers to assist our dedicated teaching and non-teaching staff in schools to provide educational supervision for vulnerable children and for the children of key workers have been answered overwhelmingly and over 1000 applications have been received.

To date, it has not been necessary to call on our volunteers, as our dedicated teaching and non-teaching staff have been coping well.

Volunteers will only be called upon when the Education Authority has exhausted a school’s own resources, the wider teacher workforce and the NI Substitute Teacher Register.

It has therefore been decided to pause the Volunteering scheme at present, however, should the situation surrounding Covid-19 escalate, the scheme will be reinstated.

All AccessNI cleared volunteers who have responded to the Minister’s calls will be contacted to determine their availability over school holiday periods to ensure that provision can continue for our key workers, should the current situation to combat Covid-19 continue.

The Department would like to thank all those who have offered to help at this very difficult time and if you have any queries please email Volunteering@education-ni.gov.uk