ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN
We Act is a campaign to celebrate the impact of Ireland's charities and community groups.
Why do we need a campaign?
The response to events like Storm Éowyn, Covid-19, and the war in Ukraine has illuminated how charities and community groups do incredible things. In times of real crisis, we are at the forefront of our national response. But this work often goes unseen or is misunderstood.
We have a fresh understanding of what is important and what we value. We have a renewed sense of community. We want a society with more emphasis on equality, justice and work-life balance.
There needs to be a concerted effort to ensure that the goodwill and community cohesion that we saw during Covid-19 continues. If we don't value our charities and community groups, we will lose them.
What are the goals?
1. We want to share positive stories. Stories about the doers, the staff and volunteers in our communities who spot a gap, see a need, take the initiative, and act.
2. We want everyone in Ireland to realise that we all benefit from charities and community groups. If you've ever been to the theatre, adopted a dog, played local sports, called a helpline, enjoyed a Tidy Town — you've been impacted.
3. We want to encourage participation. We want volunteering and community involvement to be part of the fabric of our society.
4. We want to celebrate the people who work and volunteer in our charities and communities. We want them to feel part of something bigger — meaningful societal change.
Only 15% of people in Ireland believe they have personally benefitted from
charities or community groups.
But over 70% believe the lives of people in their communities would be impacted if these organisations disappeared overnight.
Source: nfpSynergy Research, Winter 2023
FAQs
Who is leading this campaign?
This campaign is executed by a steering group made up of six organisations, Volunteer Ireland, The Wheel, Boardmatch, Dóchas, and Disability Federation of Ireland. It has been developed with intensive consultation with stakeholders at every level.
How long with the campaign run for?
We Act launched in October 2021. We want this to be a long-term campaign and expect it to run for three to five years.
Who are the 'We' in We Act?
'We' are charity and community staff and volunteers, and all those who support our work. The doers in our society who step up and respond to its challenges.
Who can get involved, and how?
Everyone! Visit our Get Involved page to get ideas and download the campaign toolkit.
