Expanding The Raleigh International

Experience

Contents

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Raleigh Ireland, International Raleigh Group…………………………......………...…2

Raleigh Ireland Group, Its differences to U.K. Groups………………...…………..……2

Raleigh International and its potential in Ireland…………….……………………..…3

The Irish Charities/Non-Profits Sector…………………………………………..……3

Raleigh Ireland Group – The Proposal …………………………………...…….……4

Raleigh International management of Raleigh Ireland…….…………………….…..…7

Raleigh International’s Future in Ireland……………………….……………….……7

References……………………………………………………..…………….……8

Raleigh Ireland, International Raleigh Group Raleigh Ireland Group was started in January 2002

by a returning expedition venturer and two Raleigh

International Head Office Staff. Following the

model of Raleigh Groups in the U.K. we wanted to

bring the Raleigh Experience too Ireland. The

group was solely internet based through an

emailing list. The main aims of the group were

being a support to venturers going out on

expedition and to keep in touch with ex-venturers in

Ireland. This was successful for a period of time as

the group was supported a great deal from the two

staff members from head office. These staff

members were part of the International Venturers

department. Although we suffered a setback when

the International Venturers department was closed

due to financial difficulties in the organisation and

the group lost the support of these head office

staff. While there had been plans at head office to

continue to coordinate with its Raleigh Groups

around the world, little activity came about.

Raleigh Ireland continued to function although with

only one person managing it on a spare time basis,

our plans for the future were in serious jeopardy.

Raleigh Ireland Group, Its differences to U.K. Groups

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As Raleigh International is not widely known of in Ireland this was going to have obvious consequences on the way in

which a Raleigh Group in Ireland would function. The main function of Raleigh Groups in the U.K. ; “Set up principally

to support people pre-expedition with expedition kit and fund-raising top tips, Support Groups also have a long

history of running fantastic UK-based community and conservation projects. Its all about putting something back,

and about mirroring Raleigh International's focus on personal development and worthwhile projects”. Raleigh Ireland

embraced the principal of supporting pre-expedition venturers, but it would be difficult for Raleigh Ireland members

to engage in local community and conservation projects on the scale of those run by groups in the U.K. With the

public knowing little or nothing about Raleigh International we would find it difficult to secure support and funding

for such projects. As a result Raleigh Ireland must look at what challenges faces it as a group. We must publicise

Raleigh International to the wider public and generate interest in its expeditions and so as too develop a wider public

knowledge about the organisation. Then Raleigh Ireland as a group can start to give back to our local communities

in a much more recognised and supported manner, following the principles of the functions of Raleigh Groups.

Raleigh International and its potential in Ireland Unlike in the U.K. where Raleigh International faces competition from GAP year organisations, there a very few similar

organisations to Raleigh International in Ireland, indeed even the GAP year idea is not practised widely. The non-

profit/charity sector in Ireland is largely I unstructured and very basic. It can be quite difficult for a young person to

be exposed to information about youth development organisations of any type unless that person is actively

researching this information. This begs the question; with some structured publicity and

support would Raleigh International be widely popular among young

people and prospective expedition staff members? The

answer to this question is, yes. At every

opportunity a Raleigh Ireland member has had to

talk about Raleigh International there has

always been great interest generated. There are simply

no other opportunities for young people in Ireland like

that of Raleigh International expeditions. In the same way

Raleigh International expeditions generates wide

interest in the U.K. in a competitive market the interest

would be much more in Ireland under a relatively fledgling market. This

opportunity must not be let slip by Raleigh International and must be grasped now as other

U.K. based organisations are already beginning to setup in Ireland (e.g. GAP ACTIVITY PROJECTS (GAP) Ltd., World

Challenge Expeditions, i TO i)

The Irish Charities/Non-Profits Sector

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In order for any organisation setting up in Ireland to be taken seriously and trusted by any prospective sponsors it

must become a registered charity. In order for Raleigh International to operate successfully in Ireland it must

become a registered charity here and establish itself in the non-profits sector. The climates under which a charity

must work under in Ireland is significantly different to that of the U.K. Charities in Ireland receive very basic funding

and are not supported well by the government. While establishing a charity in the U.K. may be more structured and

straight forward the structures in place here are outdated and very restrictive, although there are many successful

charities here, so success is not impossible here.

Raleigh Ireland Group, An established division of Raleigh International

The Proposal

In order for Raleigh International to be successful here it should establish a working office in Ireland. As a Raleigh

Group established here two years ago we have developed an extensive knowledge of the Irish non-profit sector. We

feel confident that we could undertake the task of running a fully functional division of Raleigh International in

Ireland. We are not suggesting the creation of an independent Raleigh organisation, but more of an extended

developmental and support structure of Raleigh International in Ireland. Recognising financial difficulties in the

organisation and the restructuring of the organisation some time back we propose to be self funded and self staffed.

As a result of the restructuring of the organisation which seen the closure of your international division, your

“International” market has suffered. The promotion of Raleigh International outside the U.K. has declined and

support to International venturers is dramatically reduced. This further enforces the need for a Raleigh International,

Ireland office. Such and office will not affect your existing structures or finances in any way as we will be self run

and self funded. We can only serve to benefit the organisation as a whole and bring the Raleigh experience to more

young Irish volunteers. This is a very basic idea of our proposal, what we aim to achieve and how we plan to

function.

Aims

• 1.Promotion of Raleigh International Expeditions to

Irish volunteers

• 2.Provide pre-expedition support and programmes to

volunteers

• 3.Being an all Island organisation, connecting

communities across all borders and divisions

• 4.Identifying ways to implement existing Raleigh U.K.

programmes in Ireland (e.g. Motive8)

• 5.Provide post expedition programmes

1. As the ability for head office to promote Raleigh International

expeditions to Irish volunteers is limited, we would engage in

this through promotion in local and national media

(Newspapers, Radio and TV). We would engage in a country

wide tour to give talks too final year students in secondary

schools around the country. With the support of Student

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Unions in Colleges and Universities we would give

talks in and establish societies in Colleges and

Universities around the country. Increasingly

volunteer organisations have used career fairs to

promote their organisation. This is a way for us to

offer expeditions as an excellent developmental

experience for volunteers and staff.

2. While there are excellent structures in place in the

U.K. for pre-expedition volunteers, these are often

not open to Irish volunteers. We would look to

mirror these structures in Ireland. Agreeing

discounts for volunteers in adventure sports stores

across the country. Providing a guide to

fundraising in Ireland with examples of how our Irish

volunteers fundraised. Advice on how to approach

Irish companies and prospective sponsors for

sponsorship, as well as identifying possible sponsors to target. From the experiences of our volunteers

they found it very comforting for their support agencies in Ireland (The President’s/International Award) to

contact them while they were on expedition. We would hope to does this. Through direct radio link ups and

postcards during each stage of their expedition.

3. As Ireland is an island of many communities and borders, some of which have been and continue to be in

conflict with each other, Raleigh Ireland could help to bring these communities together under one goal. We

should be an all island organisation providing support for communities both sides of the Northern border.

4. Working true to its aim Raleigh International is helping to develop the potential of some the most

disadvantaged young people in the U.K. through the Motive8 programme. The factors that cause

disadvantage among young people in the U.K. is not unique to the U.K. and unfortunately there are several

young people in Ireland suffering under the same conditions, although they do not have the opportunity of

the Motive8 programme. There are many organisations and small community groups in Ireland that work

with disadvantaged youth, we would like to be able to design a programme along the model of Motive8 that

will bring these groups together and provide Raleigh expeditions to them.

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5. When our volunteers return from expedition we would like them to take the skills they learned while working

on environmental and community projects and apply them to their own communities. This can be done

through getting involved with other charitable organisations and community groups in Ireland. Although

typically these organisations are not easy to source. We would research and source out such organisations

and develop a network or organisations across the country that our venturers could get involved with. As a

Raleigh Group we would work as a collaborative organisation on community and environmental projects

across the country. Something that has been lacking in the Raleigh International organisation as a whole but

have in the past grown out of individual expeditions is, reunions and alumni networks. We would establish

an alumni network for Irish venturers to communicate across and organise events through as well as being a

source of volunteers for Raleigh Ireland as a whole.

Structure of Establishment and Operation

• 1.Board of Directors

• 2.Office based out of Dundalk Institute of Technology

• 3.Website as main point of information to the public

• 4.Marketing by non-profit marketing company

• 5.Trainning from Raleigh International and Charities training centre in Ireland

• 6.Sponsership and Patrons

• 7.Volunteers and Support

1. As required by legislation in order to register Raleigh International, Ireland as a charity it must be setup as a

company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital. This company must consist of a board of

directors. These would consist of members of Raleigh International senior management, local politicians and

business people. We have already secured the support of a local politician who is himself the Director of

Friends of The Earth, Ireland.

2. Pending your support for our proposal we will be approaching the Director of Dundalk Institute of

Technology for support by means of the provision of office space on institute grounds. Dundalk is an ideal

location for the charity as it is of equal distance between Dublin and Belfast. We have already had informal

discussions with the Institute about the proposal and they are keen to support us. This would remove

certain running costs such as rent, electricity and communications.

3. From the outset of Raleigh Ireland Group we have been solely internet based. This has proven to be very

successful for us as we have generated a lot of interest in Raleigh International through our website content.

Our current website is very basic, due to lack of expertise and funding. We have secured free website

hosting, free domain name registration and greatly discounted professional web design. We hope to make

our website a central access point for information and interactivity for our members.

4. As promoting Raleigh International will be the key to its success in Ireland it is imperative we design a robust

marketing campaign. We have been in discussions with the Public Communications Centre, a non profit

marketing group. They have run successful marketing campaigns for organisations such as Amnesty

International, Trócaire and European Youth Forum to name but a few. They will be able to develop a

marketing campaign to suit our needs and budget

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5. As we will be a division of Raleigh International all our staff must be trained to the highest standards and

undergo the same training as Raleigh International staff in Head Office. We have also sourced training from

a leading Charities training centre in Ireland (Carmichael Centre for Voluntary Groups) who provide

affordable specialized training in the running of non-profit groups.

6. Raleigh Ireland will be entirely self funded; with this in mind we must identify a means of funding. We will be

seeking support from foundations such as: Co-Operation Ireland, The One Foundation, Atlantic

Philanthropies, The Ireland Funds, National Lottery Fund, AIB Better Ireland Awards, Irish Youth Foundation,

People in Need Trust. Government Departments: Dept. of Education, Dept. of An Taoiseach and Dept. of

Community and Rural Affairs. With the advice from PCC we will also be targeting key corporate sponsors and

seek to find a patron.

7. There are now newly established support networks for Charities. We have been in discussions with several

of them and intended to gain support from many more. These groups include Activelink, Community

Workers Co-operative, The Wheel, Volunteering Ireland, The Washington-Ireland Program, The

Presidents/International Award and The Irish Youth Council. These have helped and will continue to help in

spreading information about Raleigh International. We will also largely rely on support from volunteers.

These will include ex-venturers, community volunteers, Second level and Third Level student interns. At

present we have 32 registered members on our Raleigh Ireland mailing list most of whom have expressed an

interest in assisting in the development of Raleigh Ireland. Having ex-venturers as the backbone of the

organisation is a key part to its structure. They will be available across the country to provide advice and

assistance to new venturers. We will host a brainstorming development and training weekend with these

volunteers to gauge their ideas on the development of Raleigh Ireland.

Raleigh International management of Raleigh Ireland

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Raleigh Ireland will be a division of Raleigh International and will be answerable to head office in London at all times.

Any decisions about the actions of Raleigh Ireland that would impact on the Raleigh International organisation as a

whole will always be approved by head office first. All literature, training and policies about Raleigh International,

Ireland will be approved and provided by head office. Raleigh International will of course always be in a position to

cease the operations of Raleigh International, Ireland.

Raleigh International’s Future in Ireland If the above proposal were to be supported, at least in part, the future of Raleigh International in Ireland would be

bright. It is an adventurous proposal but one which will only serve to benefit the future of Raleigh International. We

wish to enhance the opportunities of Irish youth with Raleigh International. You may have never foreseen the option

of an office for Raleigh International in Ireland, or even have seen the need for one. We hope we have illustrated to

you the need for an office here and we are putting ourselves in a position to provide one.

References

Irish Charities Act, 1961 http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZA17Y1961.html

Irish Charities Act, 1973 http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZA13Y1973.html

Dept. of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Charities Regulation

http://www.pobail.ie/en/CharitiesRegulation

Dept. of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Framework for Charities White Paper

http://www.pobail.ie/ccp-en.doc

The Revenues Commissioners - Applying For Relief From Tax on The Income And Property of Charities

http://www.revenue.ie/pdf/chy1.pdf

The Revenues Commissioners – Standardised Memorandum and articles Of Association For A Company Limited By Guarantee And Seeking Tax Exemption As A Charity Under The Provisions Of Section 207, Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997.

http://www.revenue.ie/pdf/stanmemo.pdf

The Revenues Commissioners - Explanatory leaflet on Value Added Tax in the case of Charities

http://www.revenue.ie/publications/leaflets/chy10.pdf

Activelink http://www.activelink.ie

Co-Operation Ireland http://www.co-operation-ireland.ie

Community Workers Co-operative http://www.cwc.ie

The Wheel http://www.wheel.ie

Volunteering Ireland http://www.volunteeringireland.com

Irish Youth Council http://www.iyc.ie

The Washington-Ireland Program http://www.wiprogram.org

The One Foundation http://www.onefoundation.ie

Atlantic Philanthropies http://www.atlanticphilanthropies.org

The Ireland Funds http://www.irlfunds.org

Carmichael Centre for Voluntary Groups http://www.carmichaelcentre.ie

Public Communications Centre http://www.pcc.ie

Gap Activity Projects (Gap) Ltd http://www.gap.org.uk

World Challenge Expeditions http://www.world-challenge.co.uk

i TO i http://www.i-to-i.com

The President’s/International Award http://www.gaisce.ie

Dundalk Institute of Technology http://www.dkit.ie

The National Lottery Fund http://www.lotto.ie/infocentre/national.asp

AIB Better Ireland Award http://www.aib.ie

Irish Youth Foundation http://www.iyf.ie

People in Need Trust http://www.telethon.ie

Department of Education and Science http://www.education.ie

Department of An Taoiseach http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie

Dept. of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs http://www.pobail.ie

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