Over the past seven years the numbers attending Dublin Pride have grown from 5,000 to 36,000, and the number of volunteers needed has grown expotentially. Isn’t it time you got involved?

When Dublin Pride started out over 30 years ago it was organised by small group of activists who overcame difficulties that younger generations would thankfully never have to face. As time passed, the challenges faced by those marching in and organising Pride changed. As the laws changed and the numbers grew, Dublin Pride, as an organisation, adapted.

In the last seven years, the numbers of people participating in Pride have grown, from 5,000 to over 36,000. This number is only set to rise in the coming years, but Pride and the events that comprise it can only grow if members of our community get active and involved, like the original activists did back in the 1980s.

Dublin Pride 2014 needs over 300 volunteers – people like you who care about your community and who want to make Pride Day bigger, brighter and more fabulous than ever. You can find a full list of the volunteer roles on our website (www.dublinpride.ie) under the tab ‘Help Us’ then ‘Positions Available’.

Due to the substantial growth of Pride over the years, we are now bound by regulations. In 2006, Dublin Pride became a formal company limited by guarantee. This means it has a board of volunteers answerable to company members. These board members are registered at the Companies Registration Office (CRO) and are legally responsible for finances, to produce and publish audited accounts, and ensure the company’s aims are met. Unlike a normal limited company, Dublin Pride does not have shareholders; instead it has members, who at an AGM scrutinise the accounts and ensure a responsible board with diverse skills, who understand their legal responsibilities, is elected. The company is not-for-profit and must ensure its aim of highlighting LGBT issues through events, parades and the media.

Since 2007, Dublin Pride has been legally required to hire professional contractors to address health and safety. By 2011 the number of people requesting entry into the post-parade showcase had risen to over 15,000. By 2012, it had become an unacceptable risk to use the old site at the Civic Offices, and the only city site available that could handle the growing numbers was Merrion Square.

In 2014 the total number of volunteers/contractors is expected to be 523, most of whom are just engaged for the day and for training beforehand. Event Controller (Tony Killeen), health and safety consultants/officers/structural engineers (MSA), security (P&B Security), and site crew (Magnum Events) are the same used by St Patrick’s Day Festival. These contractors/sub-contractors must meet minimum legal requirements and are subject to approval by the Gardaí and Dublin City Council.

But fundamentally it is the volunteers who make Pride happen. If you want to be part of something bigger than yourself, if you want to do something for your community, then join us – become a volunteer.

Visit www.dublinpride.ie/positions-available now, or why not go along to Dublin Pride’s Volunteer Day this Saturday, Feburary 15 in Outhouse at 2pm.