AVP Ireland Community Gathering March 2026
Coming together for our biannual community gatherings is always a special occasion, as it brings our community from across the country into one space for a day full of connection and reflection.
This time was no different! It was an energising day, offering a valuable opportunity to catch up, reconnect with one another, and to strengthen the relationships that sustain our work. Throughout the morning, we explored what community means to us, our experiences with and without community, and how we have contributed to building community.
A wide range of experiences and images of community emerged, including ideas of an ecosystem with strong, connected roots and growing branches, a space where people’s individuality and authenticity are valued and sustained, a continuous process of turning towards each other, and being fully present with each other.
In the afternoon, the facilitation method of Open Space Technology guided our conversations on how to continue nurturing and sustainably growing our AVP community. These included sustaining the core values of AVP while adapting to changing contexts, supporting and growing our volunteer network, navigating the changing and challenging realities of working in prison settings, strengthening our external communication, and encouraging learning through exchange among facilitators.
These conversations generated important insights and ideas, which will continue to inform our work in the months ahead.
If you want to get involved, we would love to hear from you!
Email us at [email protected] and join one of our upcoming information sessions to learn more about our work.
