Meath volunteer in final TV shakeup

Navan man Johnny Finnegan has made it to the final four in 'Do The Right Thing’, the RTE series in search of the ultimate volunteer. Mr Finnegan, from Ardmulchan, is one a group of men and women trying to prove they have what it takes to make the grade in the tough, unforgiving world of international volunteering. The final episode of the show airs tomorrow (Thursday) on RTE 2 at 9.55pm, when he will among the four volunteer finalists to take part in the last challenge - sleeping rough for 24 hours and documenting his experiences though a video diary. Being homeless is more than being without a roof over your head, it’s about a lack of security, lack of belonging, lack of privacy and lack of safety and the completed video diaries will then be included on the Simon Community’s webpage. The guy and girl who wins this task will be declared the 'ultimate volunteers’ and will win the dream prize - a year’s volunteering across three continents, all expenses paid. Johnny Finnegan is an energy engineer who played football with Seneschalstown and rugby with Navan before moving to Dublin. He has a masters in environmental engineering from Queens University, Belfast, and is currently working as an environmental engineer with responsibility for waste, energy and the agricultural sector. Throughout the series, his skills as a volunteer have been tested in projects at home and abroad, including in Belarus, Albania and Africa, in which Johnny impressed his fellow contestants with his positive attitude, leadership skills and generosity of spirit. From over 1,000 applicants, 50 were shortlisted for an assessment weekend at Barretstown Camp in County Kildare, and there, following a series of tests and monitoring, 16 (eight men, eight women) were chosen to go forward in the show. Over the weeks they were trained and tested in all areas of volunteering, such as initiative, leadership, emotional strength, supportiveness and, following each test, had the opportunity to decide among themselves which man and which woman leaves the group until, by the end there are two winners.