A presentation for the National Organisation of Peer Educators biennial conference in Kenya.

1. National Volunteering
and its contribution to
development
Charles Maloba, Ben Ngutu and Eve Lwembe
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2. • What do we mean by National?
• We are using National as distinct from International
so include any volunteering that takes place within
country by nationals whether at a national or local
community level.
• History has proven that in most of our communities,
the root of many developmental initiatives that
have been successful is the spirit of volunteerism.
From the ‘harambee’ movement, to women’s
groups and self-help groups, volunteerism has been
the basis
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3. Why is it time to encourage voluntary
activity in a more formalised /structured way?
• In East Africa, a wealth of expertise & human
resource remains under used because the
structures enabling people to contribute to
national development to their full capacity are
not in place
• For instance, we have a number of young
educated, skilled people sitting at home idle
because “there are no jobs” yet they could still
give their time & service and gain experience in
the process!!
• In addition, there are many skilled retirees &
retrenchees who are wasting their golden years
yet they still have a role to play…
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4. Volunteering…
• Volunteerism can mobilise citizens in pursuit of
specific development goals. It often leads the
way in identifying & responding to public needs,
e.g as happened with the HIV&AIDS pandemic
• Volunteerism can also play key role in
promoting good governance as it enables
people to engage in their community,
encouraging participation at all levels.
• Instead of seeing people as part of the problem
VOLUNTEERING sees them as a part of the
answer!
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5. Why is Jitolee supporting national
volunteering?
VSO is committed to work together with local
organisations for the development of their own
communities through volunteering because :
• The mobilisation and strengthening of local
capacity enables people to actively contribute to
fighting global poverty and disadvantage
• This will strengthen the ability of people to
participate in their communities and influence
decisions that affect their lives
A Member Agency Of Voluntary Service Overseas

6. Volunteering
A clarification of what we include as volunteering,
namely, community & national, full and part-time
activity that is structured and/or formalised and :
• is undertaken for the benefit of the wider
community beyond the volunteer's immediate family
or friends.
• is undertaken by choice and free will
• the volunteer’s motivation will not be for financial
gain only
• and that rather than any specific model of
volunteering Jitolee will focus support where
sustained commitment is demonstrated.
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7. 4 main focuses in NV
support work:
1. Set up or improve the effectiveness of volunteer
programmes that place volunteers with other
organizations.
2. Help organizations develop systems to more
effectively manage and maximize the potential of
volunteering to contribute to the objectives they
are trying to achieve, particularly as a way of
engaging and enabling people to contribute to
the development of their own communities.
3. Help create an enabling environment for
volunteering
4. Strengthening the leadership of volunteering
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8. Set up or improve the effectiveness of
volunteer programmes that place volunteers
with other organizations
• In Kenya: NAVNET was formed by RVs and
developing a capacity to match those that want to
volunteer with requests for volunteers. Support in
training in volunteer management and fundraising.
Participation in the Commonwealth Fellowship
programme in the UK. Seed funding to cover
secretariat and operating costs for 3-5 years and to
provide technical support and mentoring to help
NAVNET to become an established and self
sustaining.
A Member Agency Of Voluntary Service Overseas

9. 2. Support to help organizations develop systems to
more effectively manage and maximize the potential
of volunteering to contribute to the objectives they are
trying to achieve
• In Vietnam:VSO Vietnam ran a two day
course for partners to enable them to learn
from each other how they were involving
local volunteers and to discuss best practice
to improve their management and
harnessing of local volunteer effort.
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10. 3. Creating an enabling
environment
• In South Africa
• VSO SA is working with partners to
create an enabling environment and
provide support for policy formation.
Promote networking & resource
sharing initiatives between NV
programmes and organizations
throughout the country.
A Member Agency Of Voluntary Service Overseas

11. Supporting and strengthening
the leadership of volunteering
• . In the Philippines
• VSO Bahaginan has been providing support
for the development of VOICE, a network of
Filipino development-focused volunteer
programmes (national, regional and
community based). The VOICE network has
grown to over 100 members and is
establishing itself as an effective and
credible voice for volunteering in the
Philippines.
A Member Agency Of Voluntary Service Overseas

12. Study Tours
• VSO has organized short study tours to Ghana, the
Philippines, Canada, India and the UK for voluntary
sector professionals and practitioners. The focus
has been on the learning and sharing of volunteer
management expertise.
• Global Xchange:Many of the WY/GX partners are
leaders in youth volunteering. Since 2004 six
volunteer managers from GX/WY partners from
India, Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana and Cameroon
have been VSO sponsored Commonwealth Fellows
and a further four have joined NV study tours.
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13. What kind of support do we
offer in Kenya
• Recognising and celebrating philanthropy
and volunteerism
• Expertise in designing volunteer
management programmes & systems
• Volunteer manuals and models of good
practice
• Learning forums including workshops,
discovery evenings, stakeholders’
conference
• Public awareness and media campaigns on
value and benefits of volunteering
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14. • Networking and linking opportunities
• Research and publications
• A range of capacity building
programmes including Volunteer
Management Trainings
• Study tours and exchanges
• Support to Corporate employee
volunteering programmes to develop
sustainable CSR activities
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15. Thought…
• The Ark of Noah was built by
volunteers….(it saved lives)
• The Titanic was built by paid
professionals…(it sunk)
• Which one would you have rather been
on..?
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