About volennteer Associate for Stimulating Know How Sri Lanka

1. ASK
VOLUNTEERISM
AND THE
Efforts for Sustainable Development

2. WHO ARE WE?
The VASK Volunteers programme is the VASK entity that
contributes to peace and development through volunteerism
worldwide.
VASK mobilizes action-oriented volunteers to make an impact in
the peace and development programmes of the Community
development agenda of VASK , and is a countrywide advocate for
the recognition of volunteerism.

3. As an interdisciplinary, professional Society, VASK supports networking among academic,
industrial, government, and consulting professionals involved in a variety of disciplines –
Sustainable Development , Eco friendly business, Peace building, Disaster Management /
DRR ,Education , Job Creation etc. through common interests related to the IHDP. Each year,
ASK hosts local and National meetings in collaboration with NGO and INGOs , provides
training, and offers career services.
Founded in 2001, ASK is organized into technical divisions and technical groups that
encompass a range of established as well as emerging science and technology areas. There
are also regional National chapters and affiliates, and student chapters that promote
communication and networking for professionals and students within a geographical
region. ASK is comprised of approximately 4,500 members islandwide.

4. Are you excited to volunteer in Sri Lanka? Volunteers like you
contributed 187,000 hours of service this past fiscal year –
representing an invaluable contribution to our city in efforts as
diverse as planting trees or painting faces at special events. Find
opportunities in every corner of the city that are as diverse as your
interests, skills, and abilities. Our volunteers include individuals
and school, community, business, and international groups.

5. ASK is committed to diversity and inclusiveness in our membership, as well as
in all activities, events, and programs, and services. Scientific and engineering
innovation requires bringing together both diverse ideas and people from
varied backgrounds who may have different world views and ways of solving
problems. ASK seeks to include and engage members of all groups in our
professional society and seeks to remove obstacles to their professional growth
and advancement. Through our actions at the national, and local levels, we
strive to promote inclusion in academic, industrial and government
institutions for both current and future members of our organization.

6. Goal 1: Advancing Knowledge and Communication
Provide a frontier learning and communication environment for members through the
flagship symposium and exhibition, prestigious journals, short courses, and a support
infrastructure for technical meetings relevant to the society.
Goal 2: Outstanding Benefits to Members
Foster a culture of support, networks, and resources for career advancement. The
Society stimulates an active, engaged, and diverse membership involved in both local
chapter and international activities.

7. Goal 3: An International Society
Promote and welcome international participation. The society provides
leadership and cooperation with other likeminded international
societies and organizations.
Goal 4: Support Industry, Innovation, and Competitiveness
Engage with industry and academia to ensure continuing relevance and
stimulation of innovation and competitiveness.

8.  3 pillars: environmental – social – economic
= sustainable
 Universal = concern all planet
 Holistic = work across pillars
 Transformative = human rights-based, governance,
local dimension, inclusive (‘leave no one behind’)
 New global partnership = new actors, including the
private sector and volunteer groups
 Focus on people and participation

9. AND WHAT ABOUT THE
VOLUNTEERS… ?

10. As we seek to build capacities and to help the new
agenda to take root, volunteerism can be another powerful and cross-cutting
means of implementation. Volunteerism can help to expand and mobilize
constituencies, and to engage people in national planning and
implementation for sustainable development goals. And volunteer groups
can help to localize the new agenda by providing new spaces of interaction
between governments and people for concrete and scalable actions.
2014: THE UN SECRETARY-GENERAL SYNTHESIS REPORT ON THE GLOBAL
CONVERSATION PROMINENTLY FEATURES VOLUNTEERISM

11. Strengthen people’s ownership of the
development agenda through enhanced civic
engagement and enabling environments for
citizen action.
Integrate volunteerism into national and
global post-2015 agenda implementation
strategies.
Measure volunteerism to contribute to a
holistic understanding of the engagement of
people and their well-being, as well as to be
part of the monitoring of the Sustainable
Development Goals.