Youth Volunteers Programme

In Seychelles there is a minimum participation of youth in volunteer programs, events and activities and to that effect CEPS wants to launch the youth volunteer program to encourage and motivate young people to embrace volunteerism as a fundamental value and a way of giving back to the community.

According to the United Nations definition, “Volunteerism” is a fundamental source of community strength and resilience that exists in all societies throughout the world. The UN General Assembly defines volunteerism as a form of social behavior undertaken of free will, for the general public good (which benefits the community and society at large as well as the volunteer), and where monetary reward is not the principal motivating factor.

Core values of volunteerism are recognized as compassion, cooperation and solidarity. – Volunteerism is expressed through a wide range of social engagement activities, including traditional forms of mutual aid and self-help, philanthropy or formal service delivery, campaigning and advocacy, as well as other forms of civic participation.

CSOs encompass a very broad range of types and serve an array of constituencies. However, one common feature is that their roots lie in volunteerism. People join non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to volunteer a wide range of services in every field covered by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). People also volunteer to serve in the governance structures of the organizations themselves. Volunteerism is also present, in a less visible way, through membership in innumerable grass-roots associations found in every part of the globe

It is important to recognize that opening up space for participation through volunteering and civic engagement creates opportunities for engagement of all kinds in the pursuit of widely-held local, national and global development goals. The notion of people’s participation for the common good, which can be enabled through volunteering and civic engagement, expresses solidarity, fosters social change to development and social cohesion and promotes people centered and participatory development in line with universal principles of equality, including gender equality, nondiscrimination and peace.

Aim

To Promote and strengthen youth volunteerism as part of civic participation in national development.

Objectives

1. Contribute to human resources development and build national and local capacities to achieve sustainable development
2. Encourage and cultivate the culture of volunteerism amongst the youth
3. Enhance the level of volunteering in the civil sector

Becoming a VOLUNTEER

What should be the threshold to become a volunteer, in terms of eligibility and minimum requirements to be able to serve as a volunteer?

• Nationality
• Age
• Personal Background and criminal check
• Qualification, Skills and knowledge

Areas of intervention:

• Social, Cultural, Environment, Sports, Youth development, HIV & Aids awareness , Rights and governance, Education, Socio-economics, Citizenry empowerment, Etc….

Duration:

• 12 months

Volunteer Hosting organisations

• CSO member of CEPS
• CBO’s
• SNYC

Volunteer-hosting organizations enter into a contract mediated by volunteer-sending organization (CEPS)

Benefits

• Gain an insight and awareness of voluntary work in various fields
• Increase your cross-cultural understanding
• Significantly improve your communication skills
• Enhance your teamwork skills
• Evolve your self-reliance skills
• Improve your innate adaptability
• Acquire skill in management of NGOs
• Gain knowledge and experience in outreach programmes
• Volunteer certificate
• volunteering recognized as part of academic credit in public and private universities
• Volunteering recognized as a work experience in job market

Volunteer assignment management, performance assurance, monitoring and evaluation

The volunteer sending organizations (CEPS) will organize field monitoring visits and request volunteers to submit a standardized volunteering report on a regular basis such as monthly, quarterly, annually and towards the end of volunteering service. Based on the information collected via field monitoring visits and volunteering reports, CEPS will conduct evaluation and identify best practices and lessons learnt for future development and publish various public information materials such as newsletter and annual report which are publicly made available