Government Urged to Promote Volunteerism, Support Civil Society Organizations

Civil society organizations (CSOs) and individuals who recently participated in the Ghana Philanthropy Conference 2024, are calling on the government to adopt a national strategy to encourage volunteerism and empower citizens to become active participants in society.

They are also urging the government to formalize volunteerism through the national educational system and ensuring that students are taught the importance of active citizenship.

“We call on the government of Ghana to have a deliberate national strategy and policy for inculcating the spirit of volunteerism in citizen….” and also “Formalize volunteerism through our national educational system, where learners are empowered to become active citizens in their societies.”

The  above were contained  in a Communiqué  issued  after the two- day conference  and  signed  by the Executive Director of  STAR- Ghana  Foundation  Alhaji Ibrahim- Tanko Amidu. 

The Commnunique stressed the need for the completion and implementation of the Not-for-Profit Organizations Bill, which would provide a legal framework to support CSOs’ operations in Ghana.

It further proposed the establishment of a National Volunteerism Week to celebrate and promote volunteerism across the country.

 These measures aim to foster a culture of community service and strengthen civil society in Ghana.

Read the  full  Communiqué Below…

COMMUNIQUÉ

GHANA PHILANTHROPY CONFERENCE 2024 (GPC 24)

30^th -31^st October, 2024-Accra Ghana

Theme: VOLUNTEERISM AS CIVIC ACTION 

We, the participants of the Ghana Philanthropy Conference 2024 (GPC 24), convened at Alisa Swiss Hotel from the 30^th & 31^st October 2024, gathered to deliberate on the theme “Volunteerism as Civic Action.”.  

The conference was convened by STAR-Ghana Foundation in collaboration with the University of Ghana’s Centre for Social Policy Studies, Ghana Philanthropy Forum, West Africa Civil Society Institute Penplusbytes, LeadAfrique, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and National Youth Authority. The participants at the conference included representatives from civil society organizations, government institutions, private sector and volunteers. 

We reviewed the current state of volunteerism in Ghana, discussed its contributions to inclusive development and shared experiences on good practices.  

We discussed that volunteerism plays a critical role in contributing to community development, social justice and nation building. We also see that volunteerism can be catalyst for mobilization of citizens, strengthening civic awareness and engagement and enabling actions at the lowest levels of governance on specific issues.    

We ACKNOWLEDGE that for volunteerism to thrive in Ghana, it needs collective efforts and push from individual citizens, institutions and the state  

As volunteers and volunteer support organizations, WE commit to: 

1. Promote Volunteerism through:  

• Communication, education and stakeholder engagements to project volunteerism as civic responsibility and a catalyst for nation building.   
• Leverage technology to facilitate volunteerism by utilizing platforms such as LinkedIn, gogivetime.org to connect volunteers with clearly defined roles and tasks. 
• Create opportunities and build the capacity of people who want to be volunteers, especially the youth.  
• Foster a culture of trust and accountability in philanthropic and volunteerism activities. 
• Influence enabling environment, through engagements on policies and programmes that incentivize individual and corporate volunteering  

2. Engage the Youth in Volunteerism. Toward this end, we will: 

• Advocate for the establishment of a National Policy on Volunteerism that recognizes and supports volunteer efforts, ensuring structured programs and incentives for youth involvement. 
• Enhance access to volunteer opportunities through Digital Platforms by leveraging existing virtual platforms for volunteers in Ghana. 
• Strengthen partnerships with private sector organizations by encouraging investment and support for volunteering initiatives. 
• Strengthen the capacities of youth volunteers through training sessions, mentorships, accompaniment and learning exchanges to equip them for the roles and tasks that they take on.  
• Institutionalize Knowledge Sharing and Learning. Toward this end, we will:  
• Promote collaborative research between industry, NGOs, and Academia by encouraging partnerships that drive shared learning and impactful outcomes. 
• Establish Endowed Research Chairs to support research in volunteerism to enhance visibility and advance knowledge in the field. 
• Commit towards providing sponsorship for graduate studies in volunteerism. 
• Commit to Social Justice through Volunteerism. Toward this end, we will:  
• Speak up against socio-economic and political ills that threaten the environment and militate against attaining a fair, just and prosperous society.     
•  We call on the government of Ghana to:  
• Have a deliberate national strategy and policy for inculcating the spirit of volunteerism in citizens.  
• Formalize volunteerism through our national educational system, where learners are empowered to become active citizens in their societies.  
• Complete and roll out of the Not-for-Profit Organizations Bill to provide legal framework and environment for the operations of CSOs in Ghana. 
• Institutionalize a national volunteerism week to celebrate and promote volunteerism nationwide. 
• Incentivize, through taxes and rewards for volunteer support organizations and volunteers in order to scale up.   
• In the Service of Ghana.  
• On behalf. 
• Signed:   
• Alhaji Ibrahim- Tanko Amidu 
• Executive Director, STAR-Ghana Foundation