Leaders urged to demonstrate volunteerism by example
The country’s leadership has been urged to demonstrate volunteerism by example.
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At the launch of Global Volunteers Corps (GVC), an NGO, in Accra yesterday, panellists said that volunteerism was a major tool for human resource and national development that should be deliberately inculcated into the youth for better outcomes.
The President of GVC, Stephen Kweku Darku, therefore, entreated leaders to get actively involved in volunteering works to encourage the youth to take after them, adding “let us be agents of change and ensure our actions have ripple effect of touching the lives of individuals and communities.”
“As we launch GVC, we do not simply unveil an organisation; we unveil a platform that amplifies the voices of volunteers, nurtures their potential and empowers them to be agents of change.”
“We believe that every action, no matter how small, can have a ripple effect of influencing positive change in ways we may not even imagine,” he added.
Other members of the panel were the Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority (NYA), Pius Enam Hadzide; the acting Commission Secretary of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Lucille Hewlett Annan, and the Dean of Business School of the University of Ghana, Prof. Justice Bawole.
The event was on the theme: “Revitalising volunteerism and active citizenship: The role of stakeholders.”
Relevance
The Country Director of GVC, Grace Yaa Ackah, said volunteerism was a force that had the power to transform lives, uplift communities and inspire hope to others, especially the youth.
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She added that it transcended borders, cultures, backgrounds and also united people for the common purpose of serving others.
“When we volunteer, we become agents of change, and our actions ripple outwards, touching the lives of individuals and communities far beyond our immediate reach,” Ms Ackah said.
Advice
In a speech read on his behalf, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, advised the youth to be ready and willing to spend part of their time and energy in volunteerism as a social responsibility to the country, while learning new skills for personal development.
He said the reward of volunteerism was priceless, and encouraged the youth not to expect immediate gains from any responsibility entrusted them because the return of their sacrifices, selflessness and service would help boost their self-esteem and also open doors for networking and job opportunities.
“It seems to me that many of the youth now put a ruler and marker to every responsibility they are entrusted with, expecting that trappings would fall from the assignments given them; they want the trappings immediately, and with red eyes,” the minister added.
The CEO of NYA, Mr Hadzide, said part of the functions of the authority was the promotion of volunteerism, and that they had started a national youth volunteer programme to leverage the skill sets of young people to bring development to their communities.
“The best way for young people to come around the decision table is to go through the vehicle of volunteerism.
We must have the spirit of volunteerism to take on challenges, to solve problems and become better off,” he added.
Mrs Annan of the NCCE also advised the youth not to consider volunteerism as an avenue to make money, but as a platform for skills acquisition.
Nation-building
For his part, Prof. Bawole said inculcating the spirit of volunteerism in the youth would help them understand the roles they would play in nation-building.
He, therefore, encouraged young people to participate in volunteer activities to help broaden their skills, adding that “the spirit to give is a core value of volunteerism”.
Writer’s email: doreen.andoh@graphic.com.gh