Keep giving: Sow seeds of kindness in the community – volunteer

‘Those who think we don’t have a culture of volunteerism are not aware of the needs of the youth’

ISLAMABAD:

Khizer Mehmood was in grade 9 when he first attended a summer camp held at his school by Rabtt. “I wasn’t very good at studies but I got a chance to participate in various activities like drama and sports that I really enjoyed.”

Mehmood is now in his second year of ICS at Government College University. After attending workshops held in 2011 and 2012, last year Mehmood started volunteering as an arts instructor with Rabtt. “I felt a little silly returning as a student for the third time but I also wanted to give back everything that Rabtt had taught me.”

Each year, December 5 is observed as a day to encourage civic duty and volunteerism, traits considered to be among pillars of developed societies.



“Volunteerism is a source of community strength, resilience, solidarity and social cohesion. It can bring positive social change by fostering respect for diversity, equality and the participation of all. It is among society’s most vital assets,” UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in his statement marking this year’s International day for Volunteers.

To a question about perceptions among people regarding community service, Shehzad Khan, executive director of Chanan, an NGO which works to promote inter-faith harmony and civic education, says, “People who believe that there is not a strong culture of volunteerism in the country are not aware of the needs of the youth.”

He said the youth in Pakistan sought to participate and give back to the society. “But you have to provide them with apolitical and transparent opportunities which can allow them to balance their studies, personal and professional activities.”

Several universities and schools are now stressing the importance of volunteerism. They have student societies that hold charity drives and events to collect funds for various causes. Many schools, for example, raise funds for Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital. Many students stepped up to raise funds for relief activities after the floods in 2011 and the 2005 Kashmir earthquake.



Imran Sarwar and Aneeq Cheema, founding members of Rabtt, saw the need for an education-based programme after participating in the LUMS National Outreach programme. Hammad Anwar, communications director at Rabtt, said in 2011, several people had approached them asking how they could help flood victims. He said Rabtt had organised several relief activities utilising their contributions. Since then, the organisation has had a steady stream of volunteers. Between 250 and 300 students signed up to volunteer with them last year.

“You can’t bring meaningful change to anyone’s life, or influence them, without establishing necessary human connection and understanding one another. You can’t accomplish this by giving money or material connections. What you do need is meaningful engagement through conversation. Volunteerism offers that opportunity. Seize it,” Aneeq Cheema says.

Sabiha Shaheen, a founding member and Executive Director of Bargad, a volunteer-based student network that works to encourage dialogue and discussion speaks of a “gap” which she felt while studying at university. “There was suppression and we had no forum to come together and bring about concrete change. Volunteer work can fill this gap and bring about a shift in our society where it becomes an important aspect of our lives.”

Rabtt

The organisation aims to promote holistic learning. They hold workshops at public sector and low-fee private schools and work on building confidence, and public speaking and reading skills. They also organise theatre workshops.

Recruits are usually students pursuing their undergraduate degree and are above the age of 19 years. Rabtt’s volunteers work with students in grades 9 and 10 working towards their matriculation.

The organisation first holds workshops for the youth interested in volunteering for them and selects students for a one-year fellowship programme which starts in March and April and continues throughout the year. They also hold a summer camp.  They announce their programmes on social media and their website. They also hold awareness drives at several universities in the city.

Sign up as a volunteer on www.rabtt.org (http://www.rabtt.org) or ask for information through email at [e-mail] .

Worldwide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-P)

Worldwide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-P) offers two basic volunteer programmes for students in the summer. There is no bar with regard to age and the organisation accepts interns who are six years or older. The programmes are offered to raise environmental awareness among the youth.

The Eco-Internship offers students the opportunity to work at the fund’s office. The initiative provides interns with a platform to engage in group discussions, make documentaries and research on pertinent environmental issues. Scores of interns tend to relate their research topics to their fields of study.

The Green School Initiative is another programme that accepts volunteers. The programme seeks to publicise sustainable development at participating schools. Schools are certified as green schools after their teachers and students meet the standards set by the fund in this regard.

The fund also accepts volunteers to help organise scores of events held around the year under its auspices. These include the Nature Carnival, the Earth Hour and the National Art Competition. Applications to volunteer for the Earth Hour are open.

More information regarding the fund’s initiatives can be found at: www.wwfpak.org (http://www.wwfpak.org)

Students seeking to apply abroad also look for opportunities to volunteer as it is looked upon favourably by admissions committees.

“The reason why I and several other people actually do volunteer work is so that we have something good to write on our CVs,” Afreen Lasharie, an A-Levels student who volunteered with Paidal last summer, said.

Pakistan Association for Difficulties in Learning

Pakistan Association for Difficulties in Learning (Paidal) is an initiative of the Foundation for Rehabilitation and Education for Special Children (FRESH). Paidal strives to create remedial schools for children with learning disabilities to ensure that they have the benefit of consistent social interaction coupled with special attention.

Volunteers are recruited during the summer for programmes of various durations. They help raise public awareness and organise schoolchildren.

Signup at: https://www.facebook.com/padil.forum/timeline?ref=page_internal. For information please visit: www.freshfoundation.com.pk (http://www.freshfoundation.com.pk)

Chanan Development Association

Chanan Development Association (CDA) began as a theatre group in 2004. The association strives to promote learning through the arts. Their objectives have expanded over the years to include the promotion of civic education, democracy, human rights, health, peace and communal harmony.

The association organises scores of events around the year that are conceived and executed by volunteers with help from a CDA core team. Most of the volunteers tend to be undergraduate students.

The association’s National Youth Peace Festival has been gaining popularity over the years and scores of applications are received to volunteer at the festival. Other programmes that accept volunteers include seminars on raising HIV/AIDS awareness and training of active citizens.

These programmes provide volunteers with the opportunity to gain valuable insight with regard to event management and execution.

More information regarding the association’s initiatives can be found at: www.cdapak.org (http://www.cdapak.org)

Fatima Memorial Hospital

Fatima Memorial Hospital initiated its leadership programme in partnership with Nur Foundation in 1995 (The Nur Student Leadership Programme). They offer a two-week programme and a three-week internship during which they train volunteers in basic health training and give them the opportunity to participate in various outreach programmes. The idea is to work with students from low-income households, to engage with them and help them in their learning.

The internship programme starts in the summer. The application process begins in February. Usually, intermediate and A-Level students are preferred but exceptions can be made based on applicants’ interviews. Students can apply through their schools or online.

The internship ends in the summer but the Community Outreach Programme continues throughout the year. During Ramazan, the organisation looks towards volunteers to help distribute free iftari and sehri. The entire programme is managed and run by volunteers.

Volunteers for Nur Foundation also play an active role in organising relief efforts in emergency situations. This year, volunteers helped provide relief goods for IDPs and flood victims.

The online application form and information for the programme is available on the website: http://nurslp.weebly.com/

Their human resource desk can also be contacted at [e-mail].

Why volunteer

- Take a break from yourself. Volunteering helps develop a sense of community

- It helps foster empathy and self-efficacy

- Encourages public inclusion and participation in social, economic and political development,

- Promotes personal growth and self esteem

- A culture of community service allows for valuable resources to be spent on development projects

- Volunteers gain professional experience

Published in The Express Tribune, December 5^th, 2014.