In one’s
life time a person is sure to be a volunteer for a good cause at some juncture.
Today in Sri Lanka volunteerism appears to be thriving and promotes goodness
and improves the quality of human life. Volunteering is also renowned for skill
development and socialization in a person. Volunteerism can happen in any shape
or form. Perhaps even though one might not think of it, one of the most famous
volunteerism efforts according to program officer of the United Nations
Volunteers program Natal Donnnaloia is the website Wikipedia.
“The many
volunteers who upload information shows how much volunteerism is connected to
our lives,” he said speaking at the launch of the National Volunteering
Secretariat (NVS). The NVS is set to be a one stop facility for volunteerism in
Sri Lanka, and will facilitate networking between all volunteer bodies with the
aim of contributing to Sri Lanka’s growth and development.
Volunteering
can have many benefits according to Donnnaloia. “It can develop leadership
skills in a volunteer, give better job prospects as well as give a sense of
ownership,” he said adding that these advantages were found in a survey done
among 13,000 youth. However, volunteerism as its own set of challenges such as
misperceptions about volunteerism. “One such misperception is it can only occur
when it’s organized,” he said. Dispelling the idea that volunteerism can only
be done through an organized agency he said acts of volunteerism can be
undertaken by small groups of youth as well as lone individuals.
“Thousands
of people in Sri Lanka volunteer to uplift society such as after the tsunami,
not because they are organized but because they have the urge to help,” he
added. “There is also a misconception that one has to be wealthy to volunteer,
but this is not true as people can volunteer through small gestures and acts of
kindness,” he said. “One can even volunteer by forwarding a simple SMS and
distributing a community service message,” said Donnnaloia. Volunteerism can
set the pace of development and its nature according to him.
Country Director of the United Nations Development Program, Razina Bilgrami is of the opinion that volunteers should be provided with necessary support required. “We need to recognize the contributions made by volunteers for peace and development of a country,” she adds.
Country Director of the United Nations Development Program, Razina Bilgrami is of the opinion that volunteers should be provided with necessary support required. “We need to recognize the contributions made by volunteers for peace and development of a country,” she adds.
 |
Country Director of the United Nations Development Program, Razina Bilgrami
Pic by Rukshan Abeywansha (The Nation)
|
While Sri
Lanka has a long history according to Senior Lecturer of Sociology to the
University of Colombo Dr. MTM Mahees Sri Lanka has a similarly long history in
volunteerism from its earlier human settlement stages. “It develops social
responsibility,” he says. However he noted there is a lack of professional
volunteerism in Sri Lanka and that there is a need of it to increase.
With busy
lives, it can be hard to find time to volunteer. However, the benefits of volunteering
are enormous to our selves, to the family, and to the community. Helping others
kindles happiness, as many studies have demonstrated. When researchers at the
London School of Economics examined the relationship between volunteering and
measures of happiness in a large group of American adults, they found the more
people volunteered, the happier they were, according to a study in Social
Science and Medicine. One can volunteer with the UNV by contacting them by
visiting their website www.unvlk.org/volunteerism and make a huge impact on the
society we live in.
No comments:
Post a Comment