"Sharjah for volunteer work" Reviews methods for evaluating volunteerism in crises

Sharjah, December 9 / WAM / The Sharjah Award for Volunteer Work participated in the fourth volunteer forum, which was recently organized by the Department of Social Services in Sharjah, under the slogan “Volunteer Work in Crises and Disasters”, in conjunction with International Volunteer Day.

Fatima Musa Al Balushi, Executive Director of the Award, presented the scientific paper in which the Award participated, entitled “Appreciating Volunteer Efforts in Crises and Disasters,” during which she reviewed the importance of appreciating volunteer efforts and their pivotal role in enhancing the sustainability of volunteer work and increasing society’s response to disasters and crises.

The “Award” reviewed 6 methods for appreciating volunteers, such as appreciation and honor, moral support for volunteers in the field of disasters and crises, providing training programs to hone volunteers’ skills, involving volunteers in decision-making, creating supportive programs and benefits for volunteers, and documenting and keeping volunteer efforts in official records.

The paper also highlighted the role that the award plays in supporting volunteers by classifying the field of “volunteering in disasters and crises” as one of the main areas of honor, in addition to its efforts in supporting and honoring volunteer initiatives that contribute to managing crises and mitigating their effects.

She explained that the award honored, from 2020 to 2023, 486 individual volunteers, 14 volunteer teams, and 8 institutions, in addition to 2 exceptional Corona volunteers during the pandemic, which reflects the award’s commitment to appreciating volunteer efforts in this vital field.

The paper proposed several recommendations to enhance the culture of volunteering in disasters and crises, such as building a database of specialized volunteers, creating specialized electronic platforms that link specialized volunteers with needy entities, and enhancing community awareness about the importance of volunteering in confronting crises, in addition to enhancing community awareness about the importance of volunteering in confronting crises. In addition to strengthening rehabilitation and training programs, in addition to honoring in official forums.

As part of its participation in the Volunteer Forum, the Sharjah Award for Volunteer Work, in cooperation with the Sharjah Center for Volunteer Work, announced the launch of a volunteer initiative entitled “12 Challenges.” This initiative aims to consolidate the values ​​of giving and enhance the culture of volunteering by presenting a series of innovative monthly challenges.

The initiative seeks to encourage individuals and institutions to engage in sustainable volunteer activities, as the initiative focuses on supporting community efforts to achieve sustainable development and create a positive impact in various sectors, reflecting the spirit of cooperation and solidarity to serve all segments of society.

Fatima Musa Al Balushi, Executive Director of the Sharjah Award for Voluntary Work, said that the award’s participation in this forum comes within the framework of our vision to support volunteer work and consolidate its role in dealing with crises and disasters, especially in critical times.

This participation comes within the award’s efforts to enhance the status of volunteer work in facing urgent challenges, and to highlight the impact of volunteer initiatives in providing humanitarian support.

She expressed her thanks and appreciation for the efforts of the Department of Social Services, represented by the Sharjah Center for Voluntary Work, in managing and organizing volunteer efforts at the emirate level, noting that such forums adopted by the Department are in the interest of volunteer work and its future outlook.

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