About the 4th Africa Regional Volunteer Conference

This Africa Regional Volunteer Conference will be held from June 8-11, 2015 and will involve a variety of stakeholders, including representatives from national volunteering organizations from across the continent, representatives of international volunteering organizations operating in Africa and actual and potential donors. The Conference will challenge, inform, energize and promote young people involved in volunteer effort. Opportunities for delegates to participate in volunteer activities with a host of organizations is a feature of the event. With a particular focus on social entrepreneurship, digital tools for changes and volunteering as a pathway to employment, the Africa Regional Conference will provide a platform for the participants of the continent to exchange ideas, work together in a collaborative way, and ultimately redefine 21st century volunteering!

 With delegates from around the continent, an exciting line-up of keynote speakers and presenters, and a comprehensive program, the Conference will highlight both the importance and complexity of volunteering.

With the theme “The Role of Youth Volunteers in National Poverty Reduction and Development Strategies”, the Conference will not only focus on current models of volunteering but importantly the future of volunteering. In an age where communication technology promotes global community interaction, volunteer effort is at the forefront of bringing about positive change.

The main objective is to sensitize government officials and communities in general to increase their commitment towards addressing the needs of youth and building their capacity to participate in the country’s development efforts.

In this regard, the conference will address this issue with a view to identifying ways for the establishment and/or strengthening of legal frameworks to promote and foster national volunteering in Africa:

• As early as 1969, VSO Ghana and the Government introduced a National Service Scheme that provides young graduates from universities and colleges the opportunity to be a part of the economic development of the country.
• In 1973, the Nigerian government established the National Youth Service Scheme to foster unity among the various ethnic groups in the country and involve the youth in the nation building process.
•  In September 2007, the Government in collaboration with the UNDP and UNV launched the pilot phase of the “Liberia National Youth Volunteer Service Programme” (NYVS) in 2007 to involve youth in the reconstruction and development initiatives in the country.
• In recent years, ECOWAS together with UNV is working on setting-up a program called “Youth Ambassador for Peace Program”, a regional volunteer scheme to be implemented in five pilot countries.

 To fully benefit from this meeting, participants from the North, South, East and West Africa Region will be invited to share their experiences.