ASTANA – The Kazakhstan volunteering concept was presented at a Dec. 5 first national forum in the capital devoted to International Volunteer Day.
Photo credit: tengrinews.kz
The event was held under the Youth Corps Development Project implemented by the Kazakh Ministry of Education and Science and the World Bank, reported tengrinews.kz. The forum was part of the Ruhani Janghyru (Modernisation of Kazakhstan’s Identity) programme.
“The development of the youth corps is a big project, under which volunteering is developing in Kazakhstan and young people are actively involved in the life of the local community. This project is unique, because for the first time the strategy has been designed to involve young people in volunteering in Kazakhstan. This was a proposal by the non-governmental sector – those people who volunteer on a daily basis. The main priority areas of the strategy are motivation and stimulation of volunteers, information support and recognition of the volunteers’ contribution to the development of Kazakhstan, as well as the continuous education of volunteers,” said project manager Gulmira Yeskendirova.
Young volunteers from different regions of the country exchanged their experience and shared ideas for promoting and developing volunteering. Members of Parliament’s Mazhilis (lower house) and Senate, representatives of state agencies and business structures, heads of international organisations and leaders of public associations, as well as more than 100 ambassador-volunteers from throughout Kazakhstan took part in the forum.
According to United Nations Volunteers programme coordinator for Central Asia Dmitry Frischin, developing volunteering in each country is a guarantor of the nation’s competitiveness.
“Today’s event is an indicator of the development of the Volunteering Law in Kazakhstan, adopted last year in the form of a strategy. Why do young people get involved in volunteering? On the one hand, this is patriotism; on the other hand, this is about the increase of skills and professional knowledge,” said Frischin.
Representatives of some social projects held a photo exhibition and installations as part of the event. Kazakh volunteers attended plenary and panel sessions devoted to volunteer activities and master classes on communication skills.
