‘Abu-Ghazaleh Knowledge Forum’ Organizes Virtual Session on ‘Volunteerism and Youth Community Participation’

AMMAN - Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Knowledge Forum (TAG-KF), a member of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Global (TAG.Global), organized a virtual session entitled ‘Volunteerism and Youth Community Participation,’ through live streaming on the Forum’s Facebook page. 

The session was held with the participation of a host of speakers representing different national youth institutions to discuss the impact of volunteerism  and youth community participation on their life, in addition to the main challenges that could face them, highlighting some of the best volunteering programs offered by their institutions. 

TAG-KF Executive Director of TAG.Global and Education and Youth Consultant, Fadi Daoud, who moderated the session, welcomed the attendees, pointing out that the digital virtual session is part of a series of digital meetings and talks held in the time of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Daoud stated that such digital discussions is the best way to easily reach audiences and followers and to guarantee the involvement of as many as possible of concerned people; saying that it’s an opportunity that must be maximized to disseminate knowledge to all  society segments.

Meanwhile, Ms. Bisan Abdel Qader, Adolescent and Youth Development Specialist at the United Nations Children's Fund  (UNICEF), pointed out that all UNICEF activities have been shifted to Online programs to cope with the digital transformation imposed by COVID-19, noting that the number of volunteers has increased during the pandemic as a result of the increase of youth free time. 

Ms. Abdel Qader also affirmed that the biggest challenge facing the youth is their inability to access the Internet, while others do not have electronic devices, especially girls. 

For his part, the Executive Director of Injaz for Education, Mr. Muhannad AL –Jarrah, said that, since its inception, Injaz relies on volunteerism  and expertise transfer concepts in implementing its programs in schools, universities, community colleges and youth centers, pointing out that Injaz offers programs in the fields of Financial Education, Business Management and Entrepreneurship, Community Leadership, Life Skills and Professional Guidance.

He affirmed that Injaz has successfully made a radical change in the concept of corporate ‘volunteerism’ in Jordan by introducing it into different sectors, noting that it’s more powerful and sustainable than individual volunteering.

Mr. Omran Al Hmoud, Director of Nahno Volunteer Platform, stressed that the Platform aims at promoting concepts of voluntarism and youth participation in society. 

He noted that Nahno, launched in partnership between ‘Naua’; one of the Crown Prince Foundation initiative and UNICEF in cooperation with the Ministry of Youth, provides various volunteer opportunities from different civil society institutions, public and private sectors, in addition to youth initiatives. 

Al Hmoud added that the national Platform includes more than 14000 volunteers, adding that more than 300 institutions, initiatives and associations have benefitted from the Platform to announce their volunteer opportunities, which reached more than 100000 volunteer opportunities last year. 

Meanwhile, activist in disability rights and entrepreneurship, Ms. Hala Mahfouz, who herself suffers from a disability and has previously launched her own project through Injaz to integrate people with disabilities into society, affirmed that her project had. faced many challenges and obstacles, namely, the objection of many schools and institutes, the lack of women lectures addressing people with disabilities, in addition to stereotyping  related to persons with disabilities imposed by the society. Other challenge was the refusal of hiring her in all the jobs she applied for, claiming that the place was inappropriate, which were the main reasons that motivated her to start her own project.