UNV and UNDP Round Table:
’Development of National Legislation on Volunteerism and Civic Engagement’

18 November 2011

 

The Hon. Dr. Glen Ramadharsingh with Edo Stork (UNDP DRR) and Jens-Ulrich Poppen (UNV). Source: Vantage Point Photography

The United Nations Volunteers Programme (UNV) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) held a Round Table ’Development of National Legislation on Volunteerism and Civic Engagement’ on Tuesday, the 15 November 2010 from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel at Invaders Bay, Port of Spain.

 

Speakers and presenters included Edo Stork, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Judy Boopsingh, President of the Red Cross Society of Trinidad and Tobago, Allison Haynes-Wilson, Deputy Director of SERVOL and Candice Clarke-Salloum, Head Public Affairs at BG Trinidad and Tobago. The Key Note address at the event was given by The Hon. Dr. Glen Ramadharsingh, Minister for Social Development and the People.

 

 In his address, Minister Ramadharsingh stressed the importance of volunteer work for the transformation of the national development landscape and praised T&T’s nonprofit sector for its tireless efforts to improve the living conditions of people in communities through civic engagement. The workshop gave the more than fifty participants from government, non-profit organisations, Private Sector, academia and religious organisations the opportunity to discuss the goals and objectives of future volunteerism legislation and policies, exchange different organizational perspectives and expectations and determine the next steps in the process of stakeholder consultations.

Presenters at the workshop. Source: Vantage Point Photography

Dr. Jens-Ulrich Poppen, UNV Programme Officer at UNDP and organizer of the workshop pointed out that over the past decade, more than 70 laws and policies on volunteerism and forms of civic engagement have been adopted around the world and that this year’s Tenth Anniversary of the International Year of the Volunteer (IYV+10) would provide an excellent opportunity for Trinidad and Tobago to review and examine the contribution that volunteerism has made to the social and economic development of the country.

 

He stressed the importance of fostering individual commitment to the public common good and reminded the national community that the social work of countless voluntary helpers, guardians, aids and selfless leaders in communities around the country has made a tremendous difference in the lives of citizens. “IYV+10’s motto ‘Volunteerism Matters’ could have been developed in Trinidad and Tobago” Poppen added in reference to the important role of volunteers in many sectors of this society “and the government through legislation and other operational frameworks should set the strategic direction for volunteers and volunteer-involving organsations (VIOs) and tap into this reservoir of goodwill and civic mindedness to achieve its development vision.”  

 

 

Activities of the workshop and the UNV Field Unit (far right), organisers of the event. Photo: Vantage Point Photography.

 

 

To view Mr. Edo Stork's welcome remarks, please click the below thumbnail:

Mr. Edo Stork's welcome remarks