(So whoever volunteers for good, it is good for him), with this noble verse, the home page of the National Platform for Voluntary Work was decorated, and it came in detail about fasting, its virtues and etiquette, and explained its honors. Volunteering, as we know, is not only with money, but with effort, sacrifice, forgiveness, benevolence, or even desisting from harm, and because we are a society with great, solid and endless human values, the demand for the platform increases in Ramadan, and to God be the glory, and it is undoubtedly the largest Saudi incubator for volunteer work, through which countless databases are available. Endless for lovers of goodness, whether you are free or busy, the platform provides unlimited options to suit your time and ability, and I may start with a sample of the numbers that stopped me for the Qassim region, for example, and it was presented through SPA accounts and the quality of life reflected the keenness of the region’s emirate and volunteer teams, under whose umbrella it belongs Approximately 55 volunteer teams whose work varies between relief, voluntary, health, social and others, and the number of hours for the teams during the year 2022 exceeded (325,718) volunteer hours, and the number of volunteers exceeded (15,948) volunteers with an economic return of (2374037) riyals, and His Highness the Emir of the region directed – May God protect him – by facilitating procedures for the teams, overcoming obstacles, and focusing on the characteristics and needs of the region. Al-Qassim also witnessed the participation of teams from outside it and the implementation of twenty initiatives during the last period.
It is clear from the experience of Al-Qassim and others that the diversity of volunteer opportunities provided by the platform was not only reflected in the increase of charitable meanings, but even in the diversity of the economy, as the economic value of the volunteer hour increased, reaching 64.16 Saudi riyals per person and achieving an economic return of 923,373,528 Saudi riyals at the level of the Kingdom, and I was hoping To find more details for the rest of the regions to document them, and perhaps this article will be a positive incentive to publish the reports of each region separately and periodically, and I also suggest that the Ministry of Education urge schools and universities, their members and employees, to register on the platform, but rather work hard to change the concepts related to volunteer work and community partnership to become More practical and close to the needy and beneficiaries.
When we talk about national transformation programmes, we are talking about strategic indicators and goals, most notably enhancing corporate social responsibility and supporting the growth of the non-profit sector as well as encouraging volunteer work and developing e-government. Therefore, the Ministry of Human Resources was not satisfied with the national platform for volunteering, but launched another parallel platform under the name « The National Platform for Social Responsibility”, and the difference in turn is that there are programs for classifying companies and an index for measuring contributions from the private sector, and it was launched on the first of Ramadan and on the International Day for Social Responsibility March 23.
The importance of positive interaction with government social platforms is no longer an option, but rather a national and pioneering skill and duty in line with Vision 2030 and responsible practical action by all parties to activate it. Also, your idea or contribution can find its place in the “Volunteer Opportunities Bank” to be the pioneer in charitable work in your field. Think a little about how many volunteer hours you would like to provide during the year? What entities do you find it possible to serve? Volunteer your expertise, why not? Let's consider what stands between us and achieving the goal of one million male and female volunteers annually? Really nothing! It is will, determination and conscious responsible citizenship.
Areej Al-Juhani