Sierra Leone marked International Volunteers’ Day with a vibrant celebration themed “Volunteering as a Pathway to Youth Employability.” Organized by the Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security in collaboration with various volunteer-involving organizations, the event showcased the transformative power of volunteerism in addressing youth unemployment and fostering skills development.
This year’s celebration, held for the first time in Sierra Leone, featured impactful speeches from Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security Mohamed Rahman Swaray, representatives from the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, the Sierra Leone Labour Congress, Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), and the Volunteer Involving Organizations’ Network (VIONet). They emphasized the vital role of volunteerism in transforming lives and building skills.
In his keynote address, Minister Swaray described volunteerism as “a unique avenue for youth empowerment.” He stated, “Volunteerism offers young people the chance to acquire essential skills, build networks, and transition into the workforce. By engaging in volunteer activities, our youth can develop critical soft skills such as teamwork, communication, and leadership, which employers highly value.”
The event underscored the government’s commitment to promoting volunteerism through the recently validated National Volunteerism Policy. This policy aims to integrate volunteerism into Sierra Leone’s national development agenda, providing clear guidelines and fostering meaningful volunteer experiences.
A dialogue session brought together young volunteers, employers, and policymakers to discuss how to leverage volunteerism to enhance youth employability. Key topics included developing soft skills, creating pathways from volunteering to paid employment, and fostering stronger partnerships between the government, private sector, and volunteer organizations.
Participants explored strategies to address youth unemployment, aligning with the government’s Big Five Agenda, which focuses on initiatives for youth employment.
