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in all national consultations to date.
One of the working groups also indicated that a renewed interest in volunteerism was necessary
to keep cultural values alive. The Amazigh culture, in particular, places a strong emphasis on
community action. Volunteerism contributes to the general well-being of society and is perceived
as a general duty which should be established at an early age.
In short, there are many factors (internal and external) which motivate individuals to engage
in volunteering. While many of these factors lie at the heart of a person, it is apparent that
motivation is also influenced by external factors, such as cultural norms, school requirements,
labour market placement, time management and legislative frameworks. These external factors
provide opportunities for action in order to increase youth volunteerism in Morocco.
During the course of the first day’s discussions, the issues which were identified in the working
groups were grouped into three main categories: Social/Cultural Issues, Infrastructure Issues and
Economic Issues. These three main categories were relevant to all levels of the three working
groups.
Participants were encouraged to further discuss the identified opportunities for action, aimed at
eliminating the barriers to volunteering for youth which had been identified in earlier sessions of
the workshop. By using a “tree” model, participants were able to visualize these opportunities and
develop basic conceptual elements of projects. Each group developed one tree for each crosscutting
issue and presented its ideas in plenary at the end of the workshop. An example of the
“tree” model can be found in Annex II.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACTION
The smaller working groups were invited to identify challenges and discuss opportunities to
address various levels of action. Each level poses specific challenges and needs specific
activities and actions in order to address them. The division into smaller working groups, each
with a specific focus, allowed for the development of comprehensive individual projects which will
foster a strong culture of youth volunteering at all levels:
Establishing an Enabling Environment: Policy and institutional mechanisms on youth and
volunteering
This working group discussed the institutional and policy environment for youth volunteering.
The group focused on the broader system within which individuals and organizations operate,
identifying policies, legislation, power relations and social norms which facilitate or hinder their
work and existence.
Organizational effectiveness: Capacity development to strengthen youth action for development
and youth platforms for the exchange of knowledge and experiences, utilizing
modern and traditional forms of engagement
The purpose of this working group was to discuss building the capacities of organizations and
civic movements. This included internal policies, arrangements, procedures and frameworks that
allow organizations effectively operate. This capacity development needs to be developed in a
way that empowers Moroccan youth.
Individual engagement and empowerment: Creating targeted youth volunteer programmes.
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL INTERVENTIONS
Participants were keen to highlight that a culture of volunteerism needs to start at an early
age. Particularly in Morocco, it was felt that there is a certain level of “nostalgia” for cultural
norms which have been diluted in recent years. Participants therefore indicated a need to
reinvigorate those norms which embrace volunteering as a core value of society. At the same
time, volunteerism is challenged by misperceptions that it does not instill responsibility or add any
value to career growth, skill development and education. Therefore, participants proposed the
following objectives to break down the cultural and social barriers in Morocco:
Establishing a culture of volunteerism. Integrating creative, interactive initiatives in schools
would include volunteer engagement. Furthermore, by increasing awareness about volunteerism,
such as by celebrating national/international volunteer days and promoting voluntary efforts
through channels such as Twitter and Facebook, the public and in particular youth, will be further
encouraged to engage in voluntary activity.
Increasing knowledge about volunteerism in Morocco. The integration of volunteerism into
the curricula of academic institutions and promoting these as centers of excellence for knowledge
generation, sharing and research will, according to participants, increase the knowledge of
volunteerism and the importance of its role in the country. Additionally, Moroccan youth will be
able to continue their commitment to volunteer efforts within established systems, rather than
undertaking what they may perceive to be an additional burden. Reinforcing the role of higher
education institutions in volunteerism will allow universities and secondary schools to play a
key role by transferring students’ skills and capacities through civic engagement to developing
projects and initiatives at local and national level.
Engaging higher education institutions. Higher education institutions have an important role
to play in the promotion of volunteerism amongst students. In addition, the research capacities
of these institutions can greatly contribute to increasing the knowledge of the current socioeconomic
and political situation in the country, as well as providing a space for youth to access
information and opportunities to volunteer.
UNV Findings Report
The third working group focused on developing opportunities for action which address the issues
and challenges identified throughout the course of the workshop. This included the development
and promotion of individual skills, experience and knowledge as well as building the capacities of
young people in order to empower them to act.
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