Beirut, 09 March 2023 – A new national platform was launched in Lebanon today to provide young people with volunteering opportunities in their communities and empower them with equal opportunities to increase their skills and contribute to social impact. With the generous funding from the Kingdom of the Netherlands through the Prospects funding, the platform will give youth equal and inclusive opportunity access in their communities, while improving their skills and potentials.
Named ‘Nahno-Volunteers’ (We are Volunteers), the platform aims to bring together both volunteerism and youth engagement while also encouraging real volunteer opportunities in multiple sectors through building partnerships with civil society-based organizations (CBO’s), NGO’s and the private sector across Lebanon. Young people will be able to choose from these volunteer opportunities according to their interest and skills. These opportunities will be provided by various partners and organizations, including private companies, non-governmental organizations, and institutions.
“Volunteer work is one of the most vital mechanisms in achieving social, environmental, economic, sports transformation and institutional work,” said Edouard Beigbeder UNICEF Representative in Lebanon. “Today, young people in Lebanon, especially the most vulnerable, have limited access to opportunities to learn skills, engage in their community and improve their chances of becoming gainfully employed. This platform is an important step to ensure they can bring out positive change within while also equipping them with skills that will improve their chances to access the labor market. It is critical to provide young people with positive opportunities in such critical times”.
Minister of Social Affairs, Dr. Hector Hajjar, said: “The culture of volunteering and free giving exists with us as Lebanese, of all ages, even before the establishment of Lebanon, and it is our duty to facilitate the volunteering process, especially for young people. Therefore, “Nahno” platform is not the aim, but rather the mean”. “This safe platform, will allow the volunteers, wherever they are in Lebanon, to register and choose from the several available opportunities, and give them the opportunity to live the experience of “free giving” that may change the course of their lives and give them a new prospect and a feeling of great joy.” He added.
The platform will target mainly youth between the ages of 15 and 24 years, including UNICEF-supported youth groups, with a focus on the most vulnerable and marginalized groups. It will provide equitable access to meaningful engagement opportunities for young people to learn new skills, develop their competencies, as well as to support their transition to adulthood and employment.
“Nahno-Volunteers” is an important milestone under the umbrella of the National Youth Policy Action plan that was launched under the patronage of the Prime Minister in September 2022. UNICEF will manage the operationalization of the platform, in partnership with the Ministry of Social Affairs, to develop an empowering bridge from skills training through volunteering to employment opportunities. Both youth and organizations having volunteering opportunities can sign up on www.nahno-volunteers.com
About UNICEF
Working in Lebanon for over 70 years, UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone
For more information about UNICEF Lebanon and our work for children, visit www.unicef.org/lebanon/ or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube