The past week around the world was colored by humanity, as International Volunteer Day is celebrated on December 5. It is a day dedicated to all those who make this society better through their selfless commitment and work.
The importance of the role of volunteers in the community is best demonstrated by the results from the field and the positive experiences of all participants in these activities. It is precisely in this spirit of solidarity and empathy, which is the driver of many positive changes, that the Institute for Youth Development KULT organized a corporate volunteering week for the fourth year in a row, during which 19 employees converted their working hours into volunteer hours. We donated our time to those in need, about 70 working hours, which would represent almost two working weeks.
Corporate volunteering is a practice in which employees are encouraged to engage in volunteer activities in the community or for socially useful goals, with the intention of creating positive changes in society, motivating employees, and contributing to greater social responsibility.
Our employees had the opportunity to socialize with users and employees of various organizations and institutions, making their volunteering a true opportunity to learn and connect with others. The engagement included field visits, preparing and distributing meals at the Pomozi.ba Association, participating in supporting the mobile team, as well as participating in occupational therapy and creative workshops at the Sentivo Home, the Gerontology Center, the “Give Us a Chance” Association, and the SUMERO Alliance. Each of these activities was an opportunity for our employees to be part of a broader goal, to contribute with their presence, attention, and help to improving the lives of those who need help the most.
Our employees understood and described their volunteer hours as a privilege to spend a working day for the purpose of connecting, socializing and enjoying together with the users of the institutions and organizations where they spent their day. The days of corporate volunteering left a strong impression on all participants, because they realized that volunteer work is not only giving, but also receiving in the form of experiences, a sense of fulfillment and the belief that they have done something valuable and useful for their community.
“Our corporate volunteering was filled with various activities and sincere socializing with members of the third age at Sentivo Home, who won us over with their smiles, stories and cheerfulness. We organized creative workshops, helped prepare breakfast, sang, played bingo and talked over coffee. Each of these activities allowed us to get to know their daily challenges and joys better.”
This year, the Institute expanded its contribution to corporate volunteering by developing a special web platform www.volontiraj.ba as part of the project “Improving Corporate Responsibility for Human Rights in BiH” and systemic support for corporate volunteering. The platform connects interested parties, i.e. facilitates access and the path for companies that want to get involved, as well as associations, institutions and civil society organizations that need volunteer support. The project is funded by the European Union and implemented by the Institute for Youth Development KULT in partnership with the Trade and Service Workers’ Union and the Association “Give Us a Chance”.
Charles Dickens says that no one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of another , and we experienced this through volunteering even in small things, because we saw again that small signs of attention can contribute a lot to the quality of life of users, and corporate volunteering provided us with a valuable lesson about togetherness and understanding. The smiles and joy shown are a strong reminder of the importance of support and solidarity in the community.
You can find the photo album at THIS link.
Source: mladi.org
