Mission Statement
To create a renewed spirit of volunteerism in St. Lucia by recruiting, training, certifying volunteers, while encouraging and organizing challenging volunteer opportunities through strengthened coalitions with the Private Sector and Civil Society.
Vision Statement
National Volunteer Program will seek to add value to national events and community life in Saint Lucia through an elite pool of skilled, trained and experienced volunteers, whose attitudes, skills and knowledge will be tapped to support these experiences.
Our Values
Partnership
We will work in partnership with Government Agencies, the Private Sector and the community to achieve agreed goals.
Consultation
We will undertake genuine consultation on key issues as part of our decision making processes to improve the quality, accountability and transparency of decisions taken.
Service
We will promote a culture of volunteerism in which our services respond to our country’s needs and aspirations.
WHAT IS THE NATIONAL VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION AND WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?
For many Saint Lucians eighteen years and over, this programme offers a unique opportunity to showcase their spirit of community service within a formal, organized framework. Building upon the strong culture of volunteering in Saint Lucia, as exemplified in the tradition of koudmen, Volunteer Saint Lucia develops strong working relationships with the existing volunteer efforts, community sectors and organizations to add value through training, experience, and development of a multi-level structure of volunteers and volunteer leaders. Volunteer Saint Lucia is based upon the principles of equal opportunity and non-discrimination while celebrating the talents and strengths of our citizens. By capturing the enthusiasm for volunteering triggered by the hosting of international, regional and national sporting championships, festivals and gatherings, Volunteer Saint Lucia will promote a culture in which more people can give more time to volunteering in exchange for acquiring new skills and new experiences.
1. WHY SHOULD PEOPLE VOLUNTEER?
People should volunteer for reasons such as but not limited to the following:
I. Rewarding
Volunteering gives you an opportunity to make a difference to people’s lives in your community. You can use your skills and experience to help and enrich the local community.
II. Improve job prospects & employability
Volunteering can enhance your future employment prospects and enable employers to see that you have developed the necessary skills you may need in their organisation. It is especially useful when completing application forms and during job interviews to illustrate the skills you have developed through these voluntary experiences.
III. Experience
Volunteering gives you a chance to get experience in a field you would like to work in.
IV. Training
Many of the volunteer projects will include training, which will be useful both on the project and in later life.
V. Experience diversity
Volunteering gives you the chance to meet people both from within and outside your community who you would not normally come across.
VI. Influence career choice
Volunteering gives you the opportunity to test out potential career choices.
VII. Opportunity for training and development
Volunteering provides you with development opportunities that are not always possible with paid employment, for example; communication and people skills, organisational and time management skills, planning and budgeting skills. It can help open up fresh opportunities and is a way to explore new career paths.
VIII. Builds links with organisations
Volunteering can help you build links with particular organisations like Schools, FE Colleges and specific community organisations.
IX. Have fun!
Volunteering is fun and fulfilling, allowing you to experience many diverse opportunities not always available to you elsewhere.