Drawing on original research in 15 communities across the globe, the 2018 State of the World’s Volunteerism Report (SWVR) presents new evidence on the role of volunteerism in strengthening community resilience. Based on the report's emerging findings, the project is organizing Policy Challenges to bring in different groups of people to make policy suggestions, some of which may be incorporated into the final report.
POLICY CHALLENGE WITH GRADUATE STUDENTS IN CHINA
Last 10 November, graduate students based in Beijing, China took part in a Policy Challenge to address the promotion of volunteerism for resilience. The students were invited to join a ‘role play’ wherein they have to act as politicians, UN officials, and civil society leaders. They were then asked to come up with feasible policy recommendations that will further support and nurture volunteerism whilst considering their current political, social and economic situation. The students highlighted that the focus of government action should be on how to build on the work of volunteers in devising state-wide programmes and structures ultimately required for long-term resilience.
INTERESTED IN HOSTING A POLICY CHALLENGE?
Hosting a SWVR 2018 Policy Challenges is an opportunity to review findings from the SWVR field research and present solutions that could be taken up by UN Member States (national and/or local government level), civil society, and UN agencies and programmes as part of resilience-building efforts. We are looking for diverse groups to discuss the emerging findings from the field research and to tell us how they would respond. We would particularly like to encourage inputs from all groups that are under-represented in decision-making processes relating to risk reduction and resilience. For more information, visit www.unv.org/swvr/swvr-policy-challenge