BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

VOLUNTEER groups and associations were awarded with certificates of appreciation to close off the Volunteering Festival at the Indoor Stadium yesterday.

Acting Deputy Director of the Youth and Sports Department Md Aziman Hj Nasir was on hand to present certificates to the volunteers, who participated throughout the festival in the ‘showcases’ and the exhibits.

The three day festival was organised by the Youth and Sports Department under the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS), with the help of Battle Pro Marketing and Management Services in conjunction with the International Volunteering Day Celebration which is held every December 5.

Carrying the theme ‘Volunteers, Make a Change’, the festival was held as a means of showing the government’s appreciation towards the contribution of the volunteers in all their activities.

The three-day event also served to raise awareness amongst the general public regarding the contribution the volunteers have made, according to a statement by MCYS.

MCYS added that the festival also represents an initiative of the Youth and Sports Department towards giving support and special tribute to the participation of the community, specifically the youths, in conducting volunteer work and change in accordance to the country’s vision 2035, whether it be national, regional or international.

Another way for the government to reward the active outstanding youths who constantly do volunteer work and help out in government activities, mainly those of the MCYS, was to send them for International Youth Programmes, said an Assistant Training Officer at the department.

Fatimah Hj Metali told The Brunei Times that during the festival youths were allowed to acquire and fill in application forms for the international youths programme, which mainly consists of exchange programmes that are internationally organised by foreign agencies.

“The programmes are usually international exchange programmes that are organised either by Non-Governmental Organisations or the government of other countries who invite Bruneian youths. This is a method for us to rewards those active outstanding youths who have contributed a lot to the society,” she said.

As the application period is still open until the end of the year, Fatimah said that the total number of applicants was still unknown.

The youths, aged 15-30, would need to go through various interviews and application processes to be eligible for the programmes, in which around 200 forms have been given out throughout the festival.

The Brunei Times