RIYADH: The Ministry of Labor and Social Development (MLSD) plans to deploy 300,000 volunteers by 2020 in the non-profit sector.
The ministry announced its program through the National Transformation Program (NTP) 2020 to establish volunteer departments in 200 non-profit entities by institutionalizing voluntary work, which will generate 200 job opportunities for project managers.
The move affects charitable entities, foundations, neighborhood centers and cooperative offices.
The NTP is considered a step toward realizing Saudi Vision 2030 as it formulates the roadmap for the Saudi economy and growth.
The ministry recently unveiled initiatives, which is conducted in partnership with the Council of Economic Affairs and Development and another 18 government entities. A total of 755 initiatives focus on economic and social development issues among others. They are expected to take the Kingdom into the digital age, enhancing public-private partnership (PPP), creating job opportunities and expanding local content.
The ministry is planning to increase the number of volunteers from 24,500 in 2015 to 300,000 by 2020. They will be trained and supervised to spread awareness of philanthropic work, and expand the social and economic impact on society.
The ministry is working on unifying volunteering regulations and instructions. The ministry will also develop the “Haroon program” that combines professional volunteers and experts from specialized organizations to carry out projects with the aim of meeting the specific needs of volunteering.