GUYANA Red Cross Society (GRCS) is hosting a three-day volunteer development training workshop in the Campbell Room of Georgetown Club, on Camp Street.
With the primary aim of promoting capacity building within GRCS, itself, the programme is being facilitated by Ms. Jill St. John and Mr. Kester Deverteuil from the Office of the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) in Trinidad and Tobago.
Local Volunteer Coordinator, Ms. Ava Singh said the 25 registered participants are all part of the GRCS team, representing the various sections of volunteerism, including first aid, disaster preparedness, communication and administration.
Noting the necessity for such an undertaking, she said the goal is to build on their existing groundwork by targeting the department heads from various regions countrywide.
“We want to nourish the volunteering spirit, with the hope that whatever is imparted during the workshop will be passed on by the regional representatives when they return to their respective departments,” Singh explained.
She said the exercise is timely because International Volunteer Day will be observed in the next two months and the knowledge gained from this workshop would encourage a greater number of volunteers.
“We are creating a base for humanitarian volunteering in Guyana and it is the hope that this workshop will contribute to the success of that vision,” Singh stated.
In opening remarks at the forum, St. John outlined the range of expectations from the event,  pointing out that the project activities must adhere to the IFRC’s seven fundamental principles, which spawn humanity, impartiality, independence, unity, voluntary service , neutrality and universality.
The actions must be administered and imparted in accordance with accepted best practices, she urged.
St. John disclosed that the donor agency, the European Union (EU) also expects that the execution will promote better preparedness of volunteers, who will, in turn, contribute to safer communities, made possible through sustainable projects that allow for continued service.
Deverteuil added that the agenda will focus, as well, on volunteer management and the use of  resources in a more efficient way.
“Volunteering is an invaluable resource requiring a lot of man hours and we realise that many organisations will not be able to survive without  their service,” he asserted.
The workshop will conclude tomorrow, having continued from 09:00 h to 17:00 h daily at the same venue.