The sustainability of volunteer work should not be linked to certain times or circumstances but should directly be supervised by government authorities.

Volunteering may be one of the most valuable experiences of one’s life. The initiatives taking place in various fields emphasize the level of awareness and real citizenship found in young Saudis.

Yasser bin Sulaiman, undersecretary at the Umm Al-Qura University, said: “There is a misunderstanding about the concept of volunteer work, as many individuals think that it is associated with their free time, while it is a moral duty owed to the country.”

Sulaiman said that the sustainability of volunteer work should not be linked to certain times or circumstances but should directly be supervised by government authorities otherwise, there will be no more steps than civil community initiatives.

Shoura Council member Abdulrahman Haigan said: “Volunteer work is the third organization in the world following the government and private sectors, as it falls within the framework of nonprofit organizations, whether based on individuals or institutions.”

He said that the main problem of volunteer work in the Kingdom lies in citizen’s full dependence on the state, while volunteers in advanced countries contribute with 50-60 percent of works.

Haigan called for creating an awareness program for members of the community, and providing judicial power governing the relations of individuals and associations, and then their relation with the state.

Abdullatif Al-Shehri, Takatof volunteer team leader, said: “Volunteering in the Kingdom is characterized by erraticism and disorganization due to the absence of controls and regulations, causing irregularities and disastrous results occasionally.”

Al-Shehri warned that some organizations might exploit young people on behalf of volunteering for personal interests, as it happens in some events, conferences and seminars.

He recommended granting an honorary medal or providing training courses to volunteers who provide a certain number of hours of community service, which would be the greatest incentive to them to continue giving.

Abdul Rauf Al-Nasher, founder of the Road Knights Volunteer Group, said: “The 600-member group is specialized in providing services to road goers in the various cities of the Kingdom,” demanding the official bodies to grant the group official permission to perform their services.

Al-Nasher said that the group was forced to suspend its activities two months ago in anticipation of the issuance of permit to resume their volunteer services, praising the efforts of the Ministry of Social Affairs and its positive role in the completion of license applications.

He confirmed that road services are urgently needed especially in locations where government services are not available, noting that the group also provides its services to the elderly and the disabled.

He added that the group is dependent on its members’ efforts and does not receive any financial support from any authority.

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