Volunteers at CHI Al Shaqab 2022
Doha: Qatar Foundation (QF) helps to instill and foster core values in community beyond upcoming FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
In line with this, QF has endeavored to embed a culture of volunteerism within its community – and beyond – by offering unique engagement opportunities for people to connect with others.
“Volunteering has a significant positive impact on society – it’s an essential act of citizenship and a significant force in combating social exclusion while helping deliver public services,” said Tamara Al Oueini, Community Engagement & Volunteer Program Lead at Al Shaqab, a member of QF.
Al Oueini used to oversee Friends of Al Shaqab, a volunteer program that has been running for almost 11 years, which does outreach work that aims to encourage school students to volunteer.
“We motivate students to volunteer by defining its purpose,” Al Oueini said. “We speak about the impact it has, and how volunteers can make a difference in the world. We also explore how volunteering is mutually beneficial to both the volunteers themselves, who can develop a wide range of transferable leadership and problem-solving skills, and to the organization or individual they are giving up their time to help.”
To further encourage a culture of volunteerism, students within QF’s Pre-University Education (PUE) schools are required to complete a certain number of service hours as part of the curriculum.
“It’s an undeniable bonus to have some form of service on one’s university applications, but students in our schools have incredibly demanding schedules and often don’t prioritize volunteering, which is where the Creativity, Activity & Service (CAS) program comes in,” explained Charmaine Viljoen, CAS Coordinator at Qatar Academy Sidra (QAS) school – which falls under the umbrella of PUE.
“At QAS high school, CAS is a core subject of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and regardless of their pathway to graduation, the CAS program is mandatory for all students to graduate.”
The CAS program requires students to undertake experiences that are of personal interest and under the lens of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Though the demand and rigor of the CAS program can be challenging, Viljoen has noted that students come away from their volunteering experience fundamentally changed for the better.
“Last year, several of our students volunteered their evenings to provide activities for the Afghan refugee children that were housed in Qatar during the fall of 2021,” she said.
“Listening to students reflect on this experience was heartwarming as they were considerably moved by the refugees’ plight. Our students had been watching the situation on TV which had not given them a full understanding of the issue, but engaging with the refugee children firsthand made them understand the broader implications of the conflict and led to empathy changed worldviews,”
“Having spoken to many high school graduates over the past few years, when asked about memorable moments that have had an impact on them, more often than not they mention some form of service activity they’ve participated in.”
For 13-year-old Khalid Al Shaibei, a Qatar Academy Doha (QAD) student and Golden Award winner of the Education Excellence Day Award for 2021, volunteering is a way for him to give back to the community and put a smile on someone’s face – and inspire a positive outlook. He served as an assistant football coach with QF’s Ability Friendly Program, which allows people with specific needs and disabilities to participate in specialized sports activities.
“I love volunteering because it brings me joy to see happiness in other people. Seeing a young child smile fills me with joy like nothing else because I find my happiness in service to others,” Al Shaibei said.
“I am grateful for this opportunity to volunteer provided by QF. I believe that QF believes in volunteering, and they have promoted volunteering opportunities to everyone for this reason. We should take advantage of these opportunities, to help ourselves and help others, too.”
