NATIONAL VOLUNTEER SERVICE
The National Volunteer Service (NVS) in Papua New Guinea
"People Growing Together"
HOW NVS
OPERATES IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA
The National Volunteer Service is a government agency
attached with the Department of Community Development, Youth and Religion.
Hence, it reports directly to the Minister responsible for this Department. It
has only one office and it is located in Port Moresby. It is classified under
the Department of Personnel Management as a Social Service Sector because of
its mandated tasks in providing different skilled volunteers to communities in
PNG. Its yearly budget is solely financed through the monthly budget allocation
from the government through the Department of Finance.
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NVS Offices posing for a photo shoot with the Secretary.
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RECURRENT
VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS
The core function of the National Volunteer Service is
recruitment, training and placement of volunteers in PNG as mandated by its
Act. The volunteers are engaged for a period of two years, after which a new
recruitment starts again. The number of volunteers recruited by NVS had varied
over the years because of the limited budget allocation from the
government.
Currently the number of volunteers recruited stands at 30, that is 30 volunteers to 30 host communities in a ratio of 1:1.
But we would like that number to increase because we receive more than thirty request from host communities that need a volunteer.
JOINT
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS
In order to accommodate requests for additional volunteers
to a host organization or community, NVS enters into a Joint Partnership
Program. This is when the host organization request for more than one volunteer
and provide financing at an agreed amount by both parties (NVS and host
Organization). NVS provides the volunteers with specific skills and knowledge
at the request of the partner.
Joint Partnership Program is normally the initiative of an
NGO, a government agency or institution, another volunteer organization or
private sector organization and development partners. The program is driven by
a planned set of objectives and strategies designed to achieve a community
development goal consistent with needs of the joint partner or program
recipient. This program is an initiative of a sponsor/donor for community
development project and implemented by the National Volunteer Service. Most, if
not all programs under this category are community development oriented, donor
funded or part of resource project agreement.
WHO ARE THE VOLUNTEERS
NVS recruits trained and qualified individuals, with the
knowledge and skills to implement and accomplish the tasks as requested by the
host organization. These volunteers can be recent graduates who want to provide
a service to the community, experience workers who want to do something
different for themselves and share their knowledge and skills by helping others
who deserve it the most. Volunteers can be also retired or retrenched public
servants or workers who feel that they still have it in them to contribute
meaningfully to the development of Papua New Guinea.
SECTORS VOLUNTEERS WORK IN
NVS
volunteers work in the following sectors but not restricted to others that may
be specifically requested by the Host Organization/ Community:
- Health and HIV/AID
- Education
- Agriculture
- Tourism
- Forestry
- Business
- Fisheries and others
BRIDGING THE GAP IN DEVELOPMENT IN PNG THROUGH VOLUNTEERS
WHAT IS NATIONAL VOLUNTEER SERVICE?
Vision:
The
NVS vision is to be part of a
nation-building driving force instrumental in community empowerment and
community development aimed at reducing
inequality, dependency and alleviating poverty.
Mission: The National
Volunteer Service of Papua New Guinea is on a mission of Promoting and
supporting citizen participation in sustainable
people centred development.
Goals: The broad goals of the National Volunteer Service is to promote
development by fostering:
A) Self-Reliance
B) Sustainability
C) Respect
D) Personal Viability
E) Participatory Development
F) Equality
G) PNG Culture and Traditions
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Primary age students who need a teacher: Tuyes Primary School, Angoram District, East Sepik Province.
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OBJECTIVES
1. To Promote
and support the process of Communities developing themselves.
2. To Promote,
support and give significance to the volunteers participation and contribution
in community development.
3. To provide
a venue for the growth and transfer of Papua New Guinea skills to volunteers to
carry out effective community development programs.
4. Develop,
maintain and sustain NVS capacity to meet the demand of communities for development
services vital to their day to day survival.
HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL VOLUNTEER SERVICE (NVS)
The establishment of the National Volunteer Service
Office was made through a private member’s bill in parliament. It was through
the late Honourable Bernard Narakobi, former Member for Wewak, who was also a
philosopher, lawyer and diplomat.
“The National Volunteer Service will have a
number of functions related to the task of nation-building. It will seek those
people who wish to contribute to the development of our country to join it as
volunteers, it is a voluntary service. Volunteers who have skills and wish to
use those skills to develop our nation, starting from village level, will be
able to join the service for periods of up to 2 years at a time.”
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NVS officers attending one of their many workshops.
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Part of late Mr. Bernard Narakobi’s statement to
parliament in 1990.
He created the idea of using
trained, qualified and experienced people to provide the much needed expert
services to people living in remote PNG. He wanted an avenue through which
caring and kind hearted Papua New Guineans and foreigners alike could volunteer
their expertise for others who are not so well off. Similar organizations have
been developed and established in developed countries and are being used to
serve their own and other people.
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Aiding locals at Sigiwagi
road, Pari village, Kundiawa-Gembogl
District |
NVS–VITAL LINK TO DEVELOPMENT
The vision by the then members of parliament in
supporting and passing this Bill is to ensure that vital services and
development initiatives by the government reaches all citizens of Papua New Guinea
wherever they may be.
It was also around that time when the normal service
delivery system of government was slow and stagnant with many of its
development policies failing to convert into tangible development designed to
alleviate poverty and socio-economic improvement.
This situations prompted the government of the day to
create a mechanism that will enable Papua New Guineans help other Papua New
Guineans, and out of this vision, the National Volunteer Service was
established.
It is more than evident that the service delivery system of the government is still yet to be effective. If you travel the length and breath of this country, you will see that vital services like health and education still lacks or is non-existent at all.
There has to be an effective delivery system of the government to provide these services and the National Volunteer Service can be that vital link to sole that problem.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLESAE CONTACT US
National
Volunteer Service
Po
Box 2684, BOROKO,
Sambra Haus, Kumul Avenue, Waigani
National Capital District
(Opposite Telikom Rumana)
Phone:
301 0297 Email: enquiries@nvs.gov.pg
