STAR-Ghana Foundation’s Volunteerism Support Project (VSP) is a pilot initiative designed to explore and test innovative models of leveraging volunteerism to address critical social challenges within communities.

The VSP is part of STAR-Ghana’s strategy to promote and strengthen active citizenship in Ghana (See detailed strategy at www.star-ghana.org). The main components of the strategy are:

• Promoting volunteerism as a tool for inclusive development and civic engagement
• Promoting local philanthropy to sustain civic organisations
• Strengthening civic awareness and engagement
• Strengthening social movements.

The overarching goal of the Volunteerism Support Project is to promote a culture of volunteerism in communities, enabling them to mobilize their own resources—whether financial or in-kind—to spearhead their development efforts. By promoting self-reliance and fostering community-led solutions. The project aims to ensure the long-term sustainability of initiatives and institutions.

The twelve-month project, running from June 2024 to May 2025, involves collaboration with 18 civil society organizations of different sizes and capacities and working across 91 communities in 30 districts across 10 regions. The 18 CSO partners have mobilised and are working with a total of 446 volunteers, comprising 218 women and 228 men, who serve as pivotal agents of change within their communities. STAR-Ghana is providing grants and technical assistance to the selected CSOs to develop and implement volunteering initiatives aimed at addressing salient local issues.

Emerging Project Results of Key Thematic Areas

Through its innovative approach, the Volunteerism Project aims to create a ripple effect, inspiring more communities to adopt volunteerism as a tool for development. By working at the intersection of community resources, local expertise, and targeted interventions, the project not only addresses immediate social challenges but also contributes to STAR-Ghana Foundation’s active citizenship through volunteerism at the national level.

Volunteers are strategically deployed as focal points to address pressing issues across four thematic areas:

• Education – Promoting access to quality education and literacy through community-led programs.In the education thematic area, volunteers are instrumental in promoting access to quality education and enhancing literacy, particularly in underserved and resource-constrained communities. Volunteers, including university students, graduates, professional teachers, and community members, are strategically engaged to supplement the efforts of regular teaching staff. To equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge, these volunteers undergo tailored training programs organized by units under the Ghana Education Service (GES), such as the Comprehensive Education Unit (CEU), the Pre-School Coordinators Unit, and the Girls Education Unit. This training focuses on basic childcare techniques, effective teaching methods, and strategies to address diverse learning needs, ensuring that volunteers can provide meaningful support to learners. Volunteers are deployed to schools as instructors and mentors, where they play a dual role: filling staffing gaps and creating an enabling environment for improved learning outcomes. Their work extends to promoting literacy through after-school programs, community libraries, and peer-to-peer learning initiatives. These efforts directly contribute to enhancing educational access and equity, particularly for girls and marginalized groups, ensuring that more children receive a foundational education that sets the stage for lifelong learning.

• Health – Advocating for improved health practices, including nutrition, sanitation, and disease prevention. The health thematic area focuses on improving community health outcomes through targeted interventions and advocacy campaigns. Volunteers are primarily engaged as Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) advocates, where they play a crucial role in educating communities about healthy practices and disease prevention. Volunteers collaborate closely with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and Health Directorates under the guidance of grants partners. These partnerships ensure that the content and materials disseminated by volunteers are accurate, relevant, and aligned with national health policies. Volunteers deliver educational sessions on topics such as nutrition, proper handwashing techniques, waste management, and the prevention of diseases like malaria and cholera. Traditional leaders and other local stakeholders play a significant role in amplifying the impact of these health campaigns. For instance, the Paramount Chief of Salaga, Kpembewura, has championed waste disposal initiatives in his community, using his influence to rally support and commitment from residents. Such collaborations foster community ownership and sustainability of health initiatives, ensuring that the knowledge imparted by volunteers translates into tangible, long-term behavior change.These efforts not only improve individual and community health but also create a foundation for sustainable development by reducing healthcare burdens and enhancing overall quality of life.

• Governance – Encouraging active citizenship and participation in local governance processes. In the governance thematic area, volunteers play a pivotal role in fostering civic engagement and strengthening local governance systems. By acting as instructors and educators, they bring awareness to community members about the roles and responsibilities of district and municipal assemblies, the significance of civic duties, and the rights of citizens. Volunteers organize educational programs in schools and community spaces to explain how governance structures work, empowering citizens to actively participate in local decision-making processes. They address topics such as budgeting, public service delivery, and the importance of transparency and accountability. By doing so, they bridge the knowledge gap between the public and governance structures, fostering a culture of active citizenship and collective problem-solving. Through these efforts, communities become better equipped to advocate for their needs, hold their leaders accountable, and collaborate with government officials for sustainable development.

• Natural Resources Management – Supporting sustainable practices to preserve and manage local resources. Volunteers working under this thematic area are instrumental in promoting environmental sustainability and the conservation of natural resources. Collaborating with institutions like the Forestry Commission, they focus on educating communities about sustainable resource use, deforestation prevention, and the importance of biodiversity conservation.

These volunteers work closely with local stakeholders, including traditional authorities, schools, and community groups, to introduce practices that reduce environmental degradation. Activities include tree planting initiatives, workshops on sustainable farming methods, and community clean-up campaigns. They also raise awareness about climate change impacts and advocate for the adoption of eco-friendly practices such as renewable energy and water conservation. Through these engagements, volunteers encourage communities to take ownership of preserving their natural resources, ensuring that future generations can benefit from a healthy and balanced environment. The combination of education, advocacy, and practical interventions makes this thematic area a cornerstone of the VSP’s sustainability agenda.

Looking forward

The STAR-Ghana Active Citizenship strategy notes the declining levels of civic engagement in Ghana, illustrated by figures from the Afro Barometer surveys that showed that the percentage of citizens who contacted public officials on issues of concern ranged between 3% and 9% between 1999 and 2019. Similarly, only 13%-17% of the population joined others to take action on a public issue.The significance of the VSP should be set against the above picture. It is a bold and innovative attempt to provide opportunities for citizens, particularly young people, to serve and give back to their communities and in doing so develop the civic awareness and interest necessary for active citizenship!