Agadir, October 31 – November 1, 2025 — The Ministry Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of Relations with Parliament and Civil Society hosted the 5th National Forum under the theme: “Contractual Volunteering: A Strategic Lever for Development and Strengthening the Roles of Civil Society Organizations.”
This event, organized in partnership with the Souss-Massa Regional Council and the Wilaya of the region, brought together a wide range of stakeholders — including civil society actors, institutional representatives, academics, and professionals — to reflect on the evolving framework of volunteerism in Morocco and its role in sustainable development.
Reframing Volunteerism: From Informal to Structured Participation
The forum emphasized the importance of moving from informal volunteering practices to structured, contractual models that clarify roles, responsibilities, and expected outcomes for both volunteers and host organizations. This model is seen as a means to strengthen accountability, ensure legal protection, and enhance the overall efficiency and impact of volunteer initiatives.
Throughout the forum’s sessions and workshops, discussions addressed:
- The legal and regulatory framework governing contractual volunteering and its implications for associations and public-private partnerships.
- The potential of contractual volunteering as a tool for inclusive development, particularly in supporting regional programs and national strategies.
- The need to strengthen partnerships between civil society organizations, public authorities, and the private sector to build a more coherent and effective volunteering ecosystem.
- The role of digitalization and communication in promoting a culture of responsible civic engagement and tracking volunteer impact.
A Lever for Sustainable Development
Speakers and participants highlighted the alignment between contractual volunteering and several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably:
- SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals, through multi-stakeholder collaboration and institutional cooperation.
- SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities, via volunteer contributions to local development and community resilience.
- SDG 4 – Quality Education and SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth, especially when volunteering is linked to training, capacity-building, and youth empowerment.
The forum also served as a platform to share regional and national experiences in volunteer program design, as well as practical tools and mechanisms for implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.
Looking Ahead
As the volunteering landscape in Morocco evolves, the forum reaffirmed the role of structured civic participation as a vector for reinforcing democratic values, promoting solidarity, and contributing to inclusive and sustainable development.