On Monday, 28 February 2022 an agreement was signed between the University of Malta through the Faculty of Social Wellbeing and OVCO for research projects that will study the voluntary sector locally.
The Office of the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations (OCVO) and the University of Malta have signed a Memorandum of Understanding which will initiate two research projects within the voluntary sector.
In light of this important signing, the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations, Jesmond Saliba referred to the research projects as “the corner-stone of the VO Plus Convention and the beginning of the change within the voluntary sector in our country.” Saliba mentioned how these research projects aimed at determining the fundamental role of the sector for the current and future socio-economic needs.” The Commissioner thanked the University of Malta and the Faculty for Social Wellbeing for being the first of a series of "strategic partners” in shaping the voluntary sector and in the formulation of the Maltese society.
The Dean of the Faculty for Social Wellbeing Professor Andrew Azzopardi stated that “voluntary organisations are the closest partners to our Faculty, but not only. VOs are the soul of all we do, they are the voice of the insiders and the true heroes in the social sector.” He added that it is through the close relationship that the Faculty are developing with the Commissioner for the VOs that as a Faculty, “we listen, but not only, and act.” Professor Azzopardi concluded that “to be an effective faculty we need to steer our teaching programs, research and academic activism in the direction being pointed to us by the VOs, that is how important this collaboration is.”
The research projects are divided into two respective researches and will be carefully studying various aspects within the voluntary sector. The research projects will be parallel to each other and the conclusions will be woven with a view to addressing the current and future needs of the voluntary sector and voluntary organisations.
One of the research projects, entitled, Assessment of the Maltese Voluntary Sector - Barriers and Motivations for Participation, will give the OCVO a deep understanding of which voluntary organisations have the strongest representation. This research will also identify the motivations and barriers that allow or hinder, respectively, participation in the voluntary sector.
The second research will be analysing and studying the Contribution of the voluntary sector in Maltese society. Through this research, the OCVO will be able to better understand the welfare needs of society and examine whether the voluntary sector meets these needs.
Furthermore, this research will provide a clear spectrum of social gaps that can be addressed by the voluntary sector and voluntary organisations.
The qualitative and quantitative conclusions that will emerge from these projects will lead to addressing legislative changes in the voluntary sector and shaping other socio-economic reforms to which the voluntary sector can contribute.
These research projects by the Faculty of Social Wellbeing are part of the national reform VO Plus, which the OCVO launched during the previous year under the patronage of the President of Malta.
