New Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector to be selected
A new Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector will be selected following the expiration of the four-year term of its current members, who will now return back to their roles within their respective organisations and individual priorities.
The council had courted significant controversy after the Prime Minister’s wife, Michelle Muscat, was awarded the ‘National Volunteer of the Year’, with critics arguing that Muscat was an undeserved winner, when taking into account that her foundation currently holds €700,000 in its bank account, €200,000 of which is a BOV investment, and the thousands of hard-working and unrecognised individuals who devote their valuable time to charitable causes all without the media campaigns that accompany the Marigold Foundation’s events.
In a letter seen by The Malta Independent, Chairman Nathan Farrugia praised the “significant increase in funds that are being distributed to voluntary organisations, either by us or through us and the executive team,” which allowed the council to implement a more transparent and streamlined system for funds allocation.
“We have also worked closely with all government Ministries and the Presidency to ensure that correct methodologies are used to rank beneficiaries and ensure a merit-based approach. The funding portal helps everyone locate funding opportunities by centralising the various pots of money available,” it read.
“As an appointed Council we have been given significant independence to act through our executive team, and have had more resources available than our predecessors. This has helped us a great deal, particularly in the coordination of all the funding activities across the wide range of public institutions now connected to voluntary organisations for service provision, nation-wide projects and local initiatives.”
He went on to praise the council’s ability to create opportunities for VOs to engage with stakeholders; along with the annual conference which he described as a useful tool to create conversations around the third sector, which ensures that beneficiaries, those less vulnerable, and the environment remain the voice that is heard equally.
The chairman also noted some failings within the council, specifically the fundraising portal Simply Giving, launched at the conference in October, which is still not open for use.
“We needed to spend even more time planning and developing the annual conference to significantly increase attendance. We needed to be more proactive in recognising volunteering and the role of volunteers in society through a wider range of activities, beyond the video clip campaign and awards.”
There was further also praise for the Office of the Commissioner for the Voluntary Sector and its Chairman Profs Kenneth Wain, and his initiatives for greater transparency of the sector, whilst advocating a less bureaucratic and burdensome approach to regularisation
“We are also pleased to have contributed to the Social Enterprise Act and the amendments to the Voluntary Organisations Act; neither of which were enacted before our term ended...a word of caution however; it is up to you, as voluntary leaders, to ensure that this process continues and that you show an active interest in their development.”
Close to €1 million given by government to VOs in 2017
Education and Employment Minister Evarist Bartolo this week told Parliament that a total of € 964,996 was given by the government to voluntary organisations throughout 2017.
Bartolo was replying to a parliamentary question by Labour MP Edward Zammit Lewis.
He said that the three schemes from which the monetary benefits were received are the Voluntary Organisations Projects Scheme, the Small Initiatives Support Scheme and the Civil Society Fund.
The Richmond Foundation, The Marigold Foundation and Teatru Salesjan benefited the most from the schemes, and were awarded €48,000 each. The Marigold Foundation is chaired by Prime Minister’s wife Michelle Muscat.