VIONet
Shaping the Future of Volunteering in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone’s volunteer sector is undergoing a quiet transformation — one driven by a growing movement to embed the principles of responsible and impactful volunteering at the national and community levels. At the heart of this change is VIONet Sierra Leone and the Global Volunteering Standard. Through VIONet, the Standard has helped to shift attitudes, inform national policy, and build stronger structures for volunteer management across the country.
Since 2019, the Standard has been introduced and rolled out across four of Sierra Leone’s five regions by the Volunteering Involving Organisations Network (VIONet), a coalition of more than 50 organisations. These include community-based groups, government agencies, faith-based organisations, and international volunteer bodies — all united in their commitment to improve volunteer practices.
A game changer
Through regional training sessions and sensitisation efforts, the Standard has helped introduce new ways of thinking about volunteer recruitment, placement, safeguarding, health and well-being, and monitoring and evaluation. Concepts like duty of care and structured onboarding — often reserved for paid staff — have become increasingly common in conversations around volunteer engagement.
‘There has been a lot of struggle in the sector to look at how we do professional volunteering, so when you introduced the Global Standard it was a game-changer for Sierra Leone. From the recruitment process to training and placement, and beyond that to proper duty of care and monitoring and evaluation, the Standard has been quite transformative. It brought all of these new ideas, and gave us steps to progress.
A shift in policy thinking
The Global Standard has also prompted a broader shift in policy thinking. One of VioNet’s key achievements has been the drafting of Sierra Leone’s first-ever national volunteering policy, developed in collaboration with partners including the Ministry of Labour, VSO, Caritas International, and Youth and Child Advocacy Network. The policy, which is now with the government for review and approval, draws heavily from the Standard to define expectations, strengthen accountability, and guide future investments in the sector.
Importantly, the proposed policy includes a recommendation to establish an annual Volunteer Week from December 1–5, culminating on International Volunteer Day. This would be a national celebration of service, encouraging citizens to dedicate time to their communities and recognise the vital role volunteers play in building a stronger Sierra Leone.
From shaping policy to inspiring a cultural shift, the Global Volunteering Standard has provided the tools and language to support a national movement. ‘It’s not just about improving how organisations manage volunteers. It’s about transforming how volunteering is valued — and making sure we do right by the people who give their time.