The Volunteers' Mission

The programme's overall objective is to develop a regional volunteer programme in which ECOWAS youth are united in their conviction that peace and reconciliation can be used as development tools to consolidate peace in their country and in the sub-region. The Programme mobilizes volunteers across West Africa and is committed to promoting ECOWAS ideals and strategies, including unity, peace, democracy, sustainable development and regional integration. The PVC promotes the professional expertise and skills of Community citizens for sustainable development and greater social impact under the themes of solidarity, unity, hope and dreams.

The role of Volunteers therefore includes:

• Strengthening the capacities of local organizations to help them develop and implement the projects and programmes in which volunteers participate
• Promoting a culture of peace
• Promoting gender equality;
• Establishing and supporting partnerships between communities;
• Networking and collaborating with other development partners
• Providing expertise and technical support to host communities.

How are volunteers recruited?

The skills offered to host institutions are gathered on a call/offer basis. Host countries and institutions indicate the type of skills they need to support efforts in the field of peace and development, and the Programme meets this demand by identifying, selecting and recruiting qualified volunteers in the region.
The pilot phase (2010-2015) deployed volunteers mainly in post-conflict countries. The permanent phase, launched in January 2017, extended coverage to all ECOWAS Member States. As a prerequisite, no international volunteer could serve in their own country. In the new permanent phase, Volunteers can now be recruited to serve in their own country.