The Minister of Youth and Sports posing for a group photo with recipients of the Male, Female Volunteer Icon Awards and the Special Award 2021.

IPOH, 5 December 2021: The Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) will produce 10,000 volunteers via the National Youth Volunteers (BENA) initiative starting next year.

Minister of Youth and Sports Dato' Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu said the initiative named National Youth Volunteers or Sukarelawan Belia Nasional (BENA) aims to enhance the knowledge, skills and capabilities of alumni or former programme participants of the ministry.

"Participants will be guided and trained in upskilling and reskilling to assist KBS's efforts in community empowerment at the grassroots level.

"As Volunteer Ambassadors, participants will act as volunteers to mobilise post-disaster volunteer work, as well as management of events and sports at the local community level," he said.

He said this after officiating the National Level Malaysian Youth Volunteer Day Celebration 2021 at Hotel Casuarina@Meru here today.

Also present were Perak Youth, Sports, Communication and Multimedia Committee Chairman Khairul Shahril Mohamed, Youth and Sports Ministry Deputy Secretary-General Ramona Mohd Razali and Youth and Sports Department Director-General Datuk Dr. Wasitah Mohd Yusof.

Dato' Seri Ahmad Faizal added that the participants will comprise KBS programme alumni and also those interested in getting involved in efforts to empower the community.

“We help address mental health and social problems, and help improve the socio-economy of the community, especially the youth at the grassroots level.

"Besides that, the BENA initiative will also be enhanced with the setting up of the Volunteer Call Centre as a one-stop centre to obtain volunteering services systematically," he added.

At the event, he also presented the Male, Female Volunteer Icon Awards and the Special Award 2021.

Fauzi Acho from Sabah received the Male Volunteer Icon Award and Puteri Seri Mawar Megat Abdul Rahmani from Kedah received the Female Volunteer Award 2021, while Nermesh Singh a/l Gurbish Singh from Perak won the Special Volunteer Award 2021.

Source : Corporate, SUK Perak.