Making the Invisible Visible: Botswana Workcamps Association Launches the C-IVS Skills Project
Boseja North youth leaders gather at BWA Headquarters to begin a journey toward certified, recognised skills
On 11 July 2026, the Botswana Workcamps Association (BWA) hosted the local activation and launch of the global C-IVS Skills Project at its headquarters. Twenty-three community youth leaders attended, along with local authority representatives. The event marked the start of a certification framework and a series of capacity-building sessions for young people who already give their time to their communities.
Recognising what volunteers already know
The project rests on a simple idea. Young people who serve as volunteers gain real skills: they organise, lead, solve problems, and work with others. Yet these skills are rarely written down or formally recognised, so they often go unseen by employers and by the young people themselves.
C-IVS aims to change this by validating competencies gained through voluntary service. Its slogan, “Volunteering is a skill,” sums up the approach. With certification, the experience a young person builds in the community becomes something they can show when applying for work or planning their personal development.
A councillor’s endorsement
The chief guest was Honourable Daniel Phalaagae, Area Councillor for Boseja North. He commended BWA for bringing an international training framework to young people in his area. He also stressed that formal recognition of voluntary skills gives youth a real advantage in today’s economy.
BWA’s project leadership echoed this, restating the organisation’s commitment to making “the invisible visible.” Their goal is that every volunteer who takes part leaves with certified skills.
What the project sets out to do
The launch outlined four objectives:
- Recognise and certify non-formal skills. Competencies gained through voluntary service will be validated, so that youth work and leadership experience become visible for employment and personal growth.
- Empower local youth leaders. The 23 participating leaders will receive tools for active citizenship, community organising, and environmental stewardship.
- Foster civic engagement and patriotism. The project ties local voluntary action to BWA’s motto, “Voluntarism is Patriotism,” to encourage sustainable grassroots development.
- Strengthen global and European partnerships. Local youth initiatives will be connected to CCIVS, the European Youth Foundation (EYF), the Council of Europe, and Erasmus+ frameworks.
A day of dialogue
The programme included a facilitator presentation, an address by the Honourable Councillor, and an interactive session with the youth leaders. The day also served to build the Youth Leaders Network, bringing together the participants and their stakeholders. Photographs from the event show the councillor alongside BWA leadership, the interactive session at BWA HQ, and a group picture of the leaders with stakeholders.
What participants can expect
BWA summarises what the project offers in three words:
- Trained: through capacity-building workshops
- Certified: with recognised skills credentials
- Empowered: to make a leadership impact in their communities
Looking ahead
With the launch complete, the 23 youth leaders now move into the capacity-building sessions that follow the certification framework. The project is co-funded by the European Union and the EYF. It connects a group of Boseja North leaders to a wider international network, and gives them a way to turn their service into credentials that count.
