JEDDAH: The Social Development Forum highlighted yesterday the role of corporate responsibility, organizations and funds in training young men and women for today’s employment demands and promoting a spirit of volunteerism.

Ahmed Al-Zamil, from the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF), explained the reasons behind establishing the fund.

“The fund’s mission is mainly to support training and employing young men and women in the private sector,” he said.

According to Al-Zamil, the HRDF is an important element of the Kingdom’s fight to reduce unemployment.

“More than 400 ladies in Hail and Qassim (provinces) were trained on handicrafts, such as sewing and the beauty industry so they could be fit into the labor market,” he said.

In 2008, the HRDF says it helped find jobs for 53,555 people.

The forum asked attendees how satisfied they were over the progress being made by the HRDF; a majority expressed the minimum satisfaction rate.

Al-Zamil, after he saw the answers on the projector, told the audience, “that’s why this forum was launched: To improve the performances and build abilities.”

Hisham Tashkandi, one the five speakers at another session, who is also the Centennial Fund general manager, put his presentation into three major points. He explained the mission of the Centennial Fund, cooperation and the importance of continuity.

“We want to be the pioneers in making men and women successful businesspersons as well as providing job opportunities to others, ” he said.

The Centennial Fund gives small loans to people who want to establish a business.

He also explained the meaning behind continuity.

“If someone came to me asking for charity, he would show up everyday needing me to give him money or food,” said Tashkandi. “But if I took the same amount of money and invested in that person I would make him an active person in the society.”

The speakers also called for establishing a database in order for all organizations and funds to work together and have access on the needed areas of interest.

While not many companies believe in their corporate social responsibility, Saudi Aramco has proved that investing in employees could work for the best.

Saudi Aramco Affairs Vice President Khaled Al-Buraik was a keynote speaker in an early session. Al-Buraik highlighted the company’s role in activating social development.

He explained the company’s associations with local and international universities; its investments in academic institutions and its support of training, research and job creation for Saudi Aramco regular and contract employees.

“These efforts have resulted in 4,000 training courses offered to contract employees during 2008, and the creation of 27,000 new jobs for Saudis in contractors’ companies working with Saudi Aramco,” he said.

Before the forum ended, Jeddah Mayor Adel Faqeeh launched a volunteering initiative called, “Volunteering … a social service.”

His speech was targeting the youth.

“We want to develop the concept of volunteer work here,” he said. “Activating the concept will lead to expansion.”

He cited a recent event organized by Jeddah Friends to clean up the Jeddah Corniche.