Government should set up an independent authority to enhance and organize volunteer work in the Kingdom, says a local academic.

Local media yesterday quoted Dr. Nayef Al-Marwani as saying that the body would be responsible for establishing the rules and regulations for all voluntary activities. This would make it easier, and provide an incentive, for people to get involved. This includes voluntary work at schools and universities.

Al-Marwani said voluntary workers face various challenges and obstacles, including a lack of government belief in the benefit of these kind of activities.

“There is no official administrative umbrella body at the moment for this kind of work, and what we see now is individual efforts by some charities which are mostly private.” Some charities focus mostly on religious activities, which limits the scope of their work, he added.

Many young people have not become involved because of the lack of proper regulations and oversight. Donations for projects have also dwindled for this type of work since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, he said.