The Staff Development Centre of the University of Vavuniya organised a discussion on “Building Social Responsibility through Employee Volunteering”. The session was held on 17th October 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the Board Room, IT Centre, University of Vavuniya.
Moreover, the workshop aimed to strengthen awareness of social responsibility among academic, academic support, executive, and administrative staff.
Expert Resource Persons
The session was conducted by experienced resource persons. Mr. Balakumar Thangavelu, Director – CSR, India Head – Outreach, and Global Lead – ESG, led the discussion. In addition, Ms. Vidhya Bhojan, Founder of Right Dots, a CSR consulting firm, also contributed to the session.
Furthermore, both resource persons shared valuable insights and real-world examples from CSR and employee volunteering programmes.
Importance of Employee Volunteering
The discussion emphasized the importance of integrating social responsibility into professional roles. In addition, the speakers explained how university staff can actively contribute to community development.
They also shared CSR practices that universities and alumni associations can adopt. As a result, participants gained a clearer understanding of community engagement strategies.
Five Key Volunteering Pathways
The session introduced five major volunteering pathways for universities:
- Curriculum-Linked Community Projects: Staff and students work on real community issues as part of learning activities.
- School and Infrastructure Support: Universities help improve school facilities and basic needs.
- Health and Nutrition Outreach: Staff support health awareness and nutrition programmes.
- Capacity Building and Teacher Training: Focus on improving teacher skills and training.
- Immersive Exposure and Mentoring: University members mentor and guide youth through direct engagement.
Moreover, these pathways demonstrated practical ways to strengthen community impact through volunteering.
Overall, the session helped participants understand the value of employee volunteering. Finally, it highlighted how such initiatives can enhance the university’s role in community development and social responsibility.
