Earlier this week, a volunteer bank was launched to connect professionals and companies with voluntary organisations in need of professional support.

This initiative, called ProACT - PROviders and Communities Together, will offer professionals, companies, students, and individuals with various skills the opportunity to donate a number of service hours. After signing up, The Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector (MCVS) will match those offering their time with voluntary organisations who require their services.

"A short meeting will be held between you and the voluntary organisation/s to ensure the bridging is successful and accurate. You will be asked to sign a service agreement indicating the number of hours and services committed to a particular voluntary organisation. Once this is concluded, you will be able to start making arrangements with the voluntary organisation/s to offer your voluntary service," the MCVS website explains.

This initiative will help lesser publicised voluntary organisations receive assistance they might need, and could also help even more voluntary organisations start up, knowing that there is centralised way in which they might be able to find someone with skills they might require.

Voluntary organisations in the country offer so many different important services. There are organisations operating in the field of health, animal welfare, sports, the social sector, human rights, the rule of law, culture and the list goes on and on. Each one will, of course, have different needs. Some might need more legal services than others for instance, which can be expensive, so having the ability to be matched with lawyers who would be willing to volunteer some of their time would be extremely useful.

Some organisations which operate, for instance, in the health sector, or offer care services, will likely have high running costs. Being able to match up with the right people they require might be able to alleviate some of the costs they currently have.

MCVS will be rewarding the participating businesses and professional entities with a Community Star Label, which it said is a recognised certificate given to entities which make a positive impact on society through their labour and service. This could serve as somewhat of a corporate social responsibility incentive to entice professionals to donate their time.

One hopes that this initiative will be a success. The Maltese people have always been generous, especially when it comes to giving donations to support various organisations around the country. If this initiative also ends up being successful, it might be a huge help to voluntary organisations.