About Office of the Commissioner
Establishment and Mission
Early in 2008, the Office of the Commissioner for Voluntary Organizations was established. Its initial objective was to begin the legal process of establishing a register of voluntary organizations in Malta. For this aim, an application form was created, along with notes to assist organizations in filling it out.
Although voluntary organizations are not required by law to register with the Office of the Commissioner, registration is significant and useful since it allows them to access a number of benefits that they would not otherwise have access to.
The certificate provided by this authority confirms the organization as a genuine ‘volunteer’ organization. Furthermore, registered organizations may benefit from actions targeted at supporting voluntary organizations in carrying out their missions.
The Voluntary Organisations Act
Volunteering has a long and illustrious history in Malta, but it was only recently fully recognised and controlled. The Voluntary Organisations Act governs the formation of voluntary organizations under Maltese law. This law was passed in 2007 with the goal of regulating a wide-ranging industry that had hitherto been left to its own devices.
The law also established the Office of the Commissioner for Voluntary Organizations, which is responsible for regulating the voluntary organization enrolment process.
SiGMA and the Office of the Commissioner
The Commissioner’s office’s ultimate objective is to increase the awareness of the voluntary sector while also ensuring transparency and responsibility among the organizations that make up the sector in their crucial work. The SiGMA Foundation was also founded on the principle of transparency. All of our board members are accountable to the foundation and its supporters, ensuring that all money collected reaches their intended recipients.
SiGMA fully supports the Office of the Commissioner’s mission in certifying that organisations are genuine volunteers. Recognised by the organisation, SiGMA Foundation was created to do good to those in need around the world. Sharing the Office of the Commissioner’s mission, the Foundation provides financial assistance and assists those in need in becoming self-sufficient and recovering their pride and self-confidence.
Both the SiGMA Foundation and the Office of the Commissioner have collectively identified key volunteer options, including providing financial assistance to individuals in need, improving volunteers’ own well-being, and working with a variety of communities.
