The Civic Chapter

4 Days That Change Everything—Sydney DEADLINE : January 12, 2026

The volunteering may look like skills only at first glance🔍

But volunteering is really grounded in commitment, curiosity, and so much more👇

Are you passionate about driving meaningful change for children and young people across Southern Africa? Sentebale is inviting committed and experienced individuals to apply to join our Board of Trustees.

This is a voluntary position and an opportunity to contribute your expertise, leadership, and strategic insight to help shape the future of our organisation and strengthen our impact in Lesotho, Botswana, and beyond.

If you believe in empowering communities, championing mental health, and supporting the next generation to thrive, we would love to hear from you.

Applications close on 27 November 2025.
🔗 Learn more and apply: https://bit.ly/48WXOU7

As you read this, thousands of volunteers are already advancing the from anywhere in the world by volunteering online.

Now it's your time ⏩ https://app.unv.org/?type=online

Amid the day’s powerful reflections at the 2nd Volunteer Masterclass, Maverick Kabelo, Founder & Executive Director of The Civic Chapter, grounded the conversation with practical tools for everyday change, showing participants how to turn vision into action.

In his session, Practical Steps to Become a Volunteer, Maverick reminded us that volunteering doesn’t start with external resources, it starts with what we already have and how we choose to use it.

• 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 – Looking at our communities through a lens of strength, not scarcity. Who are the people? What spaces, skills, and cultural values already exist that can be mobilized for good?
• 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀 – Asking the hard “whys” that help us go deeper. True impact doesn’t come from fixing symptoms, but from addressing the real issues at their core.
• 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 – Translating ideas into a clear roadmap with goals, roles, timelines, and measures of success, because change without structure fades quickly.

His challenge was both simple and profound:
👉 “Stop waiting for change, start creating it. You don’t need money to begin, you need people, purpose, and a plan.”

This session reminded us that volunteerism is not abstract; it is a discipline, a method, and a mindset. With the right tools, anyone can transform inspiration into implementation and build solutions that last.

From ideas to impact, that’s how we grow stronger communities, together. 💙

Pictures by Kanako Bw

𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗰 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀

At the 2nd Volunteer Masterclass, South African guest speaker, Ntombifuthi Khumalo, delivered an insightful session on Governance & Leadership for Civic Engagement Leaders.

She reminded us that governance is not just about institutions, it is about trust, fairness, and responsibility in every space where decisions are made: families, schools, civic groups, and communities.

Key Insights:
• 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Leadership measured by whether people can trust you to deliver.
• 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆: Communities must see decisions clearly to believe in them.
• 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Real leadership brings marginalised voices to the table.
• 𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝘀 & 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: True impact means putting the community before self.

Her words resonated with African wisdom: “If you want to go far, go together.” Participation is not optional, it is the foundation of sustainable civic leadership.

“Governance is Africa’s hidden currency. If we spend it wisely, in trust, transparency, and ethics, our continent will not just participate in the digital future, it will lead it.” – Ntombifuthi Khumalo

Volunteer Opportunity‼

Come join us this Saturday, 6th September, for a Clean-Up Day at the historic First Legislative Parliament in Lobatse!

Let’s work together to preserve this landmark of our democracy and keep our environment clean.

“Volunteering is more than an act of kindness, it is one of the most powerful ways to build yourself while building your community.” – H.E Dr. Oleksiy Syvak 🇺🇦

At the 2nd Volunteer Masterclass, we were honoured to hear from H.E Dr. Oleksiy Syvak, Ambassador of Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Botswana, who reminded us that service is not only about giving, it’s about gaining confidence, skills, networks, and purpose.

Key Messages:
- Volunteerism builds empathy, character & work ethic.
- It opens doors to opportunities beyond borders.
- It connects us to global solidarity while strengthening local communities.
- Most importantly, it gives YOU the power to shape history.

Dr. Syvak invited youth to take part in restoring Botswana’s First Legislative Parliament in Lobatse, starting with a volunteer clean-up on 6th September and the official restoration launch on 20th September.

This is more than history, it’s about taking ownership of our future through action. Will you be there?

“For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? 𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀.” – Luke 22:27

The 2nd Volunteer Masterclass opened with powerful reflections from Pastor Cipack Mbakisano Maphosa, Assistant Pastor at CRC Botswana, reminding us that volunteerism is more than giving time, it is servanthood, growth, and purpose in action.

Key Takeaways:
- Everyone has something to offer.
- Those who serve grow the most.
- Volunteerism builds networks, character, and work ethic.
- Service opens doors to opportunities beyond borders.

From the legacy of Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, to today’s changemakers, servant leadership remains the heartbeat of sustainable change.

We are grateful for this inspiring start to the Masterclass, a reminder that through service, we not only uplift communities but also transform ourselves.

On Saturday, 30th August 2025, The Civic Chapter successfully hosted the 𝟮𝗻𝗱 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 at Botho University under the theme “Learn to Volunteer Better.”

With 1 MC, 5 speakers, 1 facilitator, 1 moderator, and 4 panellists, the event was impactful, inclusive, and eco-friendly, equipping young people with tools to lead and serve their communities.

We were honoured to have H.E. Dr. Oleksiy Syvak, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Finland, deliver the keynote address, and we thank all our speakers, panelists, and attendees for making the day a success.

Special thanks to our sponsors: Botho University, Mowana Pictures, Kanako Bw, Edith Morena, and Digital Thread Advertising.

Together, we proved once again that volunteerism is leadership in action. 💙

𝗠𝗘𝗘𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗘𝗥
Maverick Kabelo - Founder & Executive Director of The Civic Chapter

Maverick will be speaking on:
“Actionable Steps for Starting a Community Project” — guiding participants through practical tools and approaches to bring their ideas to life and create sustainable community impact.

A 2024 SUSI on Civic Engagement alumnus, Maverick founded The Civic Chapter while volunteering in Seattle, USA. His passion lies in empowering young people to lead, serve, and transform their communities through volunteerism and civic engagement.

30 August 2025 | Botho University, MPH | Attendance Fee: P40

Don’t miss the chance to learn directly from youth leaders who are shaping change!

👉 Register here: https://www.thecivicchapter.org/event/the-2nd-volunteer-masterclass/