English abstract
The study aims to identifying the stages of the development of voluntary work in the Sultanate of Oman, providing a view of the current situation for the distribution of volunteer work institutions in the Sultanate of Oman and creating a spatial and descriptive database for voluntary work institutions in the Sultanate of Oman, as well as identifying the challenges that face the voluntary work in the Sultanate of Oman. The study followed the analytical descriptive method. The techniques that the study followed have varied to achieve its objectives in accordance to study topics. In addition, the collection of data and reports issued from the Ministry of Social Development, the institutions of voluntary work in the Sultanate of Oman and fieldwork, the study used (GIS) Geographical Information Systems applications starting from collection of sites parametric of volunteer work institutions by Global Positioning System (GPS), and then locating these parametric on the map of the Sultanate of Oman and the production of maps and information base for those institutions using geographic information systems programs, as well as collection of data from individual interviews for number of administrations of voluntary work institutions in Muscat Governorate. The study has found volunteer work institutions to be characterized by rapid and clear growth in the last decade of the twentieth century and the first decade of the twenty first century, and females to have more participation in voluntary work than males. In addition, Omani women's associations are considered to have the most presence in the Sultanate of Oman in terms of numbers compared to other volunteer work institutions. The study revealed that most of the volunteer work institutions are concentrated in Muscat governorate and the least percentage of these institutions is in Governorate Al Buraimi Governorate and Musandam Governorate. Furthermore, the study revealed that the social responsibility program of private sector companies directed to the benefit of private associations is one of the most important programs that increase support for the work volunteer institutions. The study also found that due to the short age of the volunteer work institutions, they still face several challenges including lack of financial resources for voluntary, work institutions, the weakness of rehabilitation of human resources to perform its part in voluntary work, lack of coordination between the various voluntary associations and the overlapping of their activities, and the limited role of the media in promoting volunteer work institutions The study recommended the need to activate the role of the media to raise community's awareness of the importance of participation in voluntary organizations, and the importance of the role of the private sector to support the activities of civil associations. It recommended to qualify administrative and technical workers in civil associations. In addition, field research was conducted to identify the problems that local communities face and the role played by civil associations to solve them.
