CHI Volunteering (IVP)

Background

The Province of Chile (CHI) has centred its provincial and community apostolic mission on the service to the youth from the desire and vision of Madeleine Sophie and the urgent calls that come to the province from today’s youth.

The concern of many young people who have felt the call to commit themselves to justice, peace and the care of creation, the desire to give their lives with generosity to others , has impelled the CHI province to create structures that respond to the deep search for meaning and service that nests in the hearts of young people. For this reason, years ago the province began a project of voluntary work for young people, which over the years has been gaining more and more strength and has motivated the religious to open their houses, to share their style of life and above all to offer spaces in which young people can have an experience of service to the poorest; to nourish their spiritual life and to share in community.

Objective

To support young people in their call to serve the poorest and the most marginalised

Activities

The CHI volunteer project orientates youth for national and international service experiences. Volunteers need to be introduced to the program by a RSCJ. Before, during the experience and when returning, volunteers are insert in a series activities as follows:

Before departure   

Possible volunteers are invited

• to write down a presentation letter about themselves where they have to highlight their motivation and their objectives for the volunteer experience, and their previous experiences.
• to fill in a form with general details: who they are, their objectives, their availability, health information and their studies
• to be available for an interview with the RSCJ volunteer project coordinator
• to provide any name for references (interviews could be held with them)
• to attend and follow the RSCJ volunteer coordinator accompaniment for their service experience

RSCJ volunteer program coordinator is

• accordingly to the presentation of the volunteer to identify an on-the-field project in a community/province where the possible volunteer can be hosted
• to get in touch with the local RSCJ to present the future volunteer and act as link

During the volunteer experience

• volunteers offer their services to the poorest and the most marginalised (local coordination)
• Spiritual accompaniment of the volunteer is taken under the umbrella of the local host community and if not directly with the volunteer program coordinator

At return

• The RSCJ volunteer program coordinator accompanies the volunteer to reread and deepen its volunteer experience giving them elements from the Gospel to help them.
• Volunteer is to provide an evaluation report of the volunteer program
• Host community is to provide an evaluation report of the volunteer to the volunteer program

Outomes

• Volunteers integrate their volunteer experience in their future life.
• Volunteers have increased their flexibility and creativity.
• Volunteers have acquired skills to accept loneliness and austerity.
• Volunteers have gained skills to adapt to different realities, to assume poverty.
• Volunteers have gained skill of respect to the host culture and religion.
• 2015 CHI volunteer to MEX Iyolosiwa project for 6 months 

People being served : Agents of transformation (Educators)

Age group : Adults 26-60, Young people 18-25

Number of participants : mai-50

Project status : Ongoing

Society presence : Chile

Focus of the project : People

JPIC Imperative : Transforming and Being Transformed

UN Sustainable Development Goals : 17 Partnerships for the Goals