Young Maltese people are known to be very generous and altruistic; testifying to this is the very encouraging number of them who offer a lot of their time to do voluntary work, both in Malta and abroad. Even though voluntary work is normally associated with the summer months – when most young people are free from their study commitments – there are also groups and organisations that organise voluntary work programmes all year round.
The Diocesan Youth Commission (KDZ) encourages such initiatives – which not only promote helping those in need but also contribute to the holistic formation of young people. For this reason KDZ has set up a volunteer information service – part of the KDZ website is dedicated to offering information about several voluntary programmes organized by various organisations.
By logging in to www.kdz.org.mt/vis/vis.php, people interested in doing voluntary work can browse through a number of initiatives that are currently taking place. KDZ’s Volunteer Information Service is also an opportunity for those groups that do voluntary work to publicize their projects and events. The following are some voluntary programmes that will be taking place during the coming months.
Summer schools
During the past few years, summer schools for children have become quite common in Malta. Several organisations have therefore set up groups of volunteers to organise summer schools especially for those children who cannot afford to pay for such an experience during summer.
One such initiative is that taken up by the Missionaries of Charity (founded by Mother Theresa) who, during the summer months, take several young people on board to set up a summer school for children in Cottonera. Viva s-sajf tat-tfal offers children five weeks of activities which help them get through the hot summer days in a healthy manner. For more information one can email the organisers on [email protected]
Another summer school is “Together as One” which aims to bring together refugee children and organise several activities for them. This summer school is also being supported by JRS (Jesuit Refugee Service) and one can obtain more information by emailing refugee_ [email protected].
Other volunteering programmes taking place in Malta
The Caritas Youth Voluntary Service (CYVS) is a volunteering programme that has been developed especially for young people aged between 16 and 25 years wishing to devote their time, energy and skills to different Caritas projects and services. The idea for this programme arose after a number of young people started coming forward to offer their volunteering services to Caritas.
The CYVS entails formation, team-building and motivational sessions parallel to the youth volunteers’ practical work experience, as well as monthly training and supervision sessions to serve as ongoing support in the work being carried out. Through the CYVS, young volunteers can choose to involve themselves in projects such as:
The Youth Outreach Programme: A life-skills based educational programme where youth volunteers are trained by Caritas professionals to facilitate interactive sessions about drug awareness and prevention at youth centres across Malta and Gozo.
Caritas Support Groups: Youth volunteers help out in our various support groups through the organization of recreational activities, educational sessions and life-skills support. Training and supervision by Caritas staff is provided throughout this experience.
Other projects include The Pit-Stop Club, the Caritas 2ndHand Project, the Helpage group as well opportunities to help out in our fundraising and promotional initiatives.
Volunteers are also encouraged to plan and implement their own projects under the guidance and supervision of the Caritas Volunteers Unit. Through the CYVS, volunteers also benefit from training programmes devised and delivered by professionals and are also given the opportunity to participate in international projects such as youth exchanges and seminars. For more info about the CYVS please contact Vanessa Sammut (volunteers unit) on 2590 6600 or [email protected].
ZHN (Zghazagh Haddiema Nsara) are also gearing up for a packed summer during which they will be preparing two music concerts: Akustika, that will be held on 28 and 29 July at St. James Cavalier and Strummin’ 5 for Life! that will take place on 28 and 29 October. The former shall raise funds in order to be able to set up the latter which is a concert involving several guitarists who vary from beginners to professionals. Moreover ZHN are also preparing several projects with children’s homes, homes for the elderly and refugees. Anyone interested in contacting them can do so on [email protected]. One can also visit their website www.zhnmalta.org for more information.
For the seventh consecutive year, the Justice Commitment Group within the Chaplaincy at University is inviting University staff, students and friends to “Lend a Hand”, this summer. Several projects are being offered and one of them is to help out within a Literacy Programme at the Paolo Freire Institute in Zejtun. This Institute was established by the Society of Jesus to promote literacy and community development. Volunteers need to be willing to dedicate two hours a week to teach basic English and Maltese (and possibly other subjects) to adults or children on a one-to-one basis.
Another programme involves accompanying refugees at the Marsa Open Centre, either through visiting them or teaching them basic English. This opportunity is mostly open to French-speaking university students and staff. However, if one is not fluent in French one can accompany non-French speaking refugees. Those who are willing to share their time and gifts with others can send an email to chaplaincy @um.edu.mt or phone 2340 2341.
Volunteering programmes taking place abroad
For the fourth consecutive year CAMYouths are once again offering an experience for young people to help poor children in Naples. Inspired by the Missionary Society of St Paul’s (MSSP) vision for lay people, CAMYouths set out to embrace this activity from its inception. Its aim is the formation of Christian communities to be of service in all spheres of life, especially where lay people are most actively engaged.
The Napoli 2006 experience is one of those outreaches which challenge the perceptions of those who experience it. It is an experience where a group of young and not-so-young people, CAMYouths members and friends, organise and run a summer camp for children/early teens in Naples. This year the activity will be spread over five weeks from 12 July till 18 August and around 80 children aged five to 15, coming from different family backgrounds are expected to participate. During this camp they will be involved in different educational and/or fun activities such as crafts-marking (lavoretti), games, ice-breakers, personal skills development, singing, swimming and outings.
In view of the expenses involved in the organisation of such an event, the group is organizing several activities to raise the necessary funds. Anyone interested in contributing financially towards Napoli 2006 may do so though account number 058 147216001. For more information one can visit www.camyouths.com.
InYgo (Ignatian Youth Network) is a network of young people who are involved in Ignatian (Jesuit and Lay) youth ministry initiatives. Every summer InYgo provides the opportunity for young people to offer their time and energy to others in need in various countries.
This year, five groups of young people will be doing voluntary work in Italy and in African counties. A group of 25 University students will be going to a garbage village, a village of people living by “recycling” garbage, and to other villages in Egypt to organise summer schools and language classes for underprivileged children there. A similar experience will happen in Algiers. 20 young people will go to Ethiopia to help in homes for the dying and the sick.
Another group of 10 Sixth Form students will be going to Cottolengo (Italy) to help out in a hospital for the disabled and early people. Another group of 15 young people will be going to Bari to organize a summer school for poor children coming from a deprived background.
If one would like to reach out to our friends in Algeria, Bari, Cottolengo, Egypt and Ethiopia one can do so by making a monetary donation directly into the “InYgo Voluntary Work” bank accounts: BOV 40015104618 and HSBC 008033763050. One can also send a cheque payable to “InYgo Voluntary Work” to: Dar P. M. Magri sj, Mons. Carmelo Zammit Str, Msida MSD 06. Apart from monetary donations one can also donate stationery items that will be used during the activities that will be held in the various countries. For more information send an email to [email protected] or phone 2340 2341.
MEG (Moviment Era Gdida) together with Azione Verde (Malta) are also calling for volunteers for a project in aid of poor children in Nigeria in which Maltese people will be joining a group of Italian people in order to continue work on this project.
The project will take place during July-August 2006 and involves continuing the building of a hospital, school and other centres for the education of adults.
The volunteers will also visit sick people and teach children in schools. One can contribute to this project in various ways. More information on website: www.azioneverde.org.
Volunteering programmes all year round
Although the above brief information was about volunteering programmes taking place during the summer months, several of the abovementioned organisations together with many others are busy organizing outreaches both in Malta and abroad all year round. Such groups and organisations are the Step-by-Step foundation, Dar tal-Providenza, Ir-Razzett tal-Hbiberija and LAND that encourage voluntary work with disabled people.
Volunteers are also always welcome at the St Vincent De Paule home and in several other homes for the elderly where young people can offer their time to be with senior citizens.
Help is also appreciated in the special homes for our four-legged friends such as the Island Sanctuary Dog Centre and the National Cat society.
Contact Details:
More information about the above mentioned programmes and other initiatives taking place can be obtained by logging on to www.kdz.org.mt/vis/vis.php or by phoning KDZ’s offices on 2148 4506. Moreover, those groups and organizations who would like to give more publicity to their voluntary programmes and who would like to promote their fundraising events can also contact us on the above details. In the meantime, KDZ will continue to support and encourage all the young people who are giving the precious gifts of their time, energy, gifts and money to help others and the groups and organisations that enable and facilitate these noble initiatives.
Article provided by the Diocesan Youth Commission (KDZ)