Bertrand Borg
Youths urged to dedicate a year to voluntary work
Archbishop Paul Cremona with Mgr Victor Grech. Photo: Jason Borg
Children as young as eight should be co-opted into volunteering projects, and youths encouraged to dedicate a year of their life to voluntary work in the community, Caritas director Victor Grech said yesterday.
The Maltese voluntary sector needs to make better use of the human capital at its disposal and come up with ways of involving retired professionals and youths in volunteering, Mgr Grech said.
Professionals nearing retirement had much to offer, he added, and the voluntary sector ought to tap into the wealth of experience available.
Mgr Grech was speaking at a Caritas seminar on social volunteering in Floriana yesterday morning, which brought together volunteers from a number of Church organisations, commissions and voluntary groups.
The monsignor said the Church should create a database of volunteers and undertake an audit of the various needs of those who approached Church organisations for help. Doing so, he said, would allow for more specialised volunteer recruitment and allow voluntary organisations to better respond to specific societal needs.
Voluntary organisations had to be flexible, Mgr Grech insisted. Climate change, the “tsunami” of mass migration and “hidden” poverty in developed countries were all examples of the ways in which societal needs were changing: organisations needed to find ways of responding to these emerging issues.
Mgr Grech felt the European Social Fund could be put to better use, offering young people volunteering opportunities which could help them integrate into the labour market. According to the president of the Council for the Voluntary Sector Robert Farrugia, voluntary organisations face two significant challenges.
Organisations have to safeguard their independence even if they are recipients of public funds. They must also strike a balance between fundraising and service provision.
“It is very easy for an organisation to find itself spending most of its time trying to raise money.”
Mr Farrugia said the CVS was in the process of negotiating the establishment of a National Volunteering Centre. Such a centre would provide NGOs with a space in which to meet as well as provide technical assistance and volunteer training.
Archbishop Paul Cremona wrapped up the seminar with some reflections on the nature of volunteering.
“Volunteering allows people to shed their egotistical shell and share their true nature with others,” he told the audience.
He also had some advice for the volunteers present: “It is the person being helped, not the helper, who is the fulcrum of any volunteer effort”.
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Mr Terry Gosden
Sep 25th 2011, 17:00
I would not send or ask my son to do voluntary work in a Church institution.
Ms Yaz Tabone
Sep 26th 2011, 06:12
ye what i said!
Karl Muscat
Sep 25th 2011, 16:18
It's easy to send young people to work voluntarily or attend military for a year, while you're sitting doing nothing all day and have your pay check come in anyway.
Mr James Tyrrell
Sep 25th 2011, 15:03
Given the church's total failure to tackle abuse within its ranks it seems to me that the creation of a database of volunteers as young as eight would be a dangerous road I wouldn't want any of my children to be a part of quite frankly!
Ms Yaz Tabone
Sep 25th 2011, 15:02
my son will be raised to help others and care for others but no way will i have him do voluntary work when the church is involved. he's only 3 and has given many toys to other kids, he's also helped me sort out some of his clothes to give away "to make them happy" - his words, and he has given his face to fight for gay rights and i will make sure he'll keep doin these lil things.
i repeat - he will have NOTHING to do with voluntary work when the church is involved!
Kurt Waschnig
Sep 25th 2011, 11:40
Indeed young people should work as volunteers for at least one year and dedicate themselfes to the disabled, needy, old and poor.
I appreciate the efforts of Caritas director Victor Grech a lot to encourage young people to join institutions and NGOs.
One year working as volunteers will form and strengthen their character and personality and give them the certainty to help the needy and poor.
"Climate change, the “tsunami” of mass migration and “hidden” poverty in developed countries were all examples of the ways in which societal needs were changing: organisations needed to find ways of responding to these emerging issues."
The Caritas in Malta has been doing an excellent job for the poor and needy and the appeal of Victor Grech is laudable.
Especially nowadays young people are needed as volunteers in various fields.
Volunteers receive a lot from the needy. A smile, they win their trust, they rely on them.
It gives a volunteer the certainty to spend a precious year by helping others.
Archbishop Paul Cremona said: "Volunteering allows people to shed their egotistical shell and share their true nature with others."
He is right, a volunteer makes the environment more human.
Best regards
Kurt Waschnig Oldenburg Germany
David Caruana
Sep 25th 2011, 09:14
This is one of the few instances where I agree with the Archbishop.
I would go one step further and say that the Government should make it compulsory for all 18-year-olds to spend 1 year in the military or community work of their choice, same as it is in Germany.
I strongly agree with his words, "Volunteering allows people to shed their egotistical shell and share their true nature with others,”
James Wightman
Sep 25th 2011, 07:59
FGS there is no such word as 'youths', we don't have olds do we. Use young people or the young.