The Salesian Missionary Volunteer Service is a vast and varied experience spread throughout the world, bringing enormous richness to the lives of those who undertake it. All too often, however, the focus is on the ‘doing’, on the practical activities of service for young people and local communities, whilst overlooking certain aspects and effects on the individual which are, in fact, very important.
A topic of fundamental relevance and importance is precisely the psychological wellbeing and mental health of young people during the VMS experience: being away from home, coming into contact with and integrating into a new culture, the difficulties of daily life, misunderstandings… There are many challenges that volunteers face, and it is not easy to balance everything.
For this reason, on Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 May, the VMS Advisory Team organised two online formation sessions, with the contribution of Antonella Sinagoga, psychologist and psychotherapist, and member of the Youth Ministry Sector.
Starting with the meaning of mental and emotional health, Dr Sinagoga outlined the steps the Salesian Congregation is taking in this regard, showing how psychological well-being is not a secondary issue but part of the educational mission, before addressing the perspectives of coordinators and volunteers.
The psychologist explained that a cultural shift is underway: whereas psychological problems were once seen as a sign of weakness, today we understand that mental health is part of normal life, that vulnerability is not a human failure, and that even those who provide support need care themselves. The VMS coordinator can do a great deal, starting with the relationship: observing, listening, creating a safe space, encouraging requests for help and sharing the burden with the team.
Following the presentation, participants split into discussion groups, sharing deeply moving and enriching experiences and discussing the challenges and struggles faced by volunteers, best practices in support, and the barriers to speaking openly about mental health.
Following this, the VMS Advisory Team shared some updates, such as the new international volunteering project at Colle Don Bosco, the global meeting of VMS coordinators scheduled for 2027 (date and venue to be confirmed) and the communication tools to stay in touch (the website www.salesianvol.org, the newsletter and the WhatsApp chat).
The meetings were attended by 42 people, including 15 Salesians of Don Bosco and 27 lay people, from 24 different countries, who showed great engagement and active interest in a priority and essential theme for the VMS.
