At the outset, the newsletter highlights the value of volunteering as a concrete sign of hope in contexts often marked by difficulty and instability, emphasising the role of Salesian volunteers as a living expression of the Congregation’s educational and pastoral mission. It also announces the appointment of Fr Carlos Eduardo Mendez to the VMS Advisory Team, to coordinate activities related to youth ministry.
Ample space is devoted to the topic of formation, identified as a central element for the quality and effectiveness of volunteering experiences. The reflection, based on the Manual of Salesian Missionary Volunteering and prepared by Leyre Sainz of the VMS formation team of the Spanish Province of St James the Greater, highlights how the formation process must accompany all phases of the experience – before, during and after service – helping volunteers to understand their motivations, to navigate different cultural contexts and to develop interpersonal and practical skills.
The analysis also emphasises the value of community life, adaptability and the spiritual dimension, which are fundamental elements for experiencing volunteering in a conscious and transformative way.
A further focus concerns the issue of child protection, considered a priority for safeguarding both the young people benefiting from the activities and the volunteers themselves. The Advisory Team has launched a review of existing practices across the various provinces, inviting the organisations involved to share procedures and protocols, with a view to establishing increasingly effective common guidelines.
Among the initiatives highlighted, the newsletter announces an online formation session dedicated to the psychological wellbeing of volunteers, scheduled for 18 and 19 May 2026 in English and Spanish. The initiative aims to provide tools to support volunteers in the emotional and relational challenges that may arise during their service, to ensure the full success of their volunteering experiences.
Overall, the newsletter confirms the commitment of Salesian Missionary Volunteering to promoting structured programmes, attentive to the educational, relational and spiritual dimensions, with the aim of making every experience increasingly meaningful and purposeful, in keeping with the charism of Don Bosco and the needs of the contemporary context.
The full newsletter is also available in several languages on the website salesianvol.org and at the bottom of the page.
