First Impressions: Empowerment Through Service

Empowerment Through Service

Who are we?

My name is Karolina and I am Polish. I am 26 years old and I have completed my Master's degree in Food Technology. I decided that the current time is best to use it for self-fulfillment and helping others.

My name is Maria and I am from Portugal. I am 22 years old and I have a bachelors degree in Cultural and Artistic. I decided to take one year break before going back to my studies and start my masters.

What does it mean to be volunteer for us and how is it going so far?

Volunteering is more than just lending a helping hand; it’s an act of empowerment. It’s about giving individuals the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others, to be a force for positive change in the community. Whether it’s preparing meals for the ones in need, serving at in kitchen, or organizing the clothing collections, volunteering encourages people to be a force of compassion and kindness.

In the kitchen we process food. Moreover, we help in preparing meals, serving them and washing dishes. We work with other volunteers of different ages. For us, it is an opportunity to practice conversation in Italian and get to know the local community. For us it's about cultivating connections and nurturing communities.

Volunteering at a clothes magazine isn’t just about fashion; it’s about coming together for creativity, and a community to create a positive change. At a clothes magazine, fashion isn’t just about trends and style—it’s a platform for storytelling, self-expression, and social impact. It’s about using the inspire change.

In the clothes warehouse, we select clothes and deliver them to the store, where those who need them can posses them. In the store, we help beneficiaries choose the right size and clothes for the right season. As a volunteer, we have the opportunity to break down barriers and building bridges across communities.

Comments

European Solidarity Corps and Servizio Civile Universale volunteers

Ciao! It's Louise. Today I would like to speak about the connection that exists between ESC and "Servizo civile" (SCU) volunteers. As an ESC volunteer, my experience is different from the SCU volunteers in several ways. For one, I am an international volunteer coming to Italy for six months, whereas the SCU volunteers are Italians staying in Caritas for one whole year. Second, the SCU volunteers work in just one service for a three-month period (Centro d'ascolto, cucina, emporio or reception). I, on the other hand, move between different areas of Caritas each day, giving me a wider variety of tasks and responsibilities. This also means it took me longer than them to adapt and become efficient, but after just a few weeks or months, I became more independent in every service, whereas they have to adapt to a new service every three months. I met the SCU volunteers of Caritas during my second week when they returned from their training. I had the chance to work alongside ...

My experiences with migrants in Caritas

Hello everyone! It's Louise. Today, I'd like to share with you two actions in which I recently participated. They taught me a lot, both on a human level and in terms of the concrete challenges involved in welcoming and supporting migrants in Italy. Welcoming migrants on their arrival at the port Two weeks ago, I went with Marco D’Aurizio (President of Caritas Jesina) and other workers of Caritas Ancona to welcome a group of 276 migrants who had arrived on the Ocean's Viking (a boat that rescues migrants at sea) at Ancona’s port. We were there at 8am, under grey skies and a cold wind, ready to hand out breakfast: a bottle of water, an apple, a filled brioche, and tea for those who wanted it. The reception was very closely supervised by the police, which made the organisation very rigorous, but also a little tense. At first, we let people sit down, take time to eat and warm up. But soon, the police were pressing us to get the migrants onto the buses waiting nearby. So, we h...

Volunteer Oct24. 3 months so far!

Ciao, Hola and Hi! I’m Río Rojas Mayorga and it's been 3 months since I'm an ESC volunteer here in Caritas Jesina. Let me update you briefly about my experience! The arrival and first week in Caritas was a mix of emotions between the excitement to start and the confusion of all the new people and information we were bombarded with. At first we didn't have a schedule and it was a little bit messy but, I'm glad I shared so much time with my project partner; it was nice having someone in the same situation. First month Once the schedule was set, we had to adjust not only to the work but also to the people we shared the time with. As all the services are done with local people, at first it was difficult the communication as I had no words in Italian, but I was gladly surprised to find out my will of talking and sharing was lovely appreciated and corresponded, I found out the language barrier was a challenge but i wasn’t fighting it alone. My birthday arrived eventually an...

From Europe to Jesi

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