After the initial reception of applications in Rome for the projects, and after the approval by the competent offices, a new phase of this initiative is now being carried out, in force since 2002, which involves young Italians in the projects carried out in Salesian presences in two Salesian Provinces in Spain: Mary Help of Christians (SMX), based in Seville, and St James the Greater (SSM), based in Madrid.
The Civil Service is a program of the Italian government that promotes the culture of volunteering, solidarity, social inclusion and help for the weakest, which has its roots in the former social service replacing military service. The aim of the project is for young Italians between the ages of 18 and 28to choose to dedicate a year of their lives on a voluntry basis to working on a social, educational, cultural or other project in their own country or abroad. The program involves 30,000 young people, 5,000 of whom participate abroad, of whom about 1,000 work in various Salesian works in different parts of the world.
In this academic year 2023-2024, 20 Italian volunteers will be accepted to carry out socio-educational work in Salesian houses in SMX: they will do so in collaboration with the volunteers and workers in the following Salesian communities: the Don Bosco Foundation (Jaén) - the Don Bosco Foundation (Córdoba), Sagrado Corazón (Antequera), San Rafael (San José del Valle), Jesús Obrero (Seville) and uestra Señora del Carmen (Utrera).
In the SSM Province, under the coordination of the Province's Youth Ministry Delegation, the project is carried out continuously in youth centres in Valladolid, León, Villamuriel de Cerrato, Ourense, Santiago de Compostela, Vigo and La Coruña; and this year some young people will also be involved in projects managed by the Juan Soñador Foundation in Galicia. In total, the SSM Province will welcome 30 Italian volunteers.
Fr Santi Domínguez, who has been coordinating this project since 2002 on behalf of the Salesians in Spain – the counterpart in Italy is Salesians for Social APS - SCS/CNOS Federation – also took part in the formation together with the Italian team that develops the Italian Civil Service project, and reported on the many issues addressed: methodology and planning, Salesian identity, Preventive System, communication, emotion management, intercultural dialogue, conflict management, team integration and social skills.
To learn more about the Italian Civil Service in Salesian presences in Spain, visit salesianos.info
https://www.infoans.org/en/sections/news/item/19031-spain-young-italians-have-an-experience-of-volunteering-and-solidarity#sigProId4c1e70b311
