Seminar on voluntary work

The Gozo branch of Caritas, in collaboration with the Diocesan Youth Commission, last weekend held a seminar on voluntary work at the Grand Hotel, Mgarr.

Sponsored by Maltacom and Bank of Valletta, the seminar was part of the programme for the Diocesan Year of Diakonia as well as to mark the European Year of Persons with Disabilities.

The aim of the seminar was to give individuals and organisations the opportunity to share their experiences with others while raising awareness and encouraging youths and adults to take up voluntary work.

Representatives of various Church organisations and NGOs participated in the seminar. Bishop Nikol Cauchi spoke about the Christian nature of voluntary work.

Fr Manuel Curmi, director of Caritas Gozo, opened the seminar. Maria Attard, director of Dar Guzeppa Debono, spoke about the social, moral and spiritual poor today and in the past.

Fr Anton Borg, who teaches at the Major Seminary and is counsellor to the Cana Movement discussed the plight of suffering families and individuals. He said the Church has to be conscious of such situations, and while creating social awareness, study the possibility of intervening in them.

He insisted that the government, which is responsible for the needs of society, should not neglect its obligation to give financial assistance to projects organised by the Church and other organisations for the benefit of society.

This was followed by an address and power point presentation regarding the identity of the Christian volunteer today delivered by Stephen C. Vella, who works with Sedqa.

Fr Ray Pace, SJ, concluded the seminar's first day with a discussion on the effects of voluntary work on youngsters. Various clips of Gozitan NGOs were also shown.

The second day was devoted to workshops led by Ronald Sultana, Michael Formosa and Alfred Grech. The workshops focused on the need to teach children the importance of showing solidarity, voluntary work carried out by lay people in parishes, and the contribution of religious organisations. Horace Mercieca led the final workshop on the contribution of the elderly in society especially in voluntary work.

The workshops' conclusions were discussed on the final day. Those present discussed the need for the Church to make better use of economic resources to provide for those with special needs, rather than spending vast sums on village feasts. The need for greater co-ordination of resources and works taking place in organisations that depend on the church was also underlined.

There are plans to set up a federation of Gozo Church NGOs who work with caring institutions.

The contribution of elderly volunteers was also discussed, together with the need for society to look after the elderly. Those who give a valuable contribution should not be discarded simply because they have reached retirement age, and the possibility of raising the retirement age for those who wish to continue working was mentioned.

It was suggested that the government establish an office which would meet the needs of various organisations involved in voluntary work while providing work or services which retired persons would like to offer. NGOs needing particular help could then apply to this office.

It was also proposed that certain events be organised for the elderly and youngsters to provide voluntary work together.

The three-day seminar ended with Mass by Bishop Cauchi for the volunteers present and the blessing of the foundation stone of a new socio-religious complex being built in the parish of Mamurras, Albania.

This has been sent over in a container packed with household goods, food items and other supplies to the Albanian parish where a Gozitan missionary, Fr Manuel Cutajar, is serving.