Cachoeira do Campo (Brazil). From 28 to 30 June 2024, at the NS Auxiliadora – INSA Institute, a social work in Cachoeira do Campo, in the district of Ouro Preto/MG, there was a formation camp for VIDES volunteers, organized by Mother Mazzarello Province (BMM).
The event brought together more than 50 volunteers from different regions of the Province, including Campos dos Goytacazes (RJ), Rio das Ostras (RJ), Alegre (ES), Uberlândia (MG), Ponte Nova (MG), São João del Rei (MG), and Belo Horizonte (MG).
In addition to the recreational moments characteristic of the Salesian meetings, the participants dived into issues essential for formation in volunteering. Topics were discussed such as: “The meaning and challenges of volunteering in the context of VIDES”, “The potential of educational volunteering”, “The Don Bosco Preventive System”, “Self-care”, “The local reality and public policies”, “Human rights and citizenship”, “Integral ecology”, in addition to group work methodologies.
During the event, the volunteers had the opportunity to collaborate directly with the local community through an afternoon of activities with the students of the Social Work and their families. These activities included games, home visits, and a practical workshop on the production of homemade bread, aimed not only at having an economic gain, but also to promote the mental well-being of the mothers involved.
The three days were characterized by an intense interaction between the participants, which allowed them to learn in a meaningful way, enrich the sharing of experiences, and build deep ties. The initiative strengthened the commitment of the volunteers in spreading the values of solidarity and the common good, inspiring others to join the VIDES volunteer association, a valid and meaningful life experience to contribute, according to the Salesian style, to a more just and humane world.
