10 FAQs on International Volunteer Day

Volunteers:

Rui Loureiro, 19 years old, community shaper at team Norte

It is through the group ?Rebeldes Por Uma Causa? (youth volunteer project of CLDS 3G ?Albergaria IntegraT?) that participates in several volunteer projects, such as supporting homeless people in Lisbon, supporting victims of the 2017 fires in Figueiró dos Vinhos or supporting institutions in Albergaria-a-Velha.< /p>

Catarina Caetano, 22 years old, community shaper on the Porto Omega team.
Attends the Masters in Contract and Company Law at the Law School of the University of Minho.

Made volumeregular diary through a project developed by AEFDUP, in which, for 2 years, he spent one afternoon a week at the Cedofeita Day Center developing activities with the elderly. She has played with a band at many social fundraising events and volunteered at Serve the City community dinners.

Pedro Cruz Silvestre, 21 years old, currently Growth Project Manager.
Attends the Master's degree in Production Management on the Mechanical Engineering course at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto.

Currently undertaking a mobility program, he lives and studies in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He saw this experience as an opportunity to help with the country's development and became a volunteer in education and teaching projects with children with dysfunctional family conditions and in house and school construction projects.

Mariana Martins Pacheco, 19 years old, community shaper on the Porto Omega team.
Attends a degree in Management at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Porto.

She volunteers weekly at Lar Nossa Senhora da Misericórdia with the elderly, and volunteers at the Make-a-Wish organization that makes wishes come true to sick children and volunteers at ContuMilSonhos, a project with children from a social neighborhood.

10 FAQ ? Frequently Asked Questions that any volunteer has heard:

1. When did you start volunteering?

I would venture to say that the majority of people who do social volunteering regularly had their first experience as a volunteer when they were still very young, in fundraisers or event organizations(hmm, now that you think about it, you were one of those volunteers too, right?)

The idea that ?the course alone is not enough? is already well-rooted and, as such, when we enter higher education There are countless opportunities available to us to volunteer in the community.

«The desire to volunteer arose since I was in high school, however due to a lack of knowledge of activities that there were in my municipality I only started volunteering when I entered university. Through an AEFEP project ? ?FEP to Help? ? I started volunteering at Lar de Nossa Senhora da Misericórdia.? ? Mariana

«The most memorable experience was at the college where I participated in Missão País. Over the course of a week in Meda , I visited elderly people who live alone, children in need and I was part of the group that rehearsed a theater as a ?gift? for the entire city. It was a joy at the end of a week to have friends from 1 to 103 years old. Truly unforgettable, I would come back today.» ? Pedro

2. What does volunteering mean to you?

«It is being able to be change, to be someone with the power and the will to make the Another day is lighter, happier. Sometimes it involves being able to leave our comfort zone, paying attention to the different realities that surround us and wanting to make a difference in them.» ? Catarina< /p>

3. Is it easy to find time to volunteer?

«Yes, it's easy! There are several ways to volunteer, not all of them have to be daily or weekly. Therefore, even a very busy person can give a little of themselves to any volunteering project.» ? Mariana

For Catarina, «the essential thing is to have the desire to» and Pedro rightly tells us that «we all have the same 24 hours a day», if so many volunteers can find the time, we can all do it. It's just a matter of defining priorities and «being able to manage your free time well», as Rui says.

4. Do you think the work you do as a volunteer is useful?

«I have not the slightest doubt that no matter how small my impact may have been on the lives of people, contributes to something. Sometimes we are unaware of the impact we can have on someone's life, and just the fact that we let people know that someone cares, that someone is there, is enough to change a life.» ? Catarina

5. Do you feel that volunteering helps you?

«In addition to basic soft skills such as a sense of ethics, responsibility, communication skills, organization, among others» (Mariana), «volunteering ends up being not only an added value for those who benefit from it, but also for the volunteers themselves, as they learn and you grow a lot with this type of experience» (Catarina).

6. Has your experience as a volunteer influenced any decisions you have had to make?

«Yes. I became an even more active member of society and, the next thing I knew, I was involved in even more projects with an effect on improving the quality of life and well-being of those around me.» ? Rui

«I changed my opinion about many things at the expense of experiences I experienced, experiences that end up make me sometimes able to look at things with different eyes.» ? Catarina

7. Does the volunteer work you have already done have an impact on your professional goals?

«Almost 2 and a half years after I started doing social volunteering regularly, I am sure that the my future job will have to be in an organization that is concerned with improving the living conditions of each person and, in every decision I have to make, volunteering will weigh in and, whatever is within my power, I will do in order to improve life of all those who are directly or indirectly affected by me or my actions.» ? Rui

Also Mariana, Catarina and Pedro agree with Rui: the company, organization or project in which they work must always have social and environmental responsibility as one of its principles and the objective of pursuing humanitarian well-being and the progress of societies.

8. What would you say to those who don't see volunteering in a positive light?

«If you haven't tried it yet, I say give it a try. If you tried it and didn't like it, I say try another organization. If you've already tried two, I tell you to leave the house and go to a home alone, spend a day or go to a shelter to meet the children who live there.
Volunteering is and should be free, it comes from each person. It is not minted on a coin or any material representation. Yes, it is enshrined in our hearts.» ? Pedro

«Only those who have tried volunteering know the true reward that comes from volunteering.» ? Rui

«It is true that if we do everything for free, people/organizations take advantage and dismiss certain employees . However, there are certain causes in which money is so necessary for essential things, such as food, that later the money would not be enough to pay the collaborators and these causes would cease to exist. Furthermore, people cannot always do things in exchange for monetary rewards, because volunteering may not give money, but it gives even more important things!» ? Mariana

«Of all the times I've volunteered, there isn't a day that goes by that I haven't arrived home heart full, and there is no better feeling in the world than that.» ? Catarina

9. I want to volunteer, but I don't know how to start... What should I do?

1st «Think about what moves you most, the cause that drives you most. restless ? Animals? Children? Elderly? Sick? Social inequality? Environment? What is it?» ? Pedro

2nd «Find out about organizations that may interest you or with which may have a greater connection.» ? Catarina

3rd «Do a brief search on the internet about the various types of volunteering and they easily find out how and where to do it.» ? Mariana

«There are several organizations that promote volunteering activities. Many of them are already organized and ready to welcome new members! There are also volunteer groups linked to Municipalities or higher education institutions and, as a last resort, you can contact institutions in your area directly!» ? Rui

10. Is there any situation that you have experienced as a volunteer that has impacted you the most?

«A few years ago, I had the opportunity to sing at a Christmas party organized by an association that hosts children and young people at risk or with disabilities. After the entertainment, I was able to spend some time with the children and young people there. Out of nowhere, a girl who couldn't have been more than 10 years old came up to me, hugged me, smiled at me and held my hand until I left. He didn't say anything to me, but he didn't need to either, the gestures spoke for themselves. It remains, to this day, one of the most beautiful and genuine moments I?ve had the luck to experience.? ? Catarina

«Once I went to Lisbon to volunteer with ACA ? Associação Conversa Amiga with people in homeless situation, I had the experience that impacted me the most and left me most emotional. The objective was to distribute cups of tea and chat for a while. There were both couples and single people, young and old, men and women, white and black. There was talk about football, in fact it was game night, politics and tourism. I was surprised by the number of people who approached us and said ?Are you from Conversa Amiga? I'd like to talk a little.?» ? Rui

Is today your day too? Share your experience with us! :)

Think social, change the rules!

Rafaela de Melo

P.S.1: A big thank you to these 4 volunteers who made themselves available through a long interview. I apologize for the impossibility of publishing them in full. Congratulations on the work you have done, the world is better with you!

P.S.2: A special thank you also to my friend Bárbara Tavares who voluntarily edited the photographs.