On Saturday, October 21, the V VOLSJDMAD MEETING (Volunteering of San Juan de Dios de Madrid), this time with the title Breaking Barriers: âStigmas and Prejudices in Mental Health.â This meeting brought together nearly 100 volunteers and addressed the stigma and discrimination faced by people with mental health disorders and the role that volunteers play in overcoming these stigmas and promoting human rights.
This meeting was attended by volunteers from the San Juan de Dios centers in the Community of Madrid, as well as a group representing the Castile and LeĂłn branch of Juan Ciudad NGO, who traveled to the capital for the occasion.
In the photo, the volunteers from Juan Ciudad NGO. From right to left: Almudena GonzĂĄlez, Cristina Alonso, Celestino Herranz, Erica Caballero, Cristina Suarez, MÂȘ JesĂșs Lozano, and BelĂ©n JimĂ©nez.
The opening ceremony was led by Brother Juliån Sånchez Bravo, Director of the Juan Ciudad Foundation, the Superior of the Center, Brother Calixto Plumed, and Mrs. Elvira Conde Reina, Manager of the Nuestra Señora de la Paz Clinic.
After welcoming the volunteers, the training proposal documentation was distributed. It included topics such as understanding the reality of people suffering from a mental disorder, reflecting on the factors that contribute to stigmatization, and exploring the role volunteers can play in combating mental health stigma. This training was led by Mr. Roberto GarcĂa SĂĄez Del Burgo and Ms. Elisabeth Carrasco.
The online tour of the center followed, and a performance by the percussion group "Tambores Cercanos" brought the final touch to this gathering of volunteers from San Juan de Dios in Madrid.
For the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God, volunteer training is essential for the successful performance of their work, and it is also a rewarding and enriching experience. This training is subsidized by personal income tax.
