Nearly 200 people from Spain and Latin America attended the 7th San Juan de Dios Volunteer Meeting of the Community of Madrid, held virtually on February 6 at the San Rafael-Nebrija University Center.
Under the motto “When uncertainty makes us grow” they met volunteer coordinators of the eight centers of the Hospitaller Order in Madrid, which has around 650 volunteers per year, to share their experience during these months of the COVID-19 pandemic and recognize their work.
The welcome was given by Brother Juan José Ávila, Delegate of the Superior General and Director of the Juan Ciudad Foundation, who expressed his gratitude in this regard: “My deep gratitude to the volunteers at San Juan de Dios for your generosity. You are the essential ingredient that makes our care more comprehensive every day.”
Gracia Polo, Volunteer Coordinator at the San Juan de Dios Center in Ciempozuelos, introduced the meeting and explained that all of the centers of the Hospitaller Order have suffered the impact of COVID, having to adapt their in-person activities to an online format whenever possible, in addition to making an extra effort to maintain contact and inform them of the situation.
During the event, videos were shown with testimonials from volunteers and their coordinators, showcasing the very different work they do depending on the area each center serves: hospital, social, mental health, disability, seniors, and homeless.
Belén Jiménez, head of the Juan Ciudad NGO Volunteer Program, explained that the situation in impoverished countries has worsened due to the coronavirus pandemic, so it remains urgent to support them. He also explained that international volunteering has had to be transformed into an online collaboration, for now, and open vacancies are in www.juanciudad.org Volunteer section.
Finally he intervened Álvaro MerinoMerino, a coach and expert in human resources who has been involved in training for the San Juan de Dios Volunteer Program for many years, gave a very inspiring masterclass that reinforced some of the values of volunteering, such as motivation, perseverance, respect for differences, and accepting frustration when things don't go exactly as we planned or desired. "Staying calm and knowing when to stop is essential to being able to act appropriately, and the COVID-19 pandemic has brought this to our attention," Merino emphasized.
The video of the VII VSJD Meeting can be seen here on Youtube:
