Spain - Young Italians work as volunteers in Salesian houses

27 March 2018

(ANS - Madrid) - In 2018, there are 30 young Italians fulfilling their civil service in social and leisure projects with the Salesians in Spain. This is an experience that began in Spain in 2003.

On March 7th and 8th, a meeting was held in Seville with the heads of the Italian Universal Civil Service in a Salesian environment. The meeting, organized by the Delegation of Youth Ministry, saw the participation of Chiara Diella, for the Civil Service overseas, and of Fr Giovanni d'Andrea, SDB, President of "Salesians for the Social - SCS / CNOS Federation", and was intended to guide and support the work of those responsible for social projects included in the program for years.

Since 2003, Fr Santi Domínguez, head of the Youth Centers at the National Center for Youth Ministry, is also in charge of the Italian Civil Service; he takes care of the selection of young people who go to work in Salesian centers in Spain and takes part in the various formative moments that these young people carry out in Italy.

"Being able to count on young Italians, who often do not know us, is an experience that enriches us. They enrich our centers with another culture, very similar, but at the same time different, and open us to new experiences. The contact with the Salesians and the Italian leaders is very fluid and enriching," said Fr Domínguez.

Civil Service is a program promoted by the Italian government. It has its roots in the forms of social service that until a few years ago were alternative and obligatory in the event of conscientious objection to military service. After the abolition of compulsory military service, the State continued to allocate resources for the provision of these social services and defined the Civil Service as that activity whose ultimate goal is "the defense of the homeland starting from the values ​​of solidarity, cooperation, civic, social, cultural, environmental and professional education of young people."

The aim of the program is that young Italians between the ages of 18 and 30 voluntarily choose to spend one year of life serving in a social, educational, cultural or other project in their own country or abroad. This program is attended by about 30,000 young people this year, of which about 1,000 are involved in Salesian works throughout Italy, and about thirty in Salesian projects in Spain.

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ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication, the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007.

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