HandsAcross Europe N E W S L E T T E R IES Ben Gabirol Edition.
nº2 May 2006
Vo lu nt ar y wo r k Most of the students interviewed highlight the importance of having a personal commitment to voluntary work. They think this sort of activity is highly rewarding. Helping others - whoever they are – turns one into a better person. There is so much to do and so many people in need. These are the questions we have asked them: 1. Are you or have you ever been involved in any voluntary work? 2. Why did you become involved in this work? 3. How do other people benefit from doing your voluntary work? 4. In what ways have you benefited from doing your voluntary work? 5. How would you encourage others to become involved in voluntary work?
1
st
Alicia Montoya, 19 course Social Integration
Denis Berdugo, 23 1 course Socio-Cultural Forms of Entertainment st
Patricia Sedano, 20 1st course Social Integration
I have been 1. Yes, as a guide for blind 1. Yes, working for the Red people in a natural Cross. I have been environment. teaching immigrants about social abilities and job opportunities. 1. Yes, I am. On the last Sunday of each month I go to the Children´s Hospital and take part in several activities, such as telling tales and making figures with balloons.
2. It is important to work for the others and be useful for our community.
3. They learn how to become integrated into 2. I tried to learn about a way the community. of life which was different 2. I think it is very hard for 4. You feel good. You also from mine. children to stay in hospital. feel that you become a That’s the reason why it is 3. They get to know the better person. important to cheer them up natural parks with the help 5. By telling others about while they’re there. Happiness of a guide. your personal ought to be a basic aspect at 4. You feel good as soon as experience. this stage of their lives. you realize how much the 3. The kids love playing, laughing others enjoy themselves. and daydreaming. Their parents 5. You tell them how are very grateful for our help. gratifying it is on a 4. As you arrive there, you are personal level and how very nervous. As soon as you much you can develop start, you feel much better and your own capabilities. more relaxed. It is then when you realize how important it is to make children laugh. 5. I would tell them to come with me. As soon as they see how it works, I am sure they’ll become involved in other activities.
2-
2
n d
Issue
Hands Across Europe
NEWSLETTER
Introduction: Parents’ interviews show that their main motivation to get involved in different types of voluntary work is similar: they feel the need to help those who are going through hard time. Also this work fills their lives in a special way and makes them feel rewarded and satisfied with themselves. Reme Navarro: Alicia Llopis: She’s 35 years She’s 40 years old. She’s a old. She’s an businesswoman, and has one son. English teacher, Question: Are you or have you and has one son. ever been involved in any voluntary work? Question: Are you Answer: Yes. I colaborate as a or have you ever been involved in any voluntary interpreter for foreign voluntary work? patients through the association Answer: Yes, I have. I have been a A.I.V.I. volunteer for the Red Cross for five years. I have collaborated in blood donation Q. Why did you become involved in this work? campaigns, in selling lottery tickets to help A. My father, who is French, became ill and was taken the poor and children whose parents are in into hospital so I became his personal translator. This prison and have also worked at an Oncology situation made me realize this solidary gesture is Unit. worthwhile. Q. Why did you become involved in this Q. How do other people benefit from doing your work? voluntary work? A. My spirit of collaboration with society. A. I act as an interpreter between the doctor and the patient when they can´t communicate in Spanish. The Q. How do other people benefit from patient feels more confident when they can make doing your voluntary work? themselves understood and when they can be A. They can have somebody to talk to, get dignosed in their own language. money for their basic needs or receive blood transfusions. They also have moral support Q. In what ways have you benefited from doing which is so important when you are ill. your voluntary work? A. Being a foreigner myself, I would also like, in case Q. In what ways have you benefited I were taken ill to hospital and couldn´t speak from doing your voluntary work? Spanish, that there were someone there to help me. I A. The big satisfaction of helping others. personally feel rewarded just by thinking about the people I help. Q. How would you encourage others to become involved in voluntary work? Q. How would you encourage others to become A. It’s a personal response, and although involved in voluntary work? you can always urge people to help through A. People who can speak foreign languages, or simply campaigns, it will always depends on each want to help those in need, will always be welcomed one of us and our solidary attitude. by solidary associations and they will be of great help for those who are going through hard times. Students who have colaborated in the Newsletter:
Eugenia Santana Lucía Sánchez Andrea Suárez
Eva Peñuela Vanessa Salazar
Hands Across Europe NEWSLETTER 2nd Issue Most teachers involved in voluntary work associations helping the environment, disabled children or undeveloped countries, state that they feel rewarded and happy by bringing hope and help to those people in need or by simply looking at their grateful faces. 3-
VOLUNTARY WORK QUESTIONS
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Are you or have you ever been involved in any voluntary work? Why did you become involved in this work? How do other people benefit from doing your voluntary work? In what ways have you benefited from doing your voluntary work? How would you encourage others to become involved in voluntary work?
Miguel Ángel Moya (Physical Education teacher at Ben Gabirol)
1. When I was at university, I collaborated with E.D.N.A., I helped children who suffered from Down Syndrome. At the moment I collaborate with a N.G.O. called ‘Friends of Anzaldo’. I have been three times in Bolivia giving courses and carrying out various projects. I have been in Tunisia too collaborating with’ International Cooperation’.
Emilia Díaz (Psychologist teacher at Ben Gabirol)
1. Yes, I participate in projects with various parents associations. I act as the coordinator of those projects done in a special school for deaf children. I also participate in the workshops with them. 2. I’m specially interested in working with disabled kids and help them, but I also learn a lot of things from them.
2. It’s my way of helping people who need it and it makes me feel good. I like it. I enjoy the 3. Parents have economic benefits since feeling. they save money to buy materials. Children 3. Well, there’s the help they get that improves develop their language and they can mix the other children. their situation but I must say that by sharing that with experience with that people I take advantage 4. I receive big, personal satisfaction, I feel culturally and personally too. useful and I learn a lot. 4. By collaborating in those activities I grow as person, I learn to value the things that are really 5. I would try to convince them saying how important it is to help people who need it important in life. and how well they would feel after doing it. 5. I think that real happiness happens when we do things for pleasure, without looking for a tangible goal. By Collaborating in that way you can find bits of happiness. STUDENTS FROM 1º BCA WHO HAVE COLLABORATED IN THE NEWSLETTER Mónica Bueno Camila Carlomagno Tamara Jiménez Raquel Navas Diego Núñez Nicolás Arriaza Alberto Cazorla
Virginia Fernández José Gómez Godoy Adrián Peña Gema Pérez Carlos Ibáñez Manuel García
4-
2
n d
Issue
Hands Across Europe
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
NEWSLETTER
Are you or have you ever been involved in any voluntary work? In what ways have you benefited from doing your voluntary work? Why did you become involved in this work? How do other people benefit from doing your voluntary work? How would you encourage others to become involved in voluntary work? Interviewee: Interviewee: Jose Antonio Interviewee: Rafael Jorge GilPeter Field Reina Félez (Government employee, (teacher of (Biology Cultural Activities Departament) English) 57 teacher) 47 44 years old (Two sons). years old, years old. (two 1. Yes, I have worked with the daughters). Red Cross, Caritas, giving Yes, I do. When I was younger free meals to homeless I volunteered to collect food people and as a natural 1. For 2 years until last March I for old people. I also took care environmental worker. went one afternoon a week to of old people in hospital 2. I wanted to meet other a hospital in Málaga to through an NGO. At present, I people and to know other interpret for patients who collect food and school cultures. I also wanted to could not speak Spanish. material and am involved in know their problems and try 2. A colleague at work was a activities related to the to help them. member of the association of protection of the environment. 3. They have free help and we volunteers at the hospital, and Helping others gives you work even better than a I decided to offer my services satisfaction. About the professional worker would do, as I had free time and the environment thing, it has to because we do it because we activity seemed a direct way do with my own speciality as a want, for free. of assisting people in a difficult biologist 4. I have been benefited in the situation. I am convinced that my sense that it helps me to 3. Many foreigners constitute a contribution to helping become a better person, considerable percentage of the reducing the damage to the thanks to the help that we patients don’t speak Spanish environment is good for offer. and they are unable to everybody. Food and school 5. I would show them that communicate effectively with material I help to collect is having money is not those members of the hospital good for those people who necessary for being able to staff who speak only Spanish. need it. help people. I would also tell 4. It was very gratifying to help Helping other people who need them that it is much better people unfortunate enough to it is motivating and provides what you feel when you're be both unwell and unable to personal satisfaction. It also doing something voluntarily make themselves understood. contributes to acquiring than the money that a 5. If you can make a experience to continue helping professional contribution, however small, other people more efficiently worker to a worthwhile undertaking, I've been a biology teacher 12 earns. go ahead, but be on your years. I use the experience as guard against associations that a volunteer worker to improve allow the personal interests my work as a teacher and, if I and quirks of individual can say so, set a good members to predominate over example to get my students to and above those of the consider helping too. declared beneficiaries. Interviewers Rocío León Mariscal Betríz Rioboo Ruiz Sonia Gómez Fernández Juan Luis Rodríguez Martín Other teachers involved in Voluntary work at Ben Gabirol