Lasallian Volunteers’ Journey: Profile

I took away the fact that I’m not alone and I was also able to reflect on what leadership means for me, so I can go out into my school community with a greater awareness of my strengths and weaknesses, and as a result be able to best serve and work with others.

Overall, the Seminar was seen by the LYM Team to offer a capacity of networking, an increase of Lasallian leadership awareness, and wider relationships amongst Lasallian student leaders and their peers.

On that note, the LYM team hopes to build and strengthen its connections by inviting our Lasallian School leaders from other provinces, such as, Kondiu Secondary School and Holy Trinity Teachers College, to participate in the 2022 National Lasallian Student Leadership Seminar.

On behalf of the LYM Team, I offer my heartfelt thanks to the schools, the families and the students themselves for their commitment in promoting the Lasallian heritage.

This year has seen two young and vibrant Lasallians filling the role of Lasallian Volunteer, namely Vagi David from DLSS and Wynetta Elijah, former student from Jubilee Catholic Secondary School.

It is a very unique and rare opportunity for a young person to graduate right after secondary school education, and walk straight into Volunteering Services.

I sat down with the two National Lasallian Volunteers for a snippet into their minds. And what followed was a very interesting and revealing conversation.

Melinda: So why did you apply to be a

Lasallian Volunteer?

Vagi: I wanted to give my service back to the schools, that gave me the opportunity to discover myself.

Wynetta: I applied to be a LV because this program was in line with my passion. I am very passionate about helping others, and animals too. I’m always at peace when I see others smiling, and it gives me joy to know that someone is happy because of something I’ve done or helped them with.

Melinda: Who inspired you to be a

volunteer?,

Vagi: St John Baptist de La Salle was the person who really inspired me a lot and he is the person I look up to.

Wynetta: Mr Dagia Aka. His modesty, how he portrayed himself during his time as a Youth Minister, really inspired me.

Melinda: How did you apply to be a

volunteer?

Vagi: When the past Volunteers came to my school to talk about the Lasallian Volunteer Program, I took that opportunity to hear what they were saying. It took me no time, and I was the first boy in my school to apply and was selected. Thank God!

Wynetta: The Youth Volunteer in my school did an awareness on this program when I was in grade 12.

Melinda: Where are you providing your ser-

vices?

Vagi:

Wynetta: At Lasalle Technical College. A school located at Hohola not far from Sacred Heart Primary School.

Melinda: What are some of the benefits

that you can take away from this gap year?

Vagi: I could go on with the list but I’ll share only three main ones.

1. Taking a gap year helps me to relax, reflect and rebuild. 2. Taking a gap year helps me to spend more time with friends and families. 3. Taking a gap year helps building my experience, talking to different types of people in the working environment, and outside.

Wynetta: Gaining experience and new skills. Plus, working in a school with educators is an advantage. I have the privilege to sit with the counsel of great people, who equip young people with the tools necessary to develop nations. This gap year, I have gained so much knowledge from working in La Salle.

Melinda: How has the Lasallian youth

program helped you so far?

Vagi: This program has taught me a lot, and also has built me as a person. I learnt how to speak to students with confidence. Most of what I learnt are mentioned above.

Wynetta: I heard about the Youth program when I was in year 9. Dagia Aka, was our youth minister at that time. It wasn’t until I was in year 12 that I learnt about what the program is all about and the type of activities the provided.

Later that day, I asked if they are willing to stay on for another year come 2022.

“I am thinking of staying on for a year or two but that depends on my mum, and the college tuition fee,” said Wynetta.

‘I am still deciding, but right now, I’m enjoying what I am doing’, replied Vagi.

And so the story goes on in every person who enters a Lasallian institute, or experiences a chance encounter with a Lasallian teacher in a non-Lasallian school. This is a wonderful story of living the Lasallian legacy, that hearts may be touched, teaching minds and lives transformed.

Live Jesus In Our Hearts….. Forever.