(ANS – Rome – November 2, 2026) – On October 29, 2026, at 7 p.m. Rome time, the Advisory Team of Salesian Missionary Volunteers (SMV) officially presented Best Practices for Salesian Communities Hosting Volunteers, a new practical resource designed to improve the preparation, reception, integration, and support of missionary volunteers in Salesian communities around the world. The online event, held in English, brought together approximately … Continue reading Salesian Missionary Volunteers: New Guidelines for Welcoming and Supporting Volunteers

(ANS – Santiago – October 9, 2026) – The Communications Department of the Multimedia Studio of the St. Gabriel the Archangel Province in Chile (CIL) visited four residential homes in Santiago to document the experiences of volunteers and the families they support. Service, closeness, and support give meaning to Salesian volunteering. To showcase its impact on both those who give their time and those who … Continue reading The Impact of Salesian Volunteering

(ANS – Seville) – The VIDES movement (International Women’s Voluntary Service for Education and Development), an international volunteer organization founded on the initiative of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA), organized its 13th International Congress from Aug. 26–30, 2026, at the FMA house in Sanlúcar la Mayor, near Seville. Participants from Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe devoted their time … Continue reading 13th VIDES International Congress: “Young VIDES Members: Missionaries of Hope and Innovators for Social Justice, Integral Ecology and Digital Communication”

(ANS – Sliema) – Almost 200 leaders and animators from the Malta Vice Province of the Salesians of Don Bosco gathered for a special send-off as they prepare to dedicate their time and energy to summer activities taking place across the various oratories and communities, as well as to volunteer missionary experiences abroad. Every year, many young people generously offer their time as volunteers, accompanying … Continue reading United in Mission: A Send-Off for Young Leaders and Animators

(ANS – Rome) – Two online formation sessions for coordinators of the Salesian Missionary Volunteers (VMS), as well as for those interested in the psychological well-being and mental health of volunteers, were successfully held on May 18 and 19, 2026. The sessions were organized by the Salesian Sectors for Missions and Youth Ministry. The Salesian Missionary Volunteer Service is a broad and diverse experience present … Continue reading The Mental Health of Volunteers: An Asset to Be Safeguarded

(ANS – Rome) – On Saturday, February 7, the first online meeting was held for young Salesian volunteers committed to spreading and implementing the new Ratio through language and formats appropriate to their generation. This initiative follows a twofold approach: on the one hand, to facilitate understanding of the text; on the other, to encourage an attitude of welcome and response by sharing reflections, ideas, … Continue reading Young Salesian Volunteers to Communicate the Ratio in Their Own Languages

(ANS – Cairo) – The Zeitun Oratory is a little piece of paradise in the chaos of Cairo. Its courtyard is small compared to the Salesian oratories in Italy, but it is able to welcome everyone who passes through. From June 30 to July 20, several young Italian volunteers spent three weeks there, sharing the spaces of the Salesian community and providing leadership with Egyptian and … Continue reading From Mission to Life: When Animation Makes People Rediscover Christ in the Yard, In Prayer and Among the Suffering

(ANS – Rome) – Something beautiful continues growing within the Salesian Family: a renewed desire to strengthen and accompany the missionary heart of our young people. Over the past three years, the Salesian Missionary Volunteering (SMV) Advisory Team has been working to create a network among SMV programs and provide accompaniment. Last week, the advisory team met to evaluate the first strategic plan and create a way … Continue reading Called to Be Mission: A Global Movement for Salesian Volunteering

(ANS – Rome) – In a spirit of deep commitment and renewal, we are excited to share with our Salesian family across the globe the ongoing online formation for Salesian Missionary Volunteering (SMV) Directors, a concrete expression of our Congregation’s strategic vision for 2022–2026. Guided by our collective call to “walk with the young” and support our missionary presence in the world, this formation is both a response … Continue reading Strengthening Our Mission: Online Formation for Salesian Missionary Volunteer Directors

(ANS – Rome) – Salesian Missionary Volunteering is a wonderful fruit of the Salesian charism and the opportunities of network and formation are growing. Salesian Missionary Volunteering (SMV) is not just about service—it’s about transformation. Across the globe, young people are stepping forward, answering a call that is bigger than themselves, and becoming part of something extraordinary: a movement of faith, love, and commitment to making the … Continue reading “Join the Mission”: How Salesian Missionary Volunteers Are Changing Lives Worldwide

(ANS – Rome) – In an inspiring display of collaboration and shared vision, the Salesian congregation’s Youth Ministry and Missions sectors have united to foster a robust and dynamic Salesian Missionary Volunteering. This groundbreaking initiative traces its origins to the innovative proposal by three dedicated lay individuals who envisioned a unified effort at the congregational level to promote the spirit of Salesian missionary work. The proposal … Continue reading Youth Ministry and Mission Sectors United in Mission: A Global Vision for Salesian Missionary Volunteering

(ANS – Rome) – The Salesian Missionary Volunteering continues to flourish, with participants deeply engaged in discussions about critical topics and plans to strengthen the program’s impact. In the latest gathering, which spanned four days, attendees delved into essential themes such as identity, formation, accompaniment, and network building. During the third day of the gathering, the focus was on the vital concept of accompaniment. Recognizing the … Continue reading Journey of Service: Reflections on Salesian Missionary Volunteering and Community Empowerment

(ANS – Tijuana) – Kristiñe Azpiazu is a young psychologist who spent three months as a Salesian Missionary Volunteer in several Salesian works in Tijuana, Mexico, on the northern border with the United States. Coming from a Basque Government volunteer program, she joined the international volunteer experience of “Misiones Salesianas” – the Salesian Mission Office based in Madrid – to offer her time and talent to … Continue reading Kristiñe’s Volunteering Experience in Mexico Marked “A Before and After in My Life”