Coordinators of Province Volunteering

From the 25 to the 30 of November, approximately 40 Brothers and Laity will participate in the first World Assembly of the Coordinators of Province Volunteering (CPVs).  During this encounter, the Network of the CPVs was inaugurated.  The encounter was organized by the Department of Collaboration for Mission, International (CMI) and Br. Luis Carlos Gutierrez, the Vicar General and Br. Oscar Martin, General Councilor were present; Br. Ernesto Sánchez, Superior General inaugurated the first day of this act.    

In speaking about the importance of the Network CPVs Br. Luis Carlos emphasized, “The multiplication of gestures and lived experiences of humaneness is the great opportunity of this Network so it will take the Good News and the dignity to many corners of our world and to many peripheries”.  In addition, on the encounter, the languages to construct bridges and be lighthouses or beacons of hope.  It was an extraordinary week and extraordinary people!” 

“Our encounter of Coordinators of Province Volunteering has been a very positive experience to construct Nets.  It has helped us to know one another, to exchange, to create bonds of union and synergies.  In addition, it has led us to the concrete creation of this Network of Coordinators of Volunteers, a good news for the Global Family.  It is the time for gratitude and at the same time a challenge to continue walking and knitting nets” expressed Br. Oscar.

“The first meeting of CPVs was an arrival point and a point of departure.  Arrival because we have gathered what was learnt and the fruits of the road covered.  Of departure, because with the creation of the Net of CPVs better coordinated and articulated processes become possible”, said Br. Valdicer Fachi, Director of CMI.  We reaffirm that the Volunteer movement contributes to the construction of a culture of solidarity and to the construction of a Global Family”.      

The Network of CPVs

The Network of Coordinators of Province Volunteering of the Marist Institute is international, and responds to the need to unite efforts on the path of the Inter-Provincial Volunteer Movement, by sharing good practices, improving the processes and unifying the language and the methodologies, to send Volunteers as well as to receive them.  This Network seeks to contribute, in a more effective way, in the construction of a culture of solidarity and of encounter, in favor of those in greater need and who are excluded.

This Network, which collaborates with the development of a Global Charismatic Family, has the following objectives: 

• Foster and promote and give impulse to the inter-provincial and Provincial Volunteer Movement in   the Administrative Units of the Institute.
• Provide the CPVs a broad vision of the Marist life and mission, helping them to develop an international mentality and to have global availability.
• Create convergence regarding language, vision and procedures.
• Share materials, experiences and good practices.
• Assure promotion, diffusion and the value of the Volunteer Movement in the Institute.
• Work in synergy and collaboration with the Marist Organizations involved with the Volunteer Movement.

The Coordinators of Province Volunteering formally indicated by the Superiors of the Administrative Units, form part of the Network. The link General Councilors of CMI, the Director and the Assistant of CMI, and the Director of the Secretariat of Solidarity also integrate the Network.  A representative of the System NEXUS will also be invited.  

The coordination and functioning of the Network will be carried out through a General Assembly and a Management Council. 

The General Assembly is the organ charged in making decisions.  All the members form it and meets once every two years, the members being present.    

The Management Council, in charge of the coordination of the Network is formed by:

• 1 CPV (Brother or Lay) from each Region indicated by the Regional Conference of Provincials for a three-year period, which can be renewed
• Director of the Secretariat of Solidarity
• Members of the Department CMI  
• The link Councillors of CMI

The Management Council will meet once a year to evaluate and plan the progress.  Its principal activities are:

• To implement the Strategic Plan or Lines of Action prepared from the orientations given by the General Assembly.
• To organize and coordinate the activities in the continents, at interprovincial level.
• To facilitate the response of the Network before emergency situations.   

The goal of the Networkfor the next 2 years:

For the future, the Network of CPVs has programed to produce the following themes:

• The creation of modules of formation of Volunteers according to the duration of the Volunteer experience (a module for a long-term experience and another one for a short term). 
• The foresight of an adequate orientation (discernment of the motivation and adequate information on the culture of the place where the experience will take place) for the accompanying of the Volunteers.   
• Creation of institutional materials used for the communication and promotion of the Volunteer Movement.   
• Updating of the platform of the management of the Volunteer Movement, Nexus, so that it will be a system more directed to the process “easy to use” – according to the last recent normative – and so that the data will be more exact.   
• Compilation of the good practices and the publication, in virtual manner, or through the creation of a space in Nexus.
• The creation of a fund destined for the Volunteer Movement (the Institution creates it and then there will be selection where it is directed) in order to find financial resources necessary to favor the mobility of the Volunteers.

List of the participants in the Plenary Assembly of CPVs