Caritas India has harnessed the potential of volunteering as a dynamic and pragmatic means of reaching the most marginalized communities. Positioned as a cornerstone within Caritas India’s Key Strategic Pillars, volunteerism exemplifies a people-centric avenue for driving social change and holistic development. Underpinning this ethos is the EMPOWER approach, a strategic framework that encourages surge capacities through formal volunteer enrollment, strategic mapping, comprehensive capacity enhancement, and meticulous management tactics. These volunteers stand poised as the first line of defence in the face of emergencies.

In a strategic move, Caritas India planned a comprehensive two-day training program on Volunteer Management as part of EMPOWER Asia II program, in partnership with CRS. The program, meticulously designed, sought to equip organizations with the tools to construct robust volunteer management systems, complete with well-defined engagement protocols, volunteer management policies, and operational guidelines. This training aimed to instil a profound comprehension of the framework for effective volunteer management, facilitating seamless volunteer enrollment, dynamic engagement, skills mapping, and resourceful networking.

The training’s inception was marked by a contemplative prayer led by Fr. Mrutyunjay Digal, Director of Catholic Charities. Fr. (Dr.) Paul Moonjely, the Executive Director of Caritas India, inaugurated the event with his articulated speech on the ethos of volunteerism embedded within Caritas and its partner organizations, underlining its pivotal role.

Mr. Anjan Bag, Lead – HADRR in Caritas India, contextualized the training, emphasizing the nuances critical for crafting effective volunteer management policies and guidelines. Ms. Monisha Majumdar then elaborated on EMPOWER Asia’s mandate, spotlighting the system-strengthening efforts with the four partner Development and Social Service Societies (DSSS). She underscored the provision of support to cultivate a pool of volunteers brimming with surge capacities.

The training kick-started with an invigorating ice-breaker session led by Ms. Divya George from Caritas India New Delhi, paving the way for an exploration of the fundamentals of volunteerism. Themes ranged from the essence of a volunteer’s role to the various dimensions of engagement, Caritas India’s focus areas, and the steps to join the ranks as a Caritas Samaritan. Techniques for motivation, retention, recognition, and rewards were also expounded upon.

Co-facilitator Ms. Monisha Majumdar seamlessly connected the dots, anchoring EMPOWER’s vision of cultivating surge capacities through the prism of policy and guidelines for volunteers. The second half of day one delved into Caritas India’s Volunteer Policy, followed by dedicated group sessions where each DSSS outlined their framework, aligning it with their distinct organizational requisites.

Day two commenced with a review of the preceding day, as each group presented their drafted policy components. Ms. George navigated participants through Caritas India’s volunteer portal, facilitating a comprehensive understanding of its practical applications for partner organizations. A subsequent drafting exercise for volunteer guidelines, anchored in the volunteer policy, transpired as organizations collaborated to formulate their individualized drafts.

Deeper discussions followed, exploring topics indispensable for building volunteers’ capacities and assembling a pool brimming with surge capabilities. The training’s aftermath will see each partner organization finalize their drafted policies and guidelines, culminating in the establishment of its tailored volunteer mobilization and retention strategies.

The two-day journey culminated in heartfelt appreciation, expressed through a comprehensive vote of thanks delivered by Fr. Roy, Director of BSSS, Fr. Amit, Director of KCCSS, and Fr. Mrutyunjay, along with other participants. Their praise was a testament to the sessions’ transparency and the facilitators’ pragmatic expertise. Directors hailed the training as an inspiration to integrate a formal culture of volunteerism, initiating robust volunteer mobilization and retention policies within their operational realms.

The training’s interactive format meticulously teased out insights from participants spanning directors, project staff, and the integral volunteers who enriched the training with their invaluable perspectives.