International Volunteer Day: "an experience of personal growth and discovery"

"I can't remain indifferent to what is not so good," shares Carolina Tomásio, a law student at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa. For the 19-year-old future jurist, doing volunteering is "giving our contribution" and "really taking an active attitude."

"I've always been very empathetic," says the student at the Lisbon School - Law Faculty, adding that she sought, from an early age, to get involved in volunteering actions. But, "no opportunity had yet arisen" to do so on a regular basis and the Católica VIDA Project was the "perfect" occasion.

Now, the Católica student dedicates part of her free time to accompanying children and young people from the Bairro Fonsecas e Calçada, at the Santa Teresa Association, through the "És Capaz" Project. UCP's Service-Learning initiative aims to mentor young people with the potential to attend university but who, under normal conditions, would not be able to make that choice.

"The idea is that we help them with their schoolwork, but we go a bit further also if the children let us and open up to us," explains Carolina. The purpose of this project is to empower young people and "explore their personal interests, which unfortunately, many times, they don't have a family background, or economic conditions that allow it."

An experience she describes as "very gratifying, because the children are already motivated to work just because we are there with them. I think they even give me more than I give them at the end of the day. It's really good", confesses the volunteer.

So good that " I have already recommended" Projeto Vida. "I think it's super organised," she says. The student also highlights the concern of the organization, ensured by the Office of Social Responsibility, at the headquarters of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa, in "building a bridge" between volunteers and the association.

Today, Carolina sees voluntary work as "an experience of personal growth and discovery" that she recommends to everyone. For the young student, the most important thing is the willingness, because "if we want it, it has everything to go well."