3472 26th International Young Volunteers Program (SIYV)
austraLasia #3472

 
26th International Young Volunteers Program (SIYV)
off to Darkhan, Mongolia

SEOUL (Korea) and DARKHAN (Mongolia): July 23, 2014 --  On July 20, 2014, 32 young volunteers and Salesian leaders left Seoul for Darkhan, Mongolia, for the 2014 short-term summer volunteer program. The departure followed a Mass celebrated at the Provincial House in Seoul by Fr Timothy Choi, provincial secretary and the program manager for this Salesian International Youth Volunteer (SIYV) edition. The team will receive hospitality at Don Bosco Center at Darkhan until August 2. This has been the location also on earlier occasions for the volunteer programs managed by Fr Simon Lee, a missionary from Korea.

This 26th SIYV team involves 32 people, 27 of whom are young volunteers (18 male and 9 female), as well as 3 SDBs (Overall Director: Fr Michael Chang, Director: Fr Timothy Choi, Assistant: Deacon Leo Beyn) and 2 lay female collaborators, one who works at the mission office in Seoul and the other, a mother who looks after catering arrangements for the volunteers.

“I would like to emphasize three important things regarding our volunteer program. The Salesian volunteer program is a way of sharing which keeps the value of attraction in mind. One of the current team members is now involved for the third time in this volunteer program - sufficient proof to see how much the program touches the life of a young person. Secondly our all SIYV activities take place within our mission planning. Thus, a stable and well-prepared program is awaiting you. Thirdly, you will experience a deep exchange and sharing with local young people. If we succeed in authentic sharing with the young in Mongolia, investing our time as well as our material goods,  they too will be able to see the world with hopes and dreams such as we have, and they could dream of sharing what they have with the world” Fr Michael Chang, overall director of the SIYV and mission procure, urged the young volunteers in his homily.

There are two SIYV programs each year; one is in the summer vacation and the other in winter. For the summer season they prefer to go to Mongolia or northern China where it is not too hot. The winter program instead is directed to the southern parts of the EAO Region, such as PNG or Cambodia. In both cases they are short two week programs which take advantage of the Korean school holiday periods.