Recruiter after hours. How does volunteering affect my life?

"I learned a lot from the people I met" - says without hesitation Magdalena Mokrogulska, ALTEN Recruitment Specialist, who has been a volunteer at MISEVI Poland for many years now. The desire to help others led Magda all the way to Madagascar. It was there that she could see how the Organization brings together young people who believe that the world can be changed, in a real way supporting those who need help most.

Has volunteering always been important to you?

Volunteering is a broad concept. In my opinion, it can be any activity we do voluntarily for someone, even the smallest one. I think that the middle school period was the time of my involvement in volunteering from the so-called formal definition. We organized classes in the Care Home in my hometown. With time, my plans and actions started to reach further.

How the story began?

By taking part in another volunteer work, in the Academy of the Future. My coordinator was just getting ready to go on a mission with this organization. And since I have been interested in the mission, humanitarian and development aid for years, I really wanted to learn more. As a result, I have been working there for almost 4 years.

What is the purpose of your work?

MISEVI is the Association of Lay Missionaries of St. Vincent a Paulo. We are part of it, creating three branches in Poland. We are based in Warsaw, Bydgoszcz and Cracow - where I operate. Currently we are jointly implementing educational and medical projects in Madagascar and Ukraine. Let me quote the definition of our Association, which was once given by the head of the Warsaw branch, Rafa? -

MISEVI are people united around the idea of helping the needy: the poor, the marginalised, those who were less fortunate in life.

Everyday life of such an organization is …

We try to act like turquoise organizations. We share common goals that we want to achieve. We have a board of directors, an audit committee, regular and supporting members, as well as volunteers. Everyone can get involved and have a real impact on the initiatives undertaken. Currently, the situation with COVID19 has limited us a little, most of our activities are undertaken remotely, our missions had to change their character. Recently, volunteers working in Madagascar have returned with a long delay. At this point in time, we are not sure when we will be able to continue our activities there actively, not only remotely organizing fundraising for specific projects.

How do you prepare your volunteers?

The issue of preparation is very individual and takes time. It involves the preparation of substantive aspects, practice, training, language courses and getting to know each other. We know from experience that teamwork is better if we know each other well, and most importantly, if we know ourselves well. Every volunteer who wants to go to a missionary institution has to meet certain criteria required by the country, and his/her competence/experience must match the needs of the mission. We provide training e.g. in advanced first aid, we prepare the volunteer for what may happen to him/her on the mission, but some aspects must be compatible. If we need people with practical experience in the medical field, they must have it.

Is it hard to become one of you?

Simply write to [email protected] or [email protected]. We are open to people, to everyone. I will add that age does not matter. When it comes to missionary trips, we are now mainly focused on people with medical experience, physiotherapy- it has been our apple of the eye for last several years.

Can you tell us what your first trip to Madagascar looked like?

I mainly conducted classes together with Malagasy volunteers for children of all ages, from art and maths classes to writing classes. The first thing I felt when we arrived at our destination was that I had already been here before. I had no problem with acclimatization. I got used to cockroaches, spiders, dirt and eating rice every day. At first, it wasn't easy to communicate with the local community, I had a language deficiency. The children on the spot taught me a lot and gave me the courage to not be afraid to speak their language.

Was there a situation that you remember most?

There were many situations, some serious, some less. The biggest gift for the instructor is the noticeable effects of children's learning. Suddenly a child who couldn't hold a pencil in his hand now writes and even can improve himself. Sometimes we wait for such effects for a very long time, so we do not always have the opportunity to experience them personally.

Volunteering also means collecting different experiences - which are the most important for you?

I learned a lot from the people I met. I've seen a lot, but it's just a piece of what the world hides. Volunteering every day makes me realize what is important in life and what makes me happy. The subject of humanitarian and development aid is very important to me. Thanks to volunteering I was able to broaden my experience in this area and gain knowledge that I used in my master's thesis.

Do you think anyone can become a volunteer?

Of course. But it is important to find an area that is important to us. At some training, we were wondering what volunteering actually is. It's not selfless at all, every side gets something, it can even be a smile.

Volunteering in Poland is…?

Volunteering in Poland offers great opportunities, everyone will find something for himself. I do not want to advertise anything here, I encourage you to look for activities related to your own passions and interests.

There are many needs in Poland and abroad, so the number of organizations willing to accept volunteers is large. Some do not even officially advertise. It is simply worthwhile to look for longer, not even looking for the big organisations, but for the smallest ones that do not actively promote volunteering.

What would you say to encourage others?

I could say that I recommend any form of volunteering to everyone, but that's not the point. Something must first be born inside our hearts to do so. Let's not forget - volunteering is a responsibility, if we get involved in something, we do it in 100%.

In my opinion, the simplest and most grateful form of "volunteering" is simply human kindness and smile, or willingness to talk to a lonely person. Sometimes someone on the street catches us - don't be afraid to listen to him, it can change a lot.

If you have read to this place, I cordially invite you to watch two films showing our work in Madagascar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWPv28HXB5Q Physiotherapy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfbhAAKS8yE Generally

Interviewed by Paulina Kleszczewska Marketing & Employer Branding Specialist ALTEN Poland