Successful calling for volunteers of 5th WMF (29-09-2005)
VALENCIA - The 5th WMF in Valencia 2006 approaches and organizers have already started the admission procesdure for volunteers, since last Friday.
Some 70 applications had been received through their website in the first 24 hours. Until yesterday the number of applications went into a hundred. So far most volunteers are from the valencian region and some twenty something from other parts of Spain like Murcia, Alabacete, Madrid and Barcelona. The rest are from abroad, like one young girl from Albania.
From today, the organisation of the Meeting is starting the process of recruiting volunteers. Thise who enrol as volunteer can choose the task area they prefer and have experiences in. According to the archdiocesis, the number of volunteer positions has not been set yet. "We don't know how many volunteers we will need, but we know that in Cologne there were 23.000 volunteers participating at the World Youth Day".
The only requirements for volunteering is to be of full age (or over 16-year old with parental authorisation) and to be previously choosen via registration at the website. The selection process will include a first personal interview to assign each volunteer the most suitable task area. Later, the admitted volunteers will have to attend a four-hour training course about general contents and a specific ones within their task area.
Those tasks include actions such as taking care of the paticipating families, the greeting of visitors at train stations, the port and airport, or to guide them around certain areas of the city. Some others will need to do translating and interpreting, as well as escorting the authorities and participants throughout the different events.
The possibility of resignation is mentioned within the rights and responsibilities of volunteers, and also to be active, well mannered and respectful in their work.
From today a forum for volunteers has been added to the website of WMF, where interested people can interchange their information and opinions about the Meeting and exchange their experiences or submit questions regarding volunteering.