Volunteerism is the Backbone of Caritas Manila
Through Volunteerism, Caritas Manila is able to implement its programs efficiently and cost-effectively.
The Institute for Servant Leadership and Stewardship or ISLaS, is the volunteer management and formation program of Caritas Manila. It currently mobilizes around 6,000 volunteers in the Archdiocese of Manila and other partner dioceses nationwide.
With Jesus as a model of Servant Leadership, parish-based leaders and volunteers undergo continuous training and values formation that mold them to become committed servant leaders of Caritas Manila.
4 Key Components
1. Organization
- Volunteer Recruitment:
ISLaS conducts archdiocese-wide recruitment annually during the six Alay Kapwa Sundays of Lent across 81 participating parishes in the Archdiocese of Manila. - Community Family Partner (CFP) Clustering:
Volunteers conduct community mapping to identify urban poor families who may qualify as Community Family Partners (CFPs) of Caritas Manila. Identified CFPs are provided with red booklets that grant them access to Caritas Manila’s services (e.g., clinical services, medical assistance, burial assistance). - Strategic Partnerships:
ISLaS collaborates with local and international organizations to strengthen volunteer management and formation initiatives.
2. Formation
- Volunteer Formation and Training:
Volunteers undergo monthly spiritual and leadership formation, complemented by skills-based training. - Technical Working Core (TWC):
The Technical Working Core is composed of formators who develop and refine Caritas formation modules and lead training sessions. The TWC is represented by one to two Core Formators per vicariate and serves as the ISLaS “Formation Think Tank.” Members help develop and enhance formation modules and materials. TWC meetings are conducted monthly to assess, monitor, and evaluate the formation component in each vicariate.
3. Operations
Volunteers are deployed based on their strengths and interests to serve in various Caritas programs at the parish and community levels.
4. Resource Mobilization
Volunteer hours are consolidated monthly based on the activities in which volunteers participate. The monetary (peso) value of the generated volunteer hours is computed to assess the efficiency and sustainability of maintaining a broad base of active volunteers in implementing Caritas Manila programs.