Bosco Volunteer Action (BOVA) is the overseas volunteering organisation of the Salesians of Don Bosco in the UK, a Catholic Religious order. It offers placements for adults to serve the young and the poor, living and working alongside Salesian communities around the world.
In addition it supports and encourages methods of raising awareness of development issues. This includes short term group experiences of the developing world for groups from schools and sixth forms, working with other groups who have had an ‘experience of poverty’ and instances of development education (justice and peace) within youth ministry.
In all aspects of BOVA’s work there is a particular focus on providing a well-planned educational experience; stimulating, preparing and encouraging a long term involvement with development issues, faith and the Salesian Family (see articles in the Tablet and Universe (on second page) for more information).
Continued involvement is key to the work of BOVA, below you will not only find stories of peoples experiences while on placements, but how their experiences have encouraged them to partake in other projects.
BOVA Website: http://boscovolunteeraction.co.uk
BOVA Resources Page: http://boscovolunteeraction.co.uk/Resources.aspx
Most Recent BOVA Stories
Don Bosco Day in Cebu
Leave Now!
The title may suggest that we arrived at this DBYN seminar in Vienna just to be told to leave, but thankfully not! After 14 or so hours of travelling, I arrived to the Studentenheim Don Bosco to a warm welcome from the Salesian community and the volunteers who had already arrived. The volunteers were getting to know each other with various games involving standing on chairs….it could only be a DBYN seminar!
LEAVE actually stands for ‘lifelong engagement after volunteer experience’. An amazing seminar aimed at young people who have done some voluntary service abroad for 3 months or more. (more…)
Salesians at Greenbelt – My Experience
The journey to Cheltenham began on a Friday afternoon with a long wait in traffic, not the most ideal situation when desperate for the loo but despite this there was much joy and laughter I think this was driven by the feelings of excitement about going to Greenbelt for the first time. I had no idea what to expect and what sort of stuff would be happening, all I knew was that I was going to be part of the Salesian group, that in itself was something I was looking forward to. (more…)
Volunteering Page!
A new section of the website is launched today, a section which hopes to promote the volunteering opportunities that the Salesians have available. The main ways to volunteer with the Salesians of Don Bosco are through BOVA (which offers an overseas volunteering experience) and at Savio House (a year of retreat work). Savio House works closely with Brettargh Holt, the retreat centre of the Salesian sisters, so the opportunity to volunteer at this centre is also advertised. (more…)
Three Islands Meeting
After the success of the 3-Islands meeting in Bollington last year, the Youth Ministry teams of the British, Irish and Maltese Provinces descended upon Maynooth for a weekend of sharing and learning.
The working motif for the weekend was ‘a journey to, in and from the desert’, as in the desert, our questions may not have answers, but it is a place where we can search and explore our questions. (more…)
