PHOTO SUPPLIED BY THE ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY

When young people volunteer with the St Vincent de Paul Society – known affectionately in Australia as ‘Vinnies’ – they often do so out of a desire to make a difference and assist those on the margins of our society. They might volunteer because their friends invite them to come along, or perhaps as part of their community service at school. For some, this act of volunteering is a step towards putting their faith into action.

This was the experience of Penny Badwal, who began volunteering with Vinnies as a teenager. Now 24, Penny continues to work with Vinnies and says she sees it as a way of putting her faith into action.

“Australia may seem like a prosperous nation on the surface. But through my work with Vinnies, I have seen that many people within our community are living on the margins. Volunteering with Vinnies has given me the opportunity to see that these people are not just a statistic. They each have a story to tell. They have hopes and dreams like the rest of us. More often than not they just need a helping hand to help them get back on their feet,” she says.

The St Vincent de Paul Society was founded in 1833 by a 20-year-old French student named Frederic Ozanam. It is said that he began the society after a fellow student challenged him by saying, “… and you? You pride yourself on your Catholicity, but what are you doing now for the poor? Show us your works.” Today, the St Vincent de Paul Society is present in more than 130 countries and has more than 950,000 members worldwide.

In Australia, the Society’s 40,000 members work hard to assist people in need and those who combat injustice. Vinnies Youth members all over Melbourne are assisting families and their children by running kids days outs, kids camps, tutoring programs, delivering Christmas hampers, and working with soup vans that go directly to the poor and comfort them with a warm meal. Vinnies offers a way for young people to come together to make a difference in the world and to reflect on that action within a faith context.

If you are interested in making a difference, get involved with Vinnies Youth.

As part of the Days in the Dioceses program here in Melbourne, the St Vincent de Paul Society will be hosting two major events that all young people are invited to attend, to learn more about the issues facing the less fortunate in Australia and how Vinnies Youth members are assisting those in need.

Come along to the St Vincent de Paul Ozanam Lecture on Thursday 10 July 2008 at 3pm at Melbourne Town Hall to hear the chief executive of Caritas International, Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez, speak on the theme of Solidarity in Today’s World. Then connect with other youth from around the world at the Vinnies Next Generation Concert at Federation Square from 5pm on the same day – the opening day of Days in the Dioceses.

To get involved, log on to the Vinnie’s website at www.vinnies.org.au.