Bridge Builders Program
Who can be a volunteer?
Do you have skills or energy to offer a variety of ministries that are focused on children and young people in the areas of education, health social work, trades or music?
The Marist Bridge Builders Program is for anyone over 18 years old who is connected with Marist Youth Ministry or the Marists. Your presence, knowledge and abilities would be most valuable to assist our international Marist projects and communities.
Are you a University student or High School graduate thinking about taking a gap year? We offer opportunities within the Marist family joining with them in their mission.
Short and Long-Term opportunities:
We offer Short Term placements of 3-6 months and Long-Term placements of 6 to 12 months. Three months is a common time for a visitor’s visa and there have been many Australian Volunteers who have included a placement as part of their wider travel plans.
Recent, Current & Future Star of the Sea Volunteers:
Teaching and Ecology in Fiji.
Teaching and Health Support in Timor Leste.
Inquiry about possibilities in Tanzania.
Exploration of working with the Fratelli Project in Lebanon.
Open to anything enquiries.
This information on the MYM website would mainly be of interest to young Marists. You probably do not have a professional qualification yet!
That’s perfectly acceptable. Marist Volunteers are not invited as cheap labour. They connect with the local community – Marist to Marist – and JOIN IN with the local activities. Young bring skills (media, IT, music, sport etc) and energy to a community and the local young people welcome that. You will make many friends and will have a great experience.
YOU will be transformed by the experience and so will your new FRIENDS!
The opportunities are endless!
Marist Volunteers may be welcomed in some of the 80 countries in the Marist world and in ministries connected with the Australian Marist Province. You are free to indicate your preferences broadly or in a more focussed way and Bridge Builders can explore possibilities on your behalf.
Since the establishment of the Marist international volunteering network, Collaboration for mission, international (Cmi) in 2012, Australians have completed volunteering assignments in 30 countries worldwide. These have included:
Australia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Philippines, Vanuatu, Samoa, Fiji, Chile, Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, USA, Canada, Germany, South Sudan, South Africa, Lebanon and Brazil.
Other places where that Marists have collaborated include:
Spain, Romania, Algeria, Bolivia, Peru, Mexico, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, Nigeria, Ghana, Bangladesh and China.
How can you get started?
While travel is restricted it would be best to consider the suggestions outline at the top of this webpage.
Contact your MYM Regional Coordinator or,
Brother Chris Wills
Director of Bridgebuilders
chris.wills@marists.org.au