This declaration is a result of the first European Young Caritas Conference on Social Education and Young Volunteerism which took place from November 21st until November 23rd 2018 in Vienna. 70 participants from 31 different countries have contributed to the Vienna Declaration on Young Caritas.
Taking into consideration the fact that we are dealing with different contexts in our countries and Caritas Organisations we decided to focus on a common vision, mission and goals.
Our Vision
The values of Caritas stand in the center of our work. We believe that every young person in Europe should have the chance to participate within Caritas. We believe that young people need opportunities to create a sustainable world of solidarity and social justice. Young Caritas is the platform for the promotion and participation of young people within the Caritas family and therefore assures, that the values of Caritas play an important role in today and tomorrow’s society.
Our Mission
Young Caritas is a platform for young people giving them the possibility to have a positive impact on society. We are creating spaces for young people from all over Europe to connect with each other and to foster the dialogue among themselves so that they will feel empowered and take ownership of their actions. We will promote social education as a tool to motivate young people to be responsible members of a society that works for the common good. We strongly encourage each Member of Caritas Europe, to create opportunities for young people to engage within Caritas.
Our Goals
We are committed to:
Contribute to the mission, values and unity of Caritas
Bring societies closer together
Raise awareness on social issues and systemic thinking of coherence
Facilitate learning from each other and sharing experiences for instance through multilateral youth exchanges or job shadowing
Promote young volunteerism that is open to everyone
Have a strong voice in Caritas Member Organisations and within Caritas Europe
Have an annual young Caritas meeting for staff and volunteers
Develop a Young Caritas strategy that will put into concrete action our vision and mission
Vienna, 23rd of November 2018
