Representatives of the Hospitalarias Foundation, Padre Menni, came to the Universidad Europea del Atlántico (European University of the Atlantic, UNEATLANTICO) to talk about the volunteering programme focused especially on the students of the Psychology degree (PSI).
Sonsoles Martí, Head of Volunteering at the Hermanas Hospitalarias Foundation, together with Rosa Quintanal and Alicia Canduela, social workers at the centre, participated in this talk and shared their experience and knowledge with the students.
The Hermanas Hospitalarias Foundation is an institution with a long history, active since 1953, and committed to the welfare of people facing various difficulties in the field of mental health. Its work focuses on the comprehensive care, attention and rehabilitation of people with psychiatric disorders, mental health conditions and intellectual disabilities.
The talk began with an introduction focusing on the origins of the work promoted by the priest Benito Menni, a key figure in the creation of the congregation of the Sisters Hospitallers. It dealt with how, moved by a deep vocation of service and social sensitivity, Menni identified the urgent need to provide care and accompaniment to women suffering from mental health conditions at a time when this group was often marginalised and neglected.
In volunteering, students who decide to take part in this initiative will be able to choose one of the three areas available: Psychogeriatrics, Geriatrics and Disability. In addition, in order to guide this choice, various forms were distributed during the talk, which allowed them to identify the area in which they feel most comfortable or interested, thus facilitating an appropriate assignment and a more rewarding experience for both volunteers and users of the centre.
Finally, it should be noted that UNEATLANTICO reaffirms its commitment to the promotion of initiatives that encourage the active participation of students in different areas of social action through its Office of Cooperation and Social Action (OCAS), in order to contribute as a university community to the welfare of society.