Meet the volunteer - Jessica

How did you first get involved with volunteering?

I’m Jessica, I’m 28 and currently a freelance journalist and creative from Spain originally. Due to my studies and professional background, I have been helping CAFOD on social media platforms, especially posting tweets for the Southwark diocese in London.

CAFOD represents my faith. I studied development so my aim was to work with an organisation dedicated to global development.

What’s been the best thing about volunteering for CAFOD?

I am able to reconnect with my faith, as well as using my skills and creativity to spread CAFOD’s work and goals. The fact that I am free (within the norms) to use different pictures, videos, gifs etc makes it more refreshing, as we need to attract more youth to keep our work going on until we can eradicate the injustices other communities suffer.

What are some of your best memories?

I would say that coming from an African and Spanish background, all the online talks about South America or Africa were really refreshing to me. I have learnt a lot from people working there, and also with partners that work with CAFOD.

What would you say to prospective volunteers?

CAFOD has helped me to regain that empathy that seemed lost because of how the world works nowadays. It was important for me to remember my Catholic values and to never give up on humanity. There are great souls around us. However, TV and social media has made us believe the human race is evil. So a lot of people like me, ended up thinking nothing would get better. CAFOD was a key element to remind me change is possible and light always shines.