Experience Making a Difference

Experience Making a Difference

How Does the Ignatian Volunteer Program “Work?”

IVC is a unique volunteer organization. It not only provides volunteers with opportunities for meaningful volunteer activities, but also combines this with a distinctive spiritual component.

The Volunteer Component:
The people who accept the call to become volunteers are assigned to partner agencies. The mission or goal of these agencies is to serve people in their area who are poor. IVC volunteers continue to live at home and devote the equivalent of two days per week for ten months to their agencies. Many will continue to volunteer all year long. Due to certain special circumstances some are allowed to volunteer only one day per week.

The Spiritual Component:

  • Volunteers attend two retreats and a Day of Reflection  each  year.
  • Each volunteer is assigned a spiritual reflector with whom the volunteer meets personally each month to discuss the relationship between the person’s volunteer experience and their spiritual development.
  • Each volunteer participates each month in what we call a  “City Group” meeting where volunteers gather for prayer to reflect on their volunteer experience and  discuss a book chosen annually by the National Office.
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