Good Shepherd Volunteers

Good Shepherd Volunteers Website

Mission:

​Good Shepherd Volunteers recruits, educates, and supports full-time volunteers who use their God-given talents to serve women, adolescents, and children affected by poverty, violence, and neglect in domestic and international placements. Our volunteers live out the four tenets of Social Justice, Simplicity, Spirituality, and Community, and are encouraged to maintain a commitment to these principles for a lifetime. Good Shepherd Volunteers, founded by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, is dedicated to honoring the sisters’ core values of Individual Dignity, Mercy, Reconciliation, and Zeal.

​Good Shepherd Volunteers is an invitation to challenge yourself while in a safe and supportive environment. The GSV network is uniquely strong; we have a huge network of support that extends across the country and around the world. You will be introduced to other caring, friendly people who are energetic about service and social justice. A post-graduate volunteer year is different, exciting, challenging, and rewarding – a truly unforgettable experience.

Issues:

GSV roles include:

• Teacher/Teacher’s Aide
• Educational Support
• Domestic Violence Advocate
• Foster Care Case Management Assistance
• Independent Living Counselor
• Alumni Services Counselor
• Youth Development Counselor
• Policy and Nonprofit Relations
• Community Outreach.

 
GSV has placements in the United States and internationally in a variety of fields: domestic violence, fair trade, economic justice, youth counseling, foster care, after-school programs, and education.

The populations volunteers are working with are usually in a traumatic moment in their lives. We have placements in group homes, working with youth in and coming out of foster homes, a domestic violence shelter, in school settings, and in public policy.

Program Overview

Community

HOUSING: ​Volunteers live in an intentional community where they provide support to one another, share their experiences of service, and commit to building open and honest relationships. Communities range in size from about two to six people. Volunteers may live in an apartment, former convent, or part of a school or parish. They all have a private bedroom, though sometimes they share a bedroom with one other person. In community life, volunteers are invited to share meals, pool their money for food, share chores, and have regular community nights and spirituality nights.  

Spirituality

Affiliation: Sisters of the Good Shepherd (Catholic)

Are there religious / spiritual activities that are part of the program?
While we are a Catholic program that supports the mission of the Good Shepherd Sisters, we welcome people from all walks of faith and all religions. Good Shepherd Volunteers invites each volunteer to deepen their own spirituality, share their spirituality with their fellow volunteers, and learn about the faith lives of others. Volunteer communities have regular Spirituality Nights as a way to deepen faith, support their ministry, and grow in their relationships with each other and God. Also, each volunteer is given access to a spiritual director who can assist them in developing their spirituality.
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Other comments about religious / spiritual life involved in the program? 
Volunteers have the opportunity to enhance their spirituality through reflection and action throughout their service experience. Through retreats, community reflection, and spiritual direction, volunteers can challenge themselves to put their faith into action.

Training, Leadership Development & Discernment

Finances

Stipend

​The monthly living stipend is about $200 a month for food and personal items.

Post-service Benefit?

GSV provides a $250 relocation stipend. ​

Locations:

• Domestic (US) Placements
• International Placements

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Thailand
​Chile

Good Shepherd Volunteers

www.gsvolunteers.org
gsv@gsvolunteers.org

Executive Director: Kimberly Williams

Marketing and Recruitment Coordinator: Rachael Brugman
rachael@gsvolunteers.org