Support for JVs
JVC has a time-tested, multi-layer support system in place for current Jesuit Volunteers that sets it apart from other full-time volunteer programs.
The community of JVs that lives together under one roof is the first, and most essential, support system. JVs learn to become vulnerable with each other, share their joys and frustrations with their community, develop skills for listening to others without judgment or criticism, and support one another through the course of their shared experiences.
It's helpful to have people outside of the community to lean on for advice or direction. Local support people, often Former Jesuit Volunteers, Jesuits, or other friends of JVC, provide guidance on living in community, working with vulnerable or disenfranchise people, or finding a great place to ride your bike.
Based in five cities across the U.S.: Baltimore, Maryland; Detroit, Michigan; Houston, Texas; Santa Clara, California; and Washington, D.C., our staff plans retreats, serves as liaisons with job placement sites, and does the "behind the scenes" work that keeps JVC running. Many people on staff are Former Jesuit Volunteers who can provide some first-hand advice based on their own experiences.
There are more than 12,000 people who have come before you that have dedicated a year or two of their lives as Jesuit Volunteers. FJVs regularly reconnect with each other, welcome current JVs to their city, and plan social gatherings. They set a great example of living the values after the full-time JV experience draws to a close.
