VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES

“Young people spend a lot of time and are easily found on a public square where the young spend much of their time …..provide an extraordinary opportunity for dialogue, encounter and exchange between persons, as well as access to information and knowledge.” (Pope Francis - Chritus Vivit)

On the afternoon of May 1, 2021, the vocational animation group from the Province of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Chambery in Brazil, along with those who are accompanying vocations and those who are interested in this journey, met through a videoconference to learn more and improve upon the use of digital technologies.

Sr. Gizele Barbosa, of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Paul, our resource person, highlighted several significant points and challenges: 

- Social networks are a space to evangelize, and being available in the social media means reaching to 90% of young people who receive everything in the palm of their hand, via cell phone: education, information, orientation, training, prayer etc. In the social media people share, meet people of the common interests, get to know each other, relate, become enchanted and then move on to the real- face-to-face meeting.

-Social media received a strong boost in 2006 when Pope Benedict XVI posted the first tweet, inaugurating the presence of the Church in this media. Social media can help people to be sacred and not “photocopies”. If we do not enter the digital age, we will be isolated.

- As vocational companions, our first step is listening. Listening and non-judgemental accompanying can help a person to find the meaning of life, discern one’s path. Online monitoring does not discard face-to-face accompanying. It is good to follow a mixed way of accompanying. The Congregation needs to interact in this environment.

- Before publishing anything, we need to always think about who the people are whom we want to reach and attract. Think of the audience and only then elaborate the content. In addition to the image, the photo of a person, preferably known, attracts a lot, the internet user, since it certifies the person behind the “advertisement”. It is good to post the common things of the day to day life, because it lets people know ... who we are, what we do.

-Some different platforms of communication are: Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, Telegram, Instagram and Tiktok. The use of any and all forms of communication in these media, must always be very well thought out and organized so that it captures the person's attention.  Hence, planning, content production, posting calendar are of utmost importance. Train people, who like to work using digital platforms which is not so virtual anymore, because it is already part of our real life.

We felt that at this time our curiosity was piqued which challenged us to seek more, as well as to use more the digital platform in a more conscious way.  These means which are at our disposal are source great learning. Let us always keep in mind that the ultimate goal of using digital media is always to help people to meet Christ.

Sr. Terezinha Zen