On 29th September 2019, the Media Education Project by Jesuit Communication Committee in Vietnam has been closed by a detailed evaluation assembly. The project was inspired by the VJ training program (CommLab) by SIGNIS.
The project aims to provide media skills and knowledge to young Catholics in Vietnam as well as connects them as a supportive network in which the young communicators could find spiritual and practical supports. The project started on March 2017 by Rev. Nguyen Van Yen, S.J. and Vi Cao (an alumnus of CommLab Program) and has conducted 22 courses for 286 young Catholics across the country. Later on, the alumni network is coordinated by their own member that empowered by the Jesuit Communication Committee in Vietnam.
Coming to the evaluation assembly were 22 representatives of 22 courses to share their experiences and motivation along with their vision for a future project which echoes the success and betterment.
“Our workshops had prompt response from youth groups, parishes, dioceses, and individuals whenever we opened, almost full registration after few days… however, let not only ask what JESCOM Vietnam can do for you, but also question ourselves what do I have to offer to the Church through communications and JESCOM”, remarked by Brother Thien Kinh, S.J. – Deputy Head of Jesuit Communication Committee in Vietnam.
The fruitful evaluation helped every participants review the health of the project by locating the gaps in human resource allocation, decision making process, system lag, training content, network management, and finance issue.
At the end of the workshop, Vo Quoc Vuong, alumnus from 14th training course in Vinh Province shared “There are 24 members of our course and after a year, we still keep in touch with each other. We connect with each other beyond skills shared, we conduct online Examen everyday until now; and we have mission trips even we are short in finance support and most of us are students, but bringing this millennials to the extreme poor area to discover the real struggle of kids without basic needs such as clothes, food, schooling materials; and face with challenge of a dedicated parish priest who has to run back and forth chapels distance 70 km far; we burst in tears, we found true reasons for our mission as a communicators.”
The eighteen-month-project ends in term but would be renewed with adjustment and betterment for we all see crystal clear the power of the youth when we give them chance and tools.
Yes. The simple idea of media literacy can bloom in beautiful tree rooted in the Lord and bear fruits for the Church.
Vi Cao