By The European Times | Created at 2026-09-23 18:58:47 | Updated at 2026-09-23 19:37:44
40 minutes ago
Community organisations, disability advocates and Scientology Volunteer Ministers share experiences of helping people in Dublin and beyond
KINGNEWSWIRE // PRESS RELESEA // DUBLIN, Ireland — Community organisations, volunteers and humanitarian advocates gathered at the Church of Scientology & Community Centre of Dublin to mark World Humanitarian Day, bringing together different approaches to helping people facing homelessness, disability, social isolation, emergencies and other difficult circumstances.
The gathering placed local community action alongside the wider humanitarian principles recognised each year on World Humanitarian Day, observed by the United Nations on 19 August. The day was established by the UN General Assembly following the 2003 bombing of the United Nations headquarters at the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, in which 22 humanitarian workers were killed. It has since developed into an annual occasion recognising humanitarian personnel and the people they assist. The 2026 UN observance was held under the broader message of acting for humanity and protecting those engaged in humanitarian work.
In Dublin, the emphasis was on what humanitarian action can mean at community level: providing food and essential items, supporting people with disabilities, strengthening social inclusion, responding to emergencies and helping individuals navigate difficult periods in their lives.
Among the participants was Cllr Francis Timmons, Mayor of South Dublin, who spoke about the work of Clondalkin Helping Homeless and Those in Need, the volunteer initiative he founded and chairs.
Established in 2014, the organisation has developed services responding to changing needs in Dublin Mid-West, including a weekly food bank, emergency provision of sleeping bags and other necessities, and basic household starter packs for people moving into accommodation. Its work is carried out by volunteers.
Timmons, who was elected Mayor of South Dublin for the 2026–2027 council term, outlined the importance of sustained local involvement in addressing hardship, drawing on more than a decade of experience with the Clondalkin initiative.
Another perspective came from Viktor Kozyrev, co-founder and Director of VOLA Enable, who presented the organisation’s work supporting people with disabilities and other members of the community facing barriers to participation.
Dublin-based VOLA Enable works in areas including disability, accessibility, wellbeing, education and social participation. Its programmes also involve vulnerable adults, migrants, refugees and socially isolated communities, with an emphasis on independence and inclusion.
The programme then turned from established community organisations to volunteer-based humanitarian action. Silvia Fani, from the Church of Scientology & Community Centre of Dublin, presented examples of the work undertaken by Scientology Volunteer Ministers, both in local communities and during larger-scale emergencies.
The Volunteer Ministers programme was created by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard in the 1970s as a religious social-service initiative intended to provide practical assistance to people confronting difficulties in everyday life as well as during emergencies. Its longstanding motto, “Something Can Be Done About It,” reflects the programme’s emphasis on individual initiative and practical help.
Volunteer Ministers have since participated in community service and disaster-response activities internationally, frequently working alongside other voluntary organisations, religious communities, civil society groups and public emergency services.
That emphasis on cooperation was reflected in a message from Hilda Arenas, founder of South East Asian Network Ireland and Chair of the Dún Laoghaire Integration Forum, who acknowledged the volunteers’ contribution:
“Your continuous dedication to helping communities under the banner of ‘Something Can Be Done About It’ is truly commendable. Whether responding in times of crisis or providing everyday assistance that helps individuals improve their lives, your compassion and service do not go unnoticed.”
The Dublin gathering also included an interactive workshop introducing participants to Scientology assists, non-medical techniques used within the Volunteer Ministers programme and described in Scientology materials as addressing the mental and spiritual aspects associated with physical discomfort, illness or injury.
Participants were shown several of the techniques and were then able to practise them with one another as an example of the practical methods Volunteer Ministers use in their activities.
One participant described the workshop as providing ideas that could be adapted to future group activities.
“The entire event, and especially the workshop, was very interesting and innovative, providing good examples to use in future group activities,” the guest said. “I realised that it is fairly easy to change someone’s mood for the better, and the assist which helped achieve that was very useful.”
While the participating organisations work in different fields and apply different methods, the event highlighted a common element running through their activities: humanitarian work often begins with individuals and small groups identifying a need in their immediate surroundings and finding practical ways to respond.
For Ivan Arjona, representative of the Church of Scientology to the European Union, OSCE, Council of Europe and United Nations, the Dublin gathering also reflected a broader European tradition of organised volunteerism and civic participation.
“Humanitarian responsibility is not limited to major international emergencies,” Arjona said. “Across Europe, it is also expressed every day when citizens, associations, religious communities and volunteers recognise that someone needs assistance and decide to contribute their time and abilities. Respect for human dignity becomes tangible when people from different backgrounds are able to cooperate in helping others.”
The gathering concluded with informal exchanges among participants about their respective experiences and the practical challenges encountered by organisations working with people in vulnerable circumstances.
Rather than concentrating on a single model of humanitarian work, the Dublin event brought together approaches ranging from homelessness support and disability inclusion to volunteer training and emergency response, illustrating the varied forms that organised community assistance can take.
The occasion also reflected one of the central ideas behind World Humanitarian Day: humanitarian service is carried out not only by large international organisations but also by local workers and volunteers operating directly within the communities they know.
The Church of Scientology supports a range of community and social-betterment initiatives inspired by the work of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, including the Scientology Volunteer Ministers programme and educational initiatives addressing drug prevention, human rights and community relations.
The Church of Scientology, its missions, groups and members are present throughout the European continent. Recognition of Scientology as a charitable and bona fide religion has continued to develop in European jurisdictions, alongside the Church’s involvement in initiatives related to education, prevention, human rights, volunteer service and community betterment.
