From 29 June to 5 July, 13 students from Universidade Católica Portuguesa, representing the Lisbon, Porto, Braga and Viseu campuses, took part in the Social Transformation Workshop, an initiative organised by Scholas Occurrentes Foundation that brought together 38 university students on Terceira Island, in the Azores.

Over the course of a week, participants were challenged to step outside their daily routines through artistic activities, moments of reflection and visits to local institutions, where they engaged with children, young people, older adults and persons with disabilities.

For Ângela da Graça Arnaldo, a Master's student in Health and Well-Being Psychology at the Lisbon campus, the experience was “a true opportunity to stop, look, listen and feel.” She returned home with a renewed awareness of how importante small choices are in building a more attentive and supportive society.

Maria Leonor Esteves, a Management student at the Viseu campus, also highlights the richness of the unexpected. “Each day brought something new, without us really knowing what would come next,” she recalls, stressing the importance of “listening and being truly present.”

For Bárbara Marques, an undergraduate student in Microbiology at the Porto campus, engaging with different communities was one of the most memorable aspects of the experience. “Each person carries a story, a journey and something valuable to teach us,” she says, identifying empathy, active listening and inclusion as some of the workshop’s key lessons.

Carolina Rodrigues, an undergraduate student in Communication Sciences at the Braga campus, believes the experience demonstrated that volunteering transforms everyone involved. “We set out eager to help, but we returned with far more than we were able to give,” she explains.

According to Vera Bibi, a facilitator at Scholas Occurrentes Foundation, the workshop highlighted the importance of education centred on human relationships: “Seeing young people connect with others through a genuine desire to create meaningful encounters confirmed the importance of an education that places human relationships at its core.”

Founded by Pope Francis, Scholas Occurrentes Foundation promotes educational projects through art, play and critical thinking. For the UCP students who participated in this edition, the workshop provided an opportunity for personal growth, active citizenship and the discovery of the transformative power of encountering others.