FIN Province, 17 September 2022 -- 'VocTok' is an ONLINE TAMBAYAN (hang-out spot, meeting place) meant to help, even in small ways, young people to become SALT and LIGHT of the world (Matthew 5:13-16). This is a program made by young people for young people (from the VocTok Facebook page). At the beginning in autumn 2020 the VocTok: Usapang Bokasyon at Buhay-Buhay (loosely translated as Talk on Vocation and Life Matters) a weekly online broadcast anchored by the FIN Vocation Director, Fr. Jayson David SDB began, aiming to reach out to the youth and young-at-heart who are currently discerning about life and vocation in this time of pandemic.
We need to appreciate all Salesian digital world initiatives that have emerged during the last two years of the pandemic. Many Salesian confreres, local communities or provinces launched daily Goodnights, broadcasted the Eucharist or the Rosary LIVE or gathered many Salesian confreres, Family members or young people on the Zoom platform. Some of these initiatives continue, most of them are no more visible. But the Filipino VocToc seems be of a lasting nature and produces a Vocation Culture.
What has VocToc accomplished so far and what makes 'VocTok' so 'special'?
Digital presence: today on social media (Facebook and Instagram:https://www.facebook.com/VocTokTambayan/videos ) we can find hundreds of vocational programs (Talk-show) videos, short vocational testimony, short live songs 'Sanctify', biweekly 'talk show' offers personal insight into a variety of different religious, clerical, lay and missionary vocation stories.
Youth involvement: among the moderators of the program and among the public are a majority of young people, with an attractive youth-friendly style (dialogues, personal sharing, graphics). This may explain the hundreds and thousands of views for each single piece of the VocTok mosaic. Online programs are intertwined with Live (offline) programs, like the recent VocTok 2nd Anniversary Basketball tournament in Don Bosco Makati (2gether 2get there)
Connecting the whole Salesian Family (FIN with 10 different groups), especially after the successful moderation and IT back-up of the 2022 EAO Salesian Family Spirituality Days from the VocTok studio in Don Bosco Canlubang.
Especially many young and not-so young Salesians SDB were able to share their own vocation story, motivation, crisis or Don Bosco attraction in short (3-4 minutes) clips.
Last but not the least: there are also some tangible 'vocation fruits': among the 8 new Salesian aspirants (College students) in Canlubang we find no fewer than 5 youth who have joined us in connection with 'VocTok'. Amazing, right?
Of course, the VocTok programs are conducted in a Filipino-English mixture, so you may not follow the details of the sharing, but a quick or deeper look at the Facebook (VocTok or Salesian Vocation FIN: https://www.facebook.com/SDBvocation) is worth it.
We pray that this creative and integral approach to vocation ministry will inspire Salesians in many other provinces around the world. Viva Don Bosco! Viva #Zatti, Viva VocTok!
Related resources:
Related news article:
- AustraLasia 5475 (IV) EAO Vocation Ministry-Way Forward (2020)
- AustraLasia 5478 (I) VocTok: Usapang Bocasyon (Vocation online program, 2020)
- AustraLasia 5765 (II) Amazing Grace: VocTok moderates the EAO Salesian Family Days (2022)
- AustraLasia 5797 (III) Homebound Salesian Family Vocation Festival (2022)
