The sending community is a group of the Dominican Family in which the volunteer finds a space where he/she can feel supported in his/her discernment, formation, and development of mission as potential volunteer, psychologically as well as economically.     The sending community can be a bible study group or a youth group that shares faith.

The OP mission is always a communitarian mission.  That's why a sending community is needed.

It is a very important element in this project.  It's also a condition without which it is not possible to be a Dominican Volunteer.  The sending community should always be a community, not an individual.

The candidates who wish to begin an experience with DVI and do not have an established link with the Dominican Family, yet feel drawn to their spirituality, can contact a local community to become acquainted and to build a relationship.

Any community that invites, supports, accompanies, sends or sponsors a volunteer, can fulfil a very important role of collaboration by maintaining contact with the international team.

We propose these suggestions for participation with the volunteer program to the communities:

• Have printed material on DVI handy to give out and to display in your institutions, schools, churches...

• Assign a person to accompany the individual in his/her discernment to which he/she feels called.

• Endorse the request.

• Support the DV with frequent communication during his/her time as volunteer, by prayer and/or financial support.

• Upon termination of the experience, to offer spaces for sharing and evaluation. The role of the sending community is extremely important when the volunteer returns, in order to capitalize on the experience of service.