Community Outreach: Volunteer Ministers

Something CAN Be Done About It. 30+ years of disaster relief and community service in 120 nations. 40,000+ South Africans trained. Free online courses. Bright yellow tents bringing help to communities.

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What is the Volunteer Ministers Program?

The Volunteer Ministers program is one of the largest and most visible international independent relief forces in the world. Launched more than 30 years ago by L. Ron Hubbard, the program has grown into a global network of volunteers serving in 120 nations, responding to disasters, and providing community service in local neighborhoods.

The motto of every Volunteer Minister is simple but powerful: "Something CAN Be Done About It." This motto reflects a fundamental shift from the apathy and helplessness that plague modern society to active engagement and effective help. Whether serving at a disaster site halfway around the world or helping a neighbor with a troubled marriage, Volunteer Ministers bring practical tools that work.

L. Ron Hubbard's Vision

In 1973, L. Ron Hubbard conducted a sociological study in New York City and discovered a society that had dramatically worsened from the city he remembered years before. From this study he predicted where the culture was headed: rampant immorality, violence as sport, and ultimately, politics by terrorism.

Needed was a way to help others live their lives and build their futures. In answer, Mr. Hubbard drew the plans for a grassroots movement, one that would instill values back into society and halt the decline: the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Program.

"If one does not like the crime, cruelty, injustice and violence of this society, he can do something about it. He can become a VOLUNTEER MINISTER and help civilize it, bring it conscience and kindness and love and freedom from travail by instilling into it trust, decency, honesty and tolerance."

— L. Ron Hubbard, Founder of Dianetics and Scientology

What is a Volunteer Minister?

A Volunteer Minister is defined as "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." VMs are trained in a wide range of skills using Scientology fundamentals to bring relief from physical, mental, or spiritual suffering and improve any aspect of life.

Hundreds of thousands of people—both Scientologists and non-Scientologists—have been trained as Volunteer Ministers. The program is open to anyone who wants to help others and make a difference in their community. In South Africa alone, over 40,000 people have completed online Volunteer Minister courses, gaining practical tools to address the challenges they face daily.

120

Nations with VM Presence

1,000+

Partner Organizations & Agencies

40,000+

South Africans Trained as VMs

Two Fronts of Service

Volunteer Ministers serve on two fronts: disaster relief and community service. When earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, or other disasters strike, VMs are among the first to arrive, wearing their signature bright yellow shirts. They provide immediate physical assistance (water, food, first-aid distribution) and unique spiritual first aid called "assists" that relieve emotional shock and trauma.

Equally important is the community service front. VMs work in their own neighborhoods through bright yellow tents at weekend events and fairs, delivering free courses and seminars on everything from marriage and parenting to drug rehabilitation and workplace success. They partner with police, firefighters, teachers, pastors, and community leaders to bring practical tools that improve conditions right at home.

South Africa's Social Challenges

South Africa faces severe social challenges that demand effective solutions. From violent crime and drug epidemics to family breakdown and corruption, the problems are real and urgent. Too often, the response is apathy—a sense that "nothing can be done." Volunteer Ministers reject this apathy and bring practical tools that work.

Crime & Violence

South Africa has one of the highest crime rates in the world. Murder, rape, robbery, and assault are daily realities in many communities. Gang violence controls townships. Violent protests erupt over service delivery. Fear dominates daily life.

VM Solution: Communication, Conflict Resolution, Emotional Tone Scale, Cause of Suppression courses provide tools to reduce violence and restore peace.

Drug Epidemics

Tik (methamphetamine), nyaope (heroin cocktail), and other drugs devastate communities. Youth become addicted in their teens. Families are destroyed. Crime funds drug habits. Traditional rehabilitation has low success rates.

VM Solution: Answers to Drugs course provides drug-free methods for getting and staying off drugs, addressing root causes rather than symptoms.

Family Breakdown

Absent fathers, single mothers struggling alone, child neglect, domestic violence, and generational poverty create a cycle of dysfunction. Children grow up without role models or stability.

VM Solution: Marriage and Children courses teach practical tools for building strong families and raising happy, productive children.

Poverty & Unemployment

55% poverty rate. 70% youth unemployment. Lack of skills and education. Dependence on government grants. "Nothing can be done" mentality prevents action and self-improvement.

VM Solution: Tools for the Workplace, Technology of Study, Ethics and Conditions, Targets and Goals courses provide skills for employment and success.

Corruption & Distrust

Government corruption, police corruption, business corruption erode trust in institutions. People feel powerless. Cynicism and apathy replace hope and action.

VM Solution: Integrity and Honesty, Ethics and Conditions, Investigations courses restore personal integrity and provide tools for exposing and handling corruption.

Lack of Purpose & Hope

Many South Africans, especially youth, feel hopeless. They see no future, no opportunities, no reason to try. This apathy is perhaps the most dangerous problem of all.

VM Solution: The Dynamics of Existence, Targets and Goals, Components of Understanding courses restore purpose and show that something CAN be done.

The Volunteer Minister Response

Volunteer Ministers address these challenges not with government programs or handouts, but with practical tools that empower individuals to solve their own problems. The 19 VM courses provide specific, workable solutions for every challenge South Africa faces. Over 40,000 South Africans have already discovered these tools and are using them to transform their lives, families, and communities.

Most importantly, VMs counter the pervasive "nothing can be done" apathy with their motto: "Something CAN Be Done About It." This shift from helplessness to action is the first step toward real change. When people believe they can make a difference, they do.

The 19 Volunteer Minister Courses

All 19 Volunteer Minister courses are available free online at volunteerministers.org. Anyone can enroll immediately and start learning at their own pace. Each course provides practical tools for resolving specific problems in life. Together, they form a comprehensive system for improving any situation.

Free Online Training: 19 Courses

1. Communication

Foundation of all relationships. Learn to communicate effectively with anyone.

2. The Technology of Study

How to learn anything successfully. The three barriers to study and their solutions.

3. The Dynamics of Existence

Eight areas of life. Understanding your purpose across all dynamics.

4. The Components of Understanding

Affinity, Reality, Communication (ARC Triangle). Increasing understanding in any relationship.

5. The Emotional Tone Scale

Understanding emotions and predicting behavior. Moving people up the scale.

6. Assists for Illnesses and Injuries

Spiritual first aid for physical trauma. Touch assists, contact assists, locational assists.

7. Solutions for a Dangerous Environment

Handling stress, danger, and threats. Staying safe in a dangerous world.

8. Marriage

Saving and improving relationships. Building strong, lasting marriages.

9. Children

Raising happy, productive children. Handling discipline, education, and development.

10. Tools for the Workplace

Increasing efficiency and success at work. Handling exhaustion, confusion, and workplace problems.

11. Ethics and the Conditions

Formulas for improving any situation. The 12 conditions from Confusion to Power.

12. Answers to Drugs

Getting and staying off drugs. Drug-free rehabilitation methods.

13. How to Resolve Conflicts

Resolving disputes and disagreements. Third-party law and conflict resolution.

14. Integrity and Honesty

Restoring personal integrity. The relationship between honesty and happiness.

15. The Cause of Suppression

Identifying and handling suppressive people. Protecting yourself from those who want you to fail.

16. Investigations

Finding the truth in any situation. Data evaluation and investigation technology.

17. Basics of Organizing

Organizing any activity for success. The seven-division organizing board.

18. Fundamentals of Public Relations

Improving public image and communication. Reality and PR technology.

19. Targets and Goals

Setting and achieving goals. The administrative scale and planning technology.

All courses are 100% free. No hidden costs. No membership required.

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The Scientology Handbook: Tools for Life

All 19 Volunteer Minister courses are also available in The Scientology Handbook: Tools for Life, a comprehensive book that has helped millions of people worldwide. The handbook is available for purchase at Church of Scientology locations, but the same content is available free online. A film version of the handbook brings each of the 19 chapters to life with examples drawn from real situations.

Global Disaster Relief

Volunteer Ministers are on call 24/7 across 120 nations, forming one of the largest independent disaster relief forces in the world. When disaster strikes—earthquake, hurricane, flood, tsunami, or other catastrophe—VMs are among the first to arrive, often within hours.

Wearing their signature bright yellow shirts for visibility in chaotic disaster zones, VMs immediately assess needs and begin organizing relief efforts. Their training in the "Basics of Organizing" course enables them to quickly establish systems for distributing water, food, and first-aid to those in greatest need.

Physical Assistance

Water and food distribution systems
First-aid and medical supply coordination
Shelter setup and logistics
Search and rescue support
Communications and coordination

Spiritual First Aid

Touch assists for physical pain and injuries
Contact assists for impact injuries
Locational assists for shock and trauma
Communication exercises to restore ability to talk
Emotional Tone Scale to help people move up from grief

Major Disaster Responses

Volunteer Ministers have responded to hundreds of disasters worldwide. Some of the most notable include:

September 11, 2001 - New York City

Hundreds of Volunteer Ministers arrived at Ground Zero within hours of the terrorist attacks. VMs worked alongside firefighters, police, and rescue workers for months, providing assists to traumatized survivors and exhausted rescue workers. Many first responders credited VMs with helping them cope with the emotional toll of the tragedy.

December 2004 - Southeast Asia Tsunami

Over 500 Volunteer Ministers from 11 nations deployed to Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and other affected areas. VMs provided immediate relief (water, food, medical supplies) and spiritual first aid to hundreds of thousands of survivors. Many VMs remained for months helping communities rebuild.

August 2005 - Hurricanes Katrina & Rita

More than 900 Volunteer Ministers served in Louisiana and Mississippi in the aftermath of the devastating hurricanes. VMs established relief centers, distributed supplies, provided assists to traumatized survivors, and helped coordinate recovery efforts with FEMA, Red Cross, and other agencies.

January 2010 - Haiti Earthquake

The Church of Scientology and its parishioners flew in planeloads of medical and food supplies immediately after the earthquake. Hundreds of medical professionals and Volunteer Ministers deployed to Haiti to help survivors cope with their losses and rebuild their lives. VMs worked in hospitals, orphanages, and relief camps for months.

September 1999 - Taiwan 921 Earthquake

Volunteer Ministers were among the first international responders to this magnitude 7.3 earthquake. Their work was so effective that the President of Taiwan presented the Church with the "Good Citizens, Good Deeds" award for disaster relief efforts.

Partnerships with 1,000+ Organizations

Volunteer Ministers are true team players who work collaboratively with other disaster relief organizations and government agencies. VMs have trained and partnered with over 1,000 organizations worldwide, including:

Relief Organizations

• Red Cross
• Salvation Army
• FEMA
• World Vision

Government Agencies

• National Guard
• Army Cadets
• Civil Defense
• Disaster Management

Community Groups

• Rotary Clubs
• Boy Scouts
• YMCAs
• Police & Fire Departments

"Your Church has carried a legacy of help for more than two decades. The 921 earthquake was a disaster of magnitude. Your Church immediately sent volunteers to help handle the disaster. So it came as no surprise that you were presented by the President of Taiwan with the 'Good Citizens, Good Deeds' award for your work on that earthquake."
— National Advisor to the President of Taiwan

Community Service & Yellow Tents

While disaster relief captures headlines, the majority of Volunteer Minister work happens in local communities through bright yellow tents, seminars, and partnerships with community organizations. This ongoing community service is equally important to the VM mission of restoring purpose, truth, and spiritual values to society.

The Bright Yellow Tents

The bright yellow Volunteer Minister tents are mobile information and training centers that bring VM services directly to communities. These distinctive tents are set up at weekend events, fairs, community gatherings, and public spaces where anyone can walk in and receive free help.

What Happens in a Yellow Tent?

Information Displays

Extensive displays present the full array of VM tools—from rescuing failing students to getting addicts off drugs, alleviating emotional trauma from injuries, solving conflicts, and salvaging troubled relationships.

Free Courses & Seminars

VMs deliver free courses and seminars right in the tent. Anyone can enroll on the spot and start learning immediately. Courses typically take 1-4 hours and provide practical tools you can use that same day.

One-on-One Help

VMs provide individual assistance for specific problems. Whether you're struggling with a troubled marriage, a difficult child, workplace stress, or any other challenge, a VM can help you find a solution.

Assists

VMs provide assists for physical pain, injuries, or emotional distress. Many people experience immediate relief from pain or trauma through these simple but powerful procedures.

Referrals & Resources

VMs connect people with additional resources—churches, courses, books, online training, and other services that can help them continue their progress.

Goodwill Tours

Volunteer Ministers conduct Goodwill Tours, traveling from city to city with their yellow tents to reach more communities. These tours bring VM services to areas that might not have a local Church of Scientology or regular VM presence. Tours typically spend several days or weeks in each location, providing free training and assistance to thousands of people.

Seminars for Organizations

Beyond the yellow tents, Volunteer Ministers deliver seminars to police, firefighters, teachers, healthcare workers, pastors, and other professionals. These seminars provide VM tools tailored to the specific challenges these groups face. For example:

Police & Firefighters: Assists for injuries, handling stress, communication in crisis situations, organizing emergency response.
Teachers: Technology of Study, handling troubled students, communication, classroom management.
Healthcare Workers: Assists for patients, handling stress and exhaustion, communication with patients and families.
Pastors & Religious Leaders: Marriage counseling, children, conflict resolution, integrity and honesty, handling suppression.
Community Leaders: Basics of organizing, public relations, targets and goals, ethics and conditions.

Volunteer Ministers in South Africa

The Volunteer Ministers program has a significant and growing presence in South Africa. Over 40,000 South Africans have completed online Volunteer Minister courses, gaining practical tools to address the challenges they face daily. This represents one of the highest per-capita VM participation rates in the world.

40,000+

South Africans Completed Online VM Courses

127

South African Pastors Trained as VMs (2016)

400+

VMs Cleaned Johannesburg CBD

Registered Non-Profit Organization

The Volunteer Ministers Association is a registered non-profit and Section 18A public benefit organization in South Africa. This official recognition demonstrates the program's commitment to social betterment and enables partnerships with government agencies, NGOs, and community organizations.

Major Community Actions

Johannesburg CBD Cleanup & Revival

Over 400 Volunteer Ministers partnered with the City of Johannesburg, WozaWork, and COGTA (Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs) to clean, restore, and revive Johannesburg's Central Business District. VMs removed tons of waste, cleaned streets and buildings, and helped restore pride and order to the city center.

This massive community action demonstrated what can be accomplished when people work together with the belief that "something can be done about it."

127 Pastors Trained (2016)

In 2016, 127 South African pastors from various denominations completed an extensive Volunteer Minister training program covering all 19 VM courses. These pastors brought VM tools to their congregations and communities, multiplying the impact across South Africa.

This interfaith collaboration demonstrates that VM tools work for anyone, regardless of religious affiliation.

Yellow Tents at Community Events

Bright yellow VM tents appear regularly at community events throughout South Africa—in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Port Elizabeth, and other cities. These tents provide free training, information, and assistance to thousands of South Africans every year.

Watch for the yellow tents at festivals, fairs, markets, and community gatherings in your area.

Training Available at All 6 Churches

Volunteer Minister training is available at all six Church of Scientology locations in South Africa:

Johannesburg North

10 Hunter Street, Ferndale

+27 11 787 1305

Johannesburg

160 Langermann Drive, Kensington

+27 11 615 1711

Pretoria

722 Stanza Bopape St, Arcadia

+27 12 344 3615

Cape Town

60 Kloof Street, Gardens

+27 21 424 2790

Durban

20 St. Thomas Road, Musgrave

+27 31 201 0422

Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)

11 Westbourne Road, Central

+27 41 373 2511

Success Stories from South Africa

These are real stories from South Africans who have used Volunteer Minister tools to transform their lives and help others.

Pastor Thabo M.

Soweto • Community Pastor • VM Trained 2016

"I've been a pastor in Soweto for 20 years, trying to help my community with drug addiction, family breakdown, and hopelessness. I was doing my best, but I didn't have effective tools. When I completed the Volunteer Minister training in 2016, everything changed."

"The 'Answers to Drugs' course gave me drug-free methods that actually work. The 'Marriage' and 'Children' courses provided tools I could teach to families. The 'Ethics and Conditions' formulas helped people improve their situations step by step. Most importantly, the VM motto—'Something CAN Be Done About It'—gave people hope."

"I've now trained 50 members of my congregation as Volunteer Ministers. Together, we're transforming Soweto one family at a time. This is real help that works."

Lindiwe N.

Cape Town • Social Worker • 40,000 SA VMs

"As a social worker in Khayelitsha, I see the worst of South Africa's problems every day: poverty, violence, drugs, child abuse. I was burning out. I felt like I was trying to empty the ocean with a teaspoon. Then a colleague told me about the free Volunteer Minister courses online."

"I started with 'Solutions for a Dangerous Environment' because I work in a dangerous area. Then I did 'Assists for Illnesses and Injuries' and started using touch assists with clients who had been beaten or injured. The results were amazing—people who were in severe pain felt immediate relief."

"I've now completed 12 of the 19 courses. I have tools that work. I'm no longer burning out—I'm making a real difference. I'm one of the 40,000 South Africans who have done these courses, and I encourage everyone to join us."

Sergeant Dlamini

Johannesburg • SAPS Officer • VM Seminar Attendee

"I'm a police officer in Johannesburg. I've seen terrible things—murders, rapes, car accidents, domestic violence. I was having nightmares, drinking too much, and my marriage was falling apart. I was becoming hard and cynical."

"Volunteer Ministers came to our station and delivered a seminar on assists and the Emotional Tone Scale. I was skeptical, but I tried the touch assist on a colleague who had been injured in a scuffle. He said his pain went from an 8 to a 2 in five minutes. I was shocked."

"I started using assists at accident scenes and with crime victims. I took the 'Marriage' course online and saved my marriage. I'm still a cop, but I'm not cynical anymore. I know something can be done about it, and I'm doing it."

Zanele K.

Durban • Unemployed Youth → Community Organizer

"I'm 24 years old. I finished matric but couldn't find a job. I was part of the 70% youth unemployment statistic. I felt hopeless and useless. My friends were getting into drugs and crime. I was heading that way too."

"I saw a bright yellow tent at a community event and walked in out of curiosity. A Volunteer Minister talked to me and suggested I do the 'Targets and Goals' course online. It was free, so I tried it. That course showed me how to set goals and achieve them step by step."

"I've now done 8 VM courses. I organized a youth group in my township using the 'Basics of Organizing' course. We're cleaning up our community, running sports programs for kids, and helping youth find jobs. I went from hopeless to hopeful, from unemployed to employed (I now work for an NGO), and from victim to leader. Something CAN be done about it."

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Volunteer Minister?

A Volunteer Minister (VM) is a person who helps their fellow human beings on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth, and spiritual values to the lives of others. The Volunteer Ministers program was launched more than 30 years ago by L. Ron Hubbard in response to a downturn in ethics and morality in society and a consequent increase in drugs and crime. VMs are trained in a wide range of skills using Scientology fundamentals to bring relief from physical, mental, or spiritual suffering and improve any aspect of life—communication, study, marriage, parenting, dealing with stress, success in the workplace, achieving goals, and many more. The VM motto is 'Something CAN Be Done About It.' VMs serve both in disaster zones (earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, etc.) and in their own communities through yellow tents, seminars, and local programs.

Do I have to be a Scientologist to become a Volunteer Minister?

No, you do not have to be a Scientologist to become a Volunteer Minister or take VM courses. The program is open to anyone who wants to help others and make a difference in their community. Hundreds of thousands of people—both Scientologists and non-Scientologists—have been trained as Volunteer Ministers. In South Africa, 127 pastors from other faiths completed the VM training program in 2016, and over 40,000 South Africans from all backgrounds have completed online VM courses. The tools and techniques taught in VM courses are practical and can be used by anyone, regardless of their religious beliefs. All 19 VM courses are available free online at volunteerministers.org, and anyone can enroll and start learning immediately.

What are the 19 Volunteer Minister courses?

The 19 Volunteer Minister courses cover every aspect of life and provide practical tools for resolving problems: (1) Communication - foundation of all relationships, (2) The Technology of Study - how to learn anything, (3) The Dynamics of Existence - eight areas of life, (4) The Components of Understanding - Affinity, Reality, Communication (ARC Triangle), (5) The Emotional Tone Scale - understanding emotions and behavior, (6) Assists for Illnesses and Injuries - spiritual first aid for physical trauma, (7) Solutions for a Dangerous Environment - handling stress and danger, (8) Marriage - saving and improving relationships, (9) Children - raising happy, productive children, (10) Tools for the Workplace - increasing efficiency and success at work, (11) Ethics and the Conditions - formulas for improving any situation, (12) Answers to Drugs - getting and staying off drugs, (13) How to Resolve Conflicts - resolving disputes and disagreements, (14) Integrity and Honesty - restoring personal integrity, (15) The Cause of Suppression - identifying and handling suppressive people, (16) Investigations - finding the truth in any situation, (17) Basics of Organizing - organizing any activity for success, (18) Fundamentals of Public Relations - improving public image and communication, and (19) Targets and Goals - setting and achieving goals. All courses are free online.

How do Volunteer Ministers help in disasters?

Volunteer Ministers are on call 24/7 across 120 nations and are known for being among the first to arrive at disaster zones. Wearing their signature bright yellow shirts for visibility, VMs provide for the most immediate needs using their organizing skills to establish systems for distributing water, food, and first-aid to those in need. Beyond physical assistance, VMs bring unique spiritual first aid called 'assists'—simple Scientology procedures that relieve emotional shock and trauma. Touch assists help with physical pain and injuries, while locational assists bring people into present time after traumatic events. VMs often remain in disaster zones after the immediate crisis to provide training that helps communities rebuild. Working with over 1,000 organizations and government agencies (Red Cross, National Guard, Salvation Army, etc.), VMs have responded to hundreds of disasters including 9/11 (hundreds at Ground Zero within hours), Southeast Asia tsunami (500+ volunteers from 11 nations), Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (900+ VMs), and Haiti earthquake (planeloads of supplies and hundreds of medical professionals and VMs).

What are the yellow tents and how do they work?

The bright yellow Volunteer Minister tents are mobile information and training centers that bring VM services directly to communities. These tents are set up at weekend events, fairs, community gatherings, and public spaces where anyone can walk in and receive free help. Inside the tents, you'll find extensive information displays presenting the full array of VM tools—from rescuing failing students to getting addicts off drugs, alleviating emotional trauma from injuries, solving conflicts, and salvaging troubled relationships. VMs deliver free courses and seminars right in the tent, and people can enroll on the spot. The tents also travel on Goodwill Tours, moving from city to city to reach more communities. In South Africa, yellow tents appear regularly at community events in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, and other cities. VMs also deliver seminars to police, firemen, and disaster relief organizations using the yellow tents as mobile training facilities. The yellow color makes the tents highly visible and welcoming—a beacon of hope that 'something can be done about it.'

How much does it cost to become a Volunteer Minister?

Becoming a Volunteer Minister is completely free. All 19 Volunteer Minister courses are available online at no cost at volunteerministers.org. You can enroll immediately and start learning at your own pace from anywhere in South Africa (or the world). There are no hidden fees, no membership costs, and no requirements to purchase anything. In-person training at yellow tents and community events is also free. The Scientology Handbook: Tools for Life (which contains all 19 VM courses) can be purchased if you want a physical book, but the same content is available free online. The Church of Scientology sponsors the VM program as a religious social service, making it accessible to anyone who wants to help others. Over 40,000 South Africans have already completed free online VM courses, and you can join them today at no cost.

Can Volunteer Ministers really make a difference in South Africa's problems?

Yes, Volunteer Ministers are already making a significant difference in South Africa. Over 40,000 South Africans have completed online VM courses, gaining practical tools to address the challenges they face daily. In Johannesburg, 400+ VMs partnered with the City of Joburg, WozaWork, and COGTA to clean and restore the CBD, removing tons of waste and reviving the city center. In 2016, 127 South African pastors completed VM training and brought these tools to their congregations and communities. The Volunteer Ministers Association is a registered non-profit and Section 18A public benefit organization in South Africa, demonstrating official recognition and commitment to social betterment. VM tools directly address SA's social challenges: the 'Answers to Drugs' course helps with tik, nyaope, and heroin epidemics; 'Tools for the Workplace' addresses 70% youth unemployment; 'Marriage' and 'Children' courses help with family breakdown; 'Ethics and the Conditions' provides formulas for improving any situation; and 'Communication' restores the ability to work together. Most importantly, VMs counter the pervasive 'nothing can be done' apathy with their motto: 'Something CAN Be Done About It.' This shift from helplessness to action is transforming communities across South Africa.

What is an 'assist' and how does it work?

An assist is a Scientology procedure that helps relieve physical pain, discomfort, or emotional trauma. Assists work on the principle that the spirit (thetan) can become overwhelmed by physical injuries or emotional shocks, and specific procedures can help restore the person's ability to control their body and environment. The most common type is the Touch Assist, where the VM has the person close their eyes and repeatedly touches different parts of their body while saying 'Feel my finger,' helping the person regain awareness and control of the injured area. A Contact Assist is used for injuries from impacts—the VM gently guides the person to make contact with the object that injured them, reducing the trauma of the impact. A Locational Assist helps bring someone into present time after a shock or trauma by having them look at and identify objects in their environment. Assists are not medical treatment and don't replace doctors or hospitals, but they provide spiritual first aid that can dramatically reduce pain, speed healing, and relieve emotional trauma. VMs have used assists successfully at disaster sites, in hospitals, at accidents, and in everyday situations to help people recover faster and more completely.

How can I access Volunteer Minister training in South Africa?

There are multiple ways to access VM training in South Africa: (1) Free Online Courses - Visit volunteerministers.org and enroll in any of the 19 courses immediately. Study at your own pace from home, work, or anywhere with internet access. Over 40,000 South Africans have already completed these courses. (2) Church of Scientology Locations - All 6 churches (Johannesburg North, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth) offer VM courses and training. Contact any church for course schedules. (3) Yellow Tents - Watch for bright yellow VM tents at community events, fairs, and public gatherings in your city. Walk in and receive free training on the spot. (4) Community Seminars - VMs deliver seminars to community groups, churches, NGOs, police, and other organizations. Contact us to arrange a seminar for your group. (5) The Scientology Handbook - Purchase this comprehensive book containing all 19 VM courses, available at churches or online. Contact us at {CHURCH_INFO.phone} or {CHURCH_INFO.email} to find the nearest VM training opportunity or to arrange training for your organization or community.

Can Volunteer Ministers work with other organizations and government agencies?

Yes, collaboration is central to the VM program. Volunteer Ministers have trained and partnered with over 1,000 organizations and government agencies worldwide, including the Red Cross, National Guard, Army Cadets, Salvation Army, Boy Scouts, Rotary Clubs, civil defense and disaster management agencies, YMCAs, and police and fire departments in dozens of cities. In South Africa, VMs have partnered with the City of Johannesburg, WozaWork, COGTA (Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs), and numerous community organizations. The Volunteer Ministers Association is registered as a non-profit and Section 18A public benefit organization, enabling official partnerships and collaborations. VMs are trained to be team players who bring their experience, competence, and dedication to help whenever and wherever needed—not to compete with other organizations but to support and enhance their efforts. If your organization, church, NGO, government agency, or community group would like to partner with Volunteer Ministers or arrange training for your members, contact us to discuss collaboration opportunities. VMs have successfully trained police, firefighters, teachers, healthcare workers, pastors, community leaders, and many others.

Become a Volunteer Minister

Join 40,000+ South Africans who have completed free Volunteer Minister courses. Gain practical tools to help yourself, your family, and your community. All 19 courses are available free online. Start today and discover that something CAN be done about it.

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