LoveYourself Weaves In New Volunteers, Batch Hiraya

With a batch name that literally means to “hope” and having passed a more selective recruitment process, Batch Hiraya bravely joins the ranks of lovers to help champion HIV screening and positivity.

Batch “Hiraya” 
For the first time ever, LoveYourself used a Filipino word – hiraya meaning “wish” or “hope” – as the official name for a batch of volunteers. “We've considered Filipino or Tagalog names before, as we think we have a beautiful language, and just decided to do it this year,” says the LoveYourself recruitment team.

“We thought hiraya sounded great and is actually pretty appropriate given the changes LoveYourself is going through.”

More Selective
Each batch including Batch Hiraya is encouraged to train as LoveYourself counselors and assist in manning the advocacy’s HIV screening hubs. The batch also works together on projects to help the advocacy. This system is designed to ease them in to the larger organization’s activities and existing members.

But unlike other batches, Batch Hiraya volunteers had to go through a slightly more selective recruitment process that includes an interview.

“It's almost the same process; we screen people through the online sign-up form and still invite people for the batch orientations. The only difference now is that we invite people to an interview first before we endorse them to the orientation,” says the recruitment team.

“We try to avoid saying no to people but we recognize that some people aren't ready or their heart really isn't in it so that's what we're trying to determine with the new process. We're doing it as an experiment in the hopes of setting expectations early on and really engaging with potential volunteers.”

In evaluating the potential volunteers, the recruitment team was looking for diversity and a variety of backgrounds and skillsets, but ultimately the best criteria were a commitment to work and dedication to being part of the community.

Logo design
In designing the Batch Hiraya logo, the creatives team drew inspiration from local fabric design. The background in the Batch Hiraya logo is patterned after a t’nalak, which is a traditional tapestry made by the T’boli tribe living in the Philippine province of South Cotabato. Then a mandala symbol was placed to house the LoveYourself icon.

“I thought of an Asian feel to the design because we are using a Filipino name for a batch for the first time, which is why I thought it should be rooted in our culture,” said, Geno, LoveYourself’s creatives lead and creator of the Batch Hiraya logo.

Batch Hiraya will be holding its orientation on March 7 – let us all give a warm welcome to these promising new volunteers!