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WE Connect replaces EUROPAK
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INFORMATION – From EUROPAK to WE Connect – the new Joint Regional Website (Regional Circular 21 2019)
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EUROPEAN JAMBOREE 2020 – Recruitment of International Service Staff (Joint Communication 05 2019)
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23rd EUROPEAN SCOUT CONFERENCE – Announcing two Crowdcasts in preparation of the Conference (Conference Circular 09)
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RECIRCULATION – FOR REVIEW: Draft Memorandum of Understanding (Joint Communication 04)
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Category Archives: Refugee Support
Scouting in Catalonia helps local refugee support activities
Scouts and Guides contributing to refugee support activities in their local communities in Europe (38): a story from the Minyons Escoltes i Guies de Catalunya in Spain (ES)
Each year, the Minyons Escoltes i Guies de Catalunya (MEG), one of the member associations of the Federació Catalana d’Escoltisme i Guiatge (FCEG), donates about 1% of its internal annual revenues in support of a specific cause.
This year, following an association-wide competition (during which members can name their prefered cause or organisation they would like to see supported), it was decided to donate some EUR 9000 to the “Speak about Rights” project of the local refugee support association Stop Mare Mortum and the International Civil Service of Catalonia.
Earlier this month, MEG was pleased to announce that the total amount to be donated was EUR 9384.29 – eactly 1% of the internal revenues of the association gained in the fiscal year 2014-2015 (including a small amount of unused funds from the previous exercise).
“The project selected by the jury from the long list of proposals is called Speak about Rights. Tools for better understanding of and actions against the refugee and migrant crisis.”, explains Tomàs Genís Galofré, MEG’s International Commissioner, “The aim of this project is to make the situation of refugees and migrants visible through education and awareness rising. It intends not only to make the present situation known more widely, but also to help identify appropriate actions to address its causes. It develops and offers tools to advocate for social change where citizens may be encourage to be more involved in to asylum, refugee and migration issues.”
The two associations behind the project will develop both formal and non-formal educational resources which will enable children and young people, including Scouts and Guides, to understand better the relaities refugees and migrants are confronted with.
“In addition,” adds Tomàs, “our Federation FCEG offers our local Scout and Guide Groups a regularly updated special refugee resource section on its website. This includes specific aims and objectives, updates about relevant actions by WOSM and WAGGGS, network partners and, most importantly, appropriate educational resources for the work with children and young people.”
(text provided by Minyons Escoltes i Guies de Catalunya)
Micha (17, a Scout from Damascus): Thank you for your warm welcome on the shores of Europe!
Scouts and Guides contributing to refugee support activities in their local communities in Europe (37): a story from Kratigos Beach south of Mytilene on Lesbos (GR)
Scouts from the 2nd Mytilene Scout Group and the 3rd Mytilene Sea Scout Group, both members of Ελληνικός Προσκοπισμός (the Scouts of Greece, a member of the World Organization of the scout Movement), spent another eventful day on the Kratigos coast, situated south of the town of Mytilene, capital city of the Greek island of Lesbos.
Pfadfinderdorf Zellhof: Give me love, give me hope, give me shelter!
Scouts and Guides contributing to refugee support activities in their local communities in Europe (36): a story from the town of Mattsee in Austria and the nearby Pfadfinderdorf Zellhof
Children running around the house playing games and discovering the beauties of nature is nothing unusual for an international Scout Centre: in any average summer week you can meet up to 800 Scouts and Guides at the Pfadfinderdorf Zellhof. But in the middle of December, when there are nomally only a few groups at the Zellhof over the weekends?
A very special International Volunteer Day: Scouts from mainland Greece join local Scouts on Chios to help refugees and migrants
Scouts and Guides contributing to refugee support activities in their local communities in Europe (35): A story from Chios (GR) – Let’s take some paint and a brush and decorate this ugly hall!
(WSBERO/Chios) – “The scale of the refugee tragedy is incredible. Hundreds if not thousands of people – a third of them children – arrive daily on this small but beautiful Greek island having fled atrocities of war hoping for a better future somewhere in Europe”, says Sebastian Meitz, from the World Scout Bureau Global Support Centre in Kuala Lumpur, who had joined the Greek Scouts’ support mission to Chios, together with Thomas Ertlthaler, from the European Scout Region’s Messengers of Peace Decision Committee.
The Scout Movement helps refugees and migrants
Scouts and Guides contributing to refugee support activities in their local communities in Europe (34): What’s next after the #RefugeeResponseSeminar
During the last weekend in November, Guides and Scouts from 27 countries gathered in Copenhagen, Denmark, for the #RefugeeResponseSeminar discussing how best the Scout and Guide Movements and other youth organisations can contribute to refugee and migrant support activities. The participants shared their experience and challenges gained from activities currently run to the benefit of refugees and migrants all over Europe and developed new ideas for future projects.
“As Scouts we are pragmatic.”, commented Andrea Demarmels, Chairperson of the European Scout Committee of WOSM, “We know that we cannot solve the long term challenges faced by refugees and migrants in Europe. We choose to take leadership with a pragmatic approach and react to the situation by joining forces with our local communities to make a difference for some of the people affected by the tragedy and consequences of war.”
The colourful “Wall of Ideas” illustrates the many proposals and concrete project ideas developed and collected over the weekend. Soon, these will be available for others who were note able to attend the seminar and seek inspiration to launch or continue their own initiative in their local communities.
In the meantime, you can join the public Facebook group set up for the newly created #RefugeeResponseNetwork and consult information made available on the event’s #RefugeeResponseWebsite; this is also where all resources and materials from the seminar will be published.
(Image: Luc Ibis Rubben 2015)
