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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: WAGGGS
Lend a hand in South Aegean islands
Scouts and Guides contributing to refugee support activities in their local communities in Europe (26): a story from SHO – The Greek Guiding Association
The Greek Guiding units on the island of Kos and on other Dodecanese islands in the southeastern Aegean Sea, have been helping in the distribution of supplies to recently arrived refugees and also in interacting with their young children. “Children are the same everywhere; you do not need to know the language to play with them. It feels good to be able to offer them a smile, a way to forget the images they have witnessed and just be carefree, be children again” says a Young Leader from Kos.
During, the weekend the Greek Guides units from the islands of Kos, Rhodes and Leros joined together to help in three major ways: One team organised playgroups to play, sing and make crafts with the children. Another team helped in the cleaning of the shores or of other important places in the town and also, in the distribution of food and clothing. A third team collected and sorted the clothing, in order to help the “Kos solidarity” organisation.
The smiles of these people remain our inspiration to continue lending a hand and make real our Guiding Promise.
Read the full story here and here
If you are involved in a similar refugee support activity in your local community, let us know and we will share it, too: just complete this form!
No matter where you come from we will lend you a hand
Scouts and Guides contributing to refugee support activities in their local communities in Europe (25): a story from ZSKSS – Slovenian Catholic Girl Guides and Boy Scouts Association
In the wake of the refugee crisis the Slovenian Catholic Girl Guides and Boy Scouts Association didn’t waste any time in forming a national entity to help the refugees. The entity was formed by Jan Šavly, Andreja Grkman and Nina Maležič. Ana Špes helped with public relations and Luka Novak was the line between the Guide and Scouts and the Civil protection.
The group organized more than 100 volunteers that helped in Brežice, Gornja Radgona, Gruškovje, Lendava, Vrhnika, Logatec, Ljubljana and other locations across the country. They worked together with the Civil protection, aiding them by erecting army tents, beds, tables and flagstones. They are also prepared to help the Red-cross and Caritas if needed. A programme is currently being developed for families and their children that arrive at some of the refugee centers especially to Debeli Rtič where young families would be relocated.
A spokesperson for ZSKSS – Slovenian Catholic Girl Guides and Boy Scouts Association reported that <Groups from all over the country participated and we are immensely proud of their effort to the cause. Most of the volunteers are of age and are setting an good example for their younger guide/scout brothers and sisters. We live by the oath we swear before we are handed our neckerchiefs. That is not something we take lightly and if someone needs our help we believe it’s our duty to help no matter where he or she comes from.>
Read the full story here .
If you are involved in a similar refugee support activity in your local community, let us know and we will share it, too: just complete this form!
Yes, it’s a goooooaaaaaaaal: both teams leave victorious!
Scouts and Guides contributing to refugee support activities in their local communities in Europe (24): a story from Rohrbach-Berg, Austria
This is probably a familiar scene in many villages across Europe: 22 boys and girls engaged in a football match on a sunny Satruday afternoon. The local pitch in Rohrbach-Berg in Upper Austria is no exception in this, but if you look a little closer, this particular match is different! IIn fact, it is the weekly encounter between “Austria” and “Syria”, or more precisely between a team of Scouts and Guides from the local Scout and Guide Group (member of the Oberösterreichische Pfadfinder und Pfadffinderinnen, Pfadfinder und Pfadfinderinnen Österreichs) and a team with players recruited among the young Syrians who had found refuge in the village.
Lisa, a Leader with the Scout and Guide Group in Rohrbach-Berg is very pleased with the development of this initiative: “Our Groups was looking for a way to help our new neighbours to reach out to the local inhabitants. And quickly, we decided to organise weekly football games. Afterall, football is common all around the world. It is the same game with the same rules in our village and in the countries the refugees had to leave.”
So, a month ago, the first match took place: “Everybody involved was so enthousiastic about this, that we agreed to meet again the following Saturday, ” says Lisa, and the matches have continued every weekend since then. “Playing football together is a very good way to meet in ‘known territory’, to make new friends and to learn more about each other. There is always a good atmosphere on the field and around it: we have a growing crowd of cheering fans, both from the village and from the refugee centre.”
The Scout and Guide Group has already decided to book the football field for the next months. So, if you are around, why not join the crowd and cheer the players from Austria and Syria?
If you are involved in a similar refugee support activity in your local community, let us know and we will share it, too: just complete this form!
Invitation to the International Commissioners Forum 2016
Held every 3 years, the aim of this forum is to provide a venue for International Commissioners to share and gain information on the important roles they play in the life of their associations.
The Forum will take place in Gdansk, Poland from 15-17 January 2016. There will be 1 extra day (14 January) for all WAGGGS ICs.
Okay. Let’s go to the park and play!
Scouts and Guides contributing to refugee support activities in their local communities in Europe (20): a story from Rotterdam, in the Netherlands
“Okay. Let’s go to the park and play!” – that’s what Scouts from Scouting Brownsea ’66 in Rotterdam (members of Scouting Nederland) decided this Friday night after having been contacted by volunteers of the Rotterdam Red Cross who help looking after some 250 newly arrived refugees at the local refugee welcome centre opened at the Schuttersveld Sport Centre in Rotterdam.
So, yesterday, on a sunny Saturday afternoon, a group of Scouts welcomed a large group of children and young people from the refugee welcome centre and spent the rest of the day playing games in the park and doing paperwork at the Scout Hut.
After some initial hesitation the children and young people quickly found their smiles again and thoroughly enjoyed this moment of fun. It was quite obvious that they were able – for some time at least – to forget the hardship of their long and tiresome journey that had brought them to Rotterdam.
Like any other group of children at an afternoon party in a park, they agreed to pose for a “family photo” with their new friends from the Scout Group. And to everybody’s surprise Ahmed Aboutaleb, the Lord Mayor of Rotterdam, joined them for this picture and then for another funny game!
If you are involved in a similar refugee support activity in your local community, let us know and we will share it, too!
