EUROFAX 81
June 1999 Home

"Eurofax is the monthly newsletter of the European Scout Region. It is produced by the European Scout Office and is distributed to all member associations in the European Region, and others. Reproduction of articles without alteration is encouraged but Eurofax should be acknowledged as the source of the information."


Children for the Future

There are many thousands of children who are now refugees in the Balkans as a result of the conflicts there. They have lost their homes and very often their parents. They no longer have a safe environment, schools or emotional support.

The European Region of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, in co-operation with other youth and humanitarian organisations including UNHCR and UNICEF, is launching a project called "Children for the Future":

The "Children for the Future" project is intended for girls and boys aged 8 to 14. Its aim is to provide as many children as possible, from the three countries directly involved - Albania, Macedonia (FYRO) and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, with a relevant and attractive educational programme through a number of "Children for the Future" Centres.

"Children for the Future" Centres will be established in the refugee camps, as well as in cities where children have been affected by the conflict. Each "Children for the Future" Centre will be run by a team of specially trained youth workers aged 18 to 30. Teams will comprise Scout leaders from the national Scout association and other youth organisations as well as volunteers from other European countries and young people from the refugee camps. The programme offered by the "Children for the Future" Centres will be based on the Scout method as well as on the education for development approach developed by UNICEF. It will not simply be a programme for consumption but an active programme aiming to make children responsible for their own development.

Funds are needed quickly to establish as many "Children for the Future" Centres as possible. National Scout associations in Europe which wish to adopt one or several "Children for the Future" Centres or provide support in terms of equipment and volunteers are kindly asked to contact the European Scout Office.


Call for "Children for the Future" volunteers!

Are you aged 18-30, experienced in working with children or young adolescents and willing to help in the "Children for the Future" Centres during July and August, preferably for three weeks? Your help is needed in refugee camps in Albania and Macedonia (FYRO) as well as in Scout camps in Yugoslavia. Details and application forms will soon be available from the European Scout Office (eurobureau@euro.scout.org) or the European Scout Region's web site (www.scout.org/europe).


"Just one day!"

A new project called "Just One Day" has been launched by the European Scout Region to raise funds to support the "Children for the Future" Centres. Additional funds will be sought from foundations, sponsors and national and international agencies. Whilst we strongly encourage associations to continue to assist non-governmental organisations and relief agencies, we believe that it is important to support the Scout associations in Balkan countries which are already working to help young people. After all, Scouting is not a relief agency but we do know how to work with children and young people. Scout Associations in Albania, Macedonia (FYRO) and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia have already done a lot in very difficult circumstances, but with our help they could do even more.

"Just One Day" was developed at a meeting of these associations in Athens on 16 May, hosted by Soma Hellinon Proskopon with the support of the European Scout Region. It is proposed that when a Scout unit (Cub Scouts, Scouts or Venture Scouts/Rovers) is planning a camp they add the cost of an extra day to the amount charged to their members. We calculate that this will be on average EUR 5 per person. The money raised is then donated to the "Just One Day" project. The European Scout Foundation will hold the money received and the European Scout Committee will agree upon the precise use of the money. All money raised will be used exclusively to support the work of Scouting in the Balkans.

Payments should be made to:

The European Scout Foundation "Emergency in the Balkans"
UBS-SA Case Postale 2600 CH-1211 Geneva
No 240-605864 70F

This account is a Euro account. By transferring money in Euros if possible, costs are reduced to a minimum. However, payment in any convertible currency is welcome.

The money collected will help:

"Just One Day" is not only a way of raising money. It is an educational programme for Scouts all over Europe. Special resource material has been devised for use by Scout units. This material is designed to help our members understand the situation faced by children and young people in the Balkans and offer their assistance. The activities are enjoyable and a practical support for busy leaders on the lookout for programme ideas! The material will be downloadable from the European Scout Region's web site from about mid-June.

We ask national Scout associations to publicise this project widely and to encourage and assist Scout units to support it. Thank you for the support which we know you will give to this important initiative. Scouting in the Balkans has never been more important than it is now, as we look for ways of encouraging peace, justice and reconciliation.


European Forum in Malta

The first European Forum on Youth Programme and Adult Resources was hosted by the Scout Association of Malta from 29 May to 5 June 1999. It was planned and run by the two newly established European working groups on youth programme and adult resources and brought together 100 participants from 34 Scout associations in 27 countries. The aim of the Forum was to assist national Scout associations in developing their youth programmes and improving the management of their adult resources. The Renewed Approach to Programme (RAP) and the Adults in Scouting model provided the framework for the event. Members of national programme and adult resources teams had the opportunity to share experiences, identify good practice and develop a common basis for their work. The Forum enabled them to discover the tools and materials developed by the European Scout Office, Interamerican Scout Region, World Scout Bureau and national Scout associations, as well as to provide input to the European Scout Plan 1999-2007.

Each participant developed a project to meet a specific need identified within his or her national association and also worked in an international team on a project of mutual interest. Examples of projects included: planning a programme for refugee camps or Scout camps in the Balkans; identifying quality indicators for youth programme at local level; designing activity handouts covering all areas of personal growth for the European Scout Jamboree 2001; how to design a national policy on adult resources; how to incorporate the team approach in adult resources management; how to make evaluation and review realistic in Scouting; how to manage cooperation between programme and adult resources teams.

The positive evaluation made by the participants showed that this event met the needs expressed by national Scout associations and there is strong demand for follow-up in the form of sub-regional events, workshops and a similar event in the future, possibly in 2001. The participants and organisers would like to express their heartfelt thanks to the Maltese Scouts for their exceptional welcome, hospitality and logistical support throughout the event. The results of the Forum will be sent to each participant on diskette and will soon be available on the European Scout Region's web site. Two future issues of Euro.Scout.Doc will focus on the Forum and the implementation of the world programme and adult resources policies within national associations.


Children first seminar

Are we sure that the programmes we offer to girls and boys aged 7-11 are based on their real needs and enable each individual to grow in all areas of his or her personality? Are we sure that all our adult leaders put the children's interests first and that their attitudes and behaviour are coherent with our Movement's goals? A European seminar will be organised at Courrière in Belgium from 20-26 November to examine these issues and to find practical ways of improving both the quality of programmes for children and the quality of adult leadership. The seminar invitation can be found in May's Europak and on the regional web site. The deadline for application to the European Scout Office is 30 September.


Safe from harm symposium

Do you think your association has the policy and procedures in place to avoid child abuse? Have you made an accurate analysis of the definitions of young people's rights and of abuse? Do you know how to make young people aware of issues relating to their rights and their protection from abuse? Are you equipped to make adults fully aware of the issues of child protection so that they are equipped to act responsibly? Well, if you think these issues could be important to your association, take note that "Safe from Harm" is a symposium on the welfare and protection of children and young people, organised by 3 national associations: The Scout Association of UK, Scouting Nederland and Scouts de France, with the support of the European Scout Region, to be held at Gilwell Park, UK, from 19 to 26 November 1999. Look out for more information in the next Europak.


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