EUROFAX 82 | |
July 1999 |
"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."
96 young Peace Sailors from throughout the Mediterranean will be embarking on this voyage of discovery. As the launch of the Peace Cruise on 8 August draws closer, there are plenty of opportunities for you to get involved with this exciting project, even if you cannot be on the ship itself. The Peace Cruise web site (www.peacecruise.org) is packed full of information about the route, the ship itself and the Peace Events. You will even be able to track the route of the ship as it makes its way around the Eastern Mediterranean between 8 August and 22 September.
If you will be in the Mediterranean during this period, then why not go along to one of the Peace Events. These youth festivals of peace will be taking place in Alexandria (Egypt) 8 August, Gaza (Palestinian Authority) 12 August, Haifa (Israel) 16 August, Larnaca (Cyprus) 19 August, Beirut (Lebanon) 23 August, Istanbul (Turkey) 10 September, Thessaloniki (Greece) 14 September, and Piraeus (Greece) 21/22 September. For more information, contact Richard Amalvy or Anna Keep at the European Scout Office in Brussels.
The European Scout Office is in regular contact with the Scout associations in Albania, Macedonia (FYRO) and Yugoslavia and is monitoring the situation in the Balkans carefully. Due to the fact that the situation is constantly evolving and especially since many refugees are now returning home, our Children for the Future project has to adapt to these new circumstances. We advise any association interested in sending volunteers or supporting the project in any other way to firstly contact Dominique Bénard (dbenard@euro.scout.org) to obtain an update on the situation and advice on how to proceed.
We would like to thank Sweden and Denmark for the money which they have sent to the European Scout Foundation in support of Scouting in the Balkans. We also extend our thanks to the Fédération des Scouts Catholiques in Belgium and the Eclaireurs et Eclaireuses de France which have agreed to adopt one or more Children for the Future Centres. The European Scout Office has received many applications for volunteers to work at the centres during the summer, but more funds are needed to set up and run the centres. If you would like to contribute, please make your payment (in euros if possible) to: The European Scout Foundation "Emergency in the Balkans", UBS-SA, Case Postale, 2600, CH-1211 Geneva. Account 240-605864 70F.
A reminder that Just a Day resource material, designed to help our members understand the situation faced by children and young people in the Balkans, can be downloaded from the European Scout Region's web site (www.scout.org/europe).
As announced in a previous issue of Eurofax, the European Scout Committee considered 31 applications from national Scout associations for financial support from the Centenary Fund. We explained the approach taken by the Committee in considering these applications. This was so that associations could think ahead to applications for funding in the year 2000 with the benefit of more information at an early stage. However, we understand that more information will be required and an issue of Euro.Scout.Doc, to be distributed in the next Europak, will present more detailed guidelines and case studies of applications which fit the criteria of the Fund. These guidelines will supplement the application documents, which will be sent out in September. Any reader of Eurofax with suggestions on matters to be covered either in Euro.Scout.Doc or the application documents are welcome to send them to David Bull c/o the European Scout Office or e-mail them to him on dbull@euro.scout.org.
Associations which are to receive support in 1999 have been asked to complete a grant application acceptance form, signed by the person responsible for the project and, very importantly, by the International Commissioner as well. Upon receipt of the acceptance form, the first part of the agreed grant will be sent to the association's bank account. The final part of the grant will only be paid when a formal report from the association has been received and approved by the European Scout Committee. Report forms will be sent out in September for return by 31 October.
Would you like to see a better exchange of ideas, knowledge, skills and techniques among national Scout associations in our region? If so, why not take part in the EuroTrain project which provides adult leaders with training experience in other countries. This project, developed at this year's European Forum on Youth Programme and Adult Resources in Malta, encourages national associations to offer their adult members the opportunity to have a training experience abroad, as well as to welcome members of foreign Scout associations on their own training courses. Moreover, it enables trainers to join training teams in other countries. If your association would like to take part, please read the introductory document and send the application form in July's Europak to Kjeld Jespersen at the European Scout Office. The deadline is 10 September 1999.
In order to help your members plan well ahead for 2000, we are now starting to collect information for the EuroSteps 2000 booklet. A EuroStep is a site which may be either a permanent centre or a temporary camp. It should offer young people, aged 16-22, an opportunity to participate in original and challenging projects with young people from other countries. These projects should be related to one or more of the 6 key areas of the Passport for Europe: exploration and discovery; quality of life; culture; democracy; solidarity; career and social skills. All projects must be submitted by a national association and approved by the international commissioner.
The application form is in July's Europak. If your association already has a EuroStep included in the 1999 booklet, a copy of the application form has been sent directly to the EuroStep with a request for the changes to be made for the 2000 booklet. Please ensure that the form is sent back to Jacqueline Collier at the European Scout Office by 10 September 1999 (the earlier the better!). As usual, any photos, slides or videos of your EuroSteps will be gratefully received.
This programme will bring together into one booklet information about voluntary opportunities for young people in Europe. Members of any national Scout association from around the world will be able to take part. The first phase will be based on existing Scout Centres, but in the future it is hoped to rapidly include projects, such as EuroSteps and environmental and community development projects. Application forms are in July's Europak and have also been sent to various sites offering voluntary opportunities. In early October, the booklet and other information will be produced. From late October to the end of March, young people will correspond with and apply directly to sites; once accepted by a site, the European Scout Office will be informed and become involved. From 1 May to 30 September 2000, placements will be completed and evaluations made. In October 2000, travel reimbursement cheques will be issued, along with the new booklet for 2001.
Participating sites will have to offer a minimum standard of opportunity and support to the participants, to ensure that the placements are worthwhile; they will thus have to examine themselves and develop as well. The deadline for application to Kandersteg International Scout Centre is 31 August.
The millenium edition of Where to Stay in Europe, the European directory of Scout and Guide centres and campsites, is also being prepared. Application forms are in July's Europak and have been sent to all centres in the 1999 edition. The forms should be returned to Kandersteg International Scout Centre by 10 September.
If your association is sending members abroad, don't forget to provide them with the WOSM International Letter of Introduction. This ensures that they can immediately be identified anywhere in the world as members of an official National Scout Organization, with the rights and responsibilities which this implies. The letters, in packages of 250, can be ordered by WOSM associations from the World Scout Bureau, free of charge.
Please advise your association's EuroSteps, Scout centres, hostels and campsites that they should ask to see the International Letter of Introduction whenever they wish to check that a guest is from a bona fide Scout association.
Whilst we are pleased to note the growing popularity of our new Cub Scout Leader's Handbook, we would like to draw your attention to the copyright. National Scout associations which wish to use all or part of the text or drawings from this book, and any others with similar copyrights, are kindly requested to apply in writing to the European Scout Office, with a copy to the Interamerican Scout Office (the publisher).
Information on the 35th World Scout Conference can be found on the conference web site (www.scouting.org.za/scouts/durban99). Information on the 7th World Scout Youth Forum can be found on (www.scouting.org.za/scouts/youth99). If you want to know more about the South African Scout Association, check out (www.scouting.org.za/scouts).
Note: all invitations and application forms are on the ESR web site.
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