| EUROFAX 93 | |
| June 2000 | |
"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."
The Guide and Scout Federation of Turkey warmly welcomed more than 40 representatives of Scout and Guide associations in 25 countries to Olympos, Turkey, from 20-26 May. The seminar took place in an area of outstanding natural beauty and historical interest, with accommodation in tree houses. Unfortunately, despite several last minute cancellations, there were still several disappointed people left on the waiting list. The aim of the seminar was to encourage national Scout and Guide associations to share their ideas and experiences and identify ways of improving programmes for young people over 16. The seminar covered three main issues: exploring the local area and educational opportunities for young people; analysing various approaches and responses in different countries; planning action to be taken in one's own association as follow-up. Sessions included:
Other highlights included:
There was extensive media coverage of the event and excellent relations were established with the hosts and visitors. The participants' evaluation was extremely positive and it is hoped that the seminar venue will eventually become a EuroStep. You can see some of the participants' photos on: www.geocities.com/kadirs_treehouse. The seminar underlined the essential role of the Rover/Ranger section in implementing Scouting/Guiding's mission. It focused on the specific development needs of young people of this age and on the importance of giving them responsibility for designing their own programmes within a clear framework of educational objectives. It warned against forcing young people to take on demanding leadership roles too early or without adequate support, and encouraged national associations to provide more opportunities for young people to become active citizens in their local, national and international communities. A report including the participants' projects and recommendations for national associations on youth programmes, adult resources and communications will be produced soon.
Since 1977, the European Scout Region and the Europe Region WAGGGS have regularly organised a joint event for young people over 16. This event has traditionally been called "EuroFolk" and has aimed at promoting intercultural learning among young people throughout Europe. The first event took place in Turkey in 1977, followed Germany in 1981, Spain in 1985, Italy in 1989, Austria 1993 and Belgium in 1997. "EuroFolk" has been integrated into the Europe For You ! programme.
With the increase in intolerance, xenophobia and racism in Europe, there is still a clear need to provide young people with opportunities to experience and appreciate cultural diversity, as well as to learn about current issues and acquire useful skills for their personal and professional lives. However, the name and form of "Eurofolk" needed to be reviewed and the concept developed further to ensure that it meets the needs of today's young people.
For this reason, participants at the seminar in Turkey were asked to develop a new concept of a European event for young people aged 16-22. They proposed the name "RoverWay" and provided input for the programme. Guidelines based on these proposals will be included in the next EuroPak and made available on the regional web site.
The European Scout Committee and Europe Committee WAGGGS are now pleased to invite National Scout and/or Guide Organisations in Europe interested in hosting and organising this event in 2003 to send their detailed proposal to the European Scout Office, responsible for coordinating this event. The deadline for application is 30 September 2000. All proposals will be considered and a final decision taken by the committees at their meeting in Geneva from 3-5 November 2000.
Thanks to Ian Webb, a volunteer from the Scout Association of South Africa, the European Scout Voluntary Programme is now available online as a searchable database. This will enable more young people to obtain fast and accurate information about voluntary work opportunities at Scout centres and on projects throughout Europe: www.scout.org/europe/volunteer A seminar will be held in 2001 to further develop this element of the Europe For You ! programme.
Who represents your association in your country's national youth council? Do you have a representative? What support does your association need in its work on youth policy issues? If you cannot answer these questions, then it probably means that your association hasn't yet participated in the Network Meeting of Guide and Scout Representatives to National Youth Councils and to the European Youth Forum.
Since 1996, Scouts and Guides from all over Europe have come together once a year to explore and develop their role in representing our Movements in national and international youth platforms. The meeting is an opportunity to learn new skills, to share experiences, and to deepen understanding on youth policy. The next meeting will take place in Slovakia from 22-24 September. The invitation is available in June's EuroPak. For more information, contact Anna Keep in Brussels.
The workshop on the new EU youth programmes has been rescheduled for the weekend 8-10 September in Brussels. It will provide your association with information on the structure of the new programme, and help you to prepare a strategy to maximise the chances that your application will be successful. Look out for the invitation in July's EuroPak.
Representatives of European Scout and Guide associations will meet in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, from 13-15 October, to work on 3 main themes:
For further information, contact Marko Petrovic, international commissioner, Yugoslav Scout Association: ztpbginv@eunet.yu.
A firm date has now been fixed for the European seminar on youth policy, provisionally announced in "Seminars and Events 2000" as taking place in July. Following extensive consultation with the European Youth Centre, Strasbourg, it has been agreed that it will take place from 22-27 October. The invitation to this event will be distributed in July's EuroPak. We advise you to apply early, as demand for places is expected to be high.
Following the launch of the Children for the Future Campaign, supported by the Just a Day project, Pau Noguera, Project Officer, External Relations, at our Brussels Office, will be calling each association to find out about your involvement in the campaign.
A reminder that the main aim of the project is to provide purposeful and enjoyable activities for young people in south-eastern Europe, and at the same time to raise awareness and solidarity amongst young people in other parts of Europe through practical and enjoyable programmes.
We will need to know who the co-ordinators of the campaign are in your association, both for the educational aspects and for fundraising. In order to report on progress on this project in the European media, we would like to know what your plans are for dealing with your national press and Scout magazine. We hope that you will play an active part in this project in order to build on last year's achievements.
EuroPak is the joint monthly mailing to national associations from the European Scout Region and the Europe Region WAGGGS. June's EuroPak includes the information documents and application forms for EuroSteps 2001 and EuroTrain 2001. Current and previous months' EuroPaks can be downloaded from the European Scout Region's web site: www.scout.org/europe/europak.
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