[Euroscoutinfo-en] Euro.Scout.Info – Issue 63 – November 2008
Joy Morton
Euro.Scout.Info – Issue 63 – November 2008
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Educational Methods
The 1st Scout Academy is finished
The 1st Scout Academy, the new and innovative event organised by the Region at the Centro Eurolatinoamericano de Juventud in Mollina, Spain has finished its week-long proceedings on 26 October 2008.
More than 110 Scout leaders, representing 22 European countries, participated throughout the week in sessions covering 13 areas of work, covering a broad spectrum of issues in modern Scouting, from e-learning to spiritual development and from fundraising to changing policies.
Being the first event of its kind, there are many lessons to be learned for the organizers but the evaluation has shown the principle works very well and that the participants have taken the most out of all the opportunities offered to them through the Academy.
You can follow-up on the Academy at www.scoutacademy.blogspot.com .
RoverWay 2009
20-28 July 2009 in Iceland
We are getting closer and closer to our 3rd RoverWay, hosted by The Icelandic Boy and Girl Scout Association ‘Bandalag islenskra skata’.
The latest news from RoverWay is that Journeys and Registration is online now!
Rovers participating can choose the Journey for their team, for example:
• Journey to the Centre of the Earth
• To act or not to act
• Ice-climbing
• Lend a hand to a ghost
• Vigorous Vikings
• ... or any other
There are more then 50 journeys divided in to six different groups: Heart, Mind, Creativity, Environment, Challenge, and Culture. Check them out on the RoverWay web page.
Handled through the RoverWay website, registration is electronic and will be open until 1 February 2009. After this date it will still be possible to register by paying a higher fee. Participants will be able to enroll only if they are organized in teams composed from 5 to 15 persons. Each team and IST registration will be valid after a confirmation from The Icelandic Boy and Girl Scout Association ‘Bandalag islenskra skata’.
More information about RoverWay 2009 can be found on its website: www.roverway.is
Facebook users can also check out Roverway group on Facebook as well as groups from different countries, associations and contingents.
Development and Support
Roundtable on Membership on recruitment and retention
7-9 November 2008 in Malmö, Sweden
Two roundtables on Membership and Diversity were organised jointly at the same venue by WAGGGS and WOSM. The main topics discussed at the Roundtable on Membership were large-scale events, attractive participation and different roles of membership growth at national and local level. All themes were looked at from the point of view of recruitment and retention of members.
• Large-scale events can serve as an excellent opportunity to get good publicity for Scouting and Guiding and thus help in recruiting new members, both children and adults. New programme can also be tested or rolled out during large-scale events. Even though large events can help in recruiting new members, attention must be paid to not overload volunteers preparing events as this might lead to loss of members.
• The attractive participation theme included attractive programme and new styles of delivery as well as adult focused discussions on attractive volunteering. Scouting and Guiding must face the fact that volunteering now is different from volunteering som decades ago. People might not want to commit to weekly tasks but might be willing to help out every now and then. We should be aware of the value of volunteering for adults in order to keep them involved.
• National, regional and local levels have different roles to play in membership growth. Ideally national level provides the tools for other levels who then conduct the actual recruitment of members. The tools should be of high quality and easy to use. Sweden presented their pack of recruitment tools which includes for example tools for recruiting diversity, marketing tools, introductory courses for new leaders and a recruitment DVD for the local groups.
In a joint session between the two roundtables the participants discussed how recognition of the existing diversity in our organisations can help us in retaining members. Guides and Scouts are far more diverse than we perhaps even notice. This might be one reason for saying “Scouting and Guiding can offer possibilities to work with a more diverse group of people than do other hobbies, work or studies”. Another aspect of the joint session was to think how we could reach out and get new members from groups not already involved in Scouting and Guiding.
Besides of these themes we watched a presentation done by the Inspiration team work in Denmark. This team has material on a variety of themes from which the local groups can choose a topic most interesting to them. The local group is then met by the voluntary people of the Inspiration team. The team helps the groups in their challenges. We also had a look at some studies on why young people leave scouting. You can read more about this topic in the previous EuroScoutInfo issue.
Are you interested in growth issues? Join the Growth network in its‘ meeting in spring 2009.
To know more about the Growth network contact Katrin Tauscher at ktau...@scout.org .
Relationships and Funding
European Scouting mobilises for EU Year of Volunteers
The campaign to have 2011 designated as EU Year of volunteers continues
European Scouting is urging the EU Commission to move forward to make it happen. During spring and summer European Scouting and many National Scout Organisations were campaigning actively towards Members of the European Parliament to have the Parliament call for 2011 to be designated as the European Year of Volunteering. The campaign was highly successful and clear majority of the MEPs joined this demand thus making it the official position of the House.
Now it is time to continue the mobilisation! European Commission, the Executive of the European Union, has not yet moved to further this proposal. European Scouting, together with other civil society organisations, met on 11 November with the Commissioner Vladimir Spidla to discuss the issue and the importance of this year for millions of volunteers around Europe.
For more information about the the campaign, do not hesitate to contact European Scout Office in Brussels jwe...@scout.org .
Background document in five languages explains the idea for having a European Year of Volunteering:
English: www.youthforum.org/Downloads/Courier/2008/november/European_Year_Background_Paper_EN.pdf
French: www.youthforum.org/Downloads/Courier/2008/november/European_Year_Background_Paper_FR.pdf
German: www.youthforum.org/Downloads/Courier/2008/november/European_Year_Background_Paper_DE.pdf
Polish: www.youthforum.org/Downloads/Courier/2008/november/European_Year_Background_Paper_PL.pdf
Portuguese: www.youthforum.org/Downloads/Courier/2008/november/European_Year-Background_Paper_PT.pdf
Italian: www.youthforum.org/Downloads/Courier/2008/november/European_Year-Background_Paper_IT.pdf
Scouts take leadership in the European Youth Forum
Scouts took firm hold of the leadership of the European Youth Forum (YFJ), representative platform of European youth organisations towards EU, the Council of Europe and the United Nations System. Tine Radinja (28) from Slovenia, representative of the European Scout Region was elected as the President of the organisation in the YFJ General Assembly, held in Rotterdam, The Netherlands on 13-15th November.
“At the time of financial crises, youth sector cannot stay inactive, but we must advocate for stronger recognition and sustainability of youth organisations. Building the Europe of our dreams needs young people, strong youth organisations and a vision for the future.” Tine Radinja stated in his closing speech during the General Assembly.
The position of Scouting in the leadership of the European Youth Forum was further strengthened through election of Johan Ekman (25, Finnish Scouting) and Luca Scarpiello (25, Italian Scouting) as members of the 11-member Bureau (Board) of the Forum. Both Johan and Luca have served in various roles in their NSOs as well as WOSM.
In addition, the membership of European Youth Forum renewed the mandate of WOSM representatives Loreta Senkute from Lithuania and Etienne Genet from Frnce in the Advisory Council for Youth Affairs of the Council of Europe. Advisory Council is a statory body of the Council of Europe and it defines the priorities and policies of this intergovernmental institution in the youth field. The s campaign was coordinated closely with Europe Region WAGGGS. The two movements have now historically strong representation in the leadership of the cooperation of European youth organisations.
More information on the European Youth Forum and the involvement of Scouting in it:
European Youth Week: Have your say on EU youth policy
The European Youth week was organised on 3-5 November all around Europe. The main event took place in Brussels. This event provided a possibility for young people across Europe to have their say on the future of EU youth policies. European Scouting was actively involved in the event as Micha Poscvek from European Policies Support Group served as its General Rapporteur gathering the results of the debate of participants and presenting them to Mr. Jan Figel, European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth and to the European Parliament Committee for Culture. Also trainers from European Scout Region were participating in the event as facilitators for young participants.
The contributions of the young people focused on five main issues: youth participation, volunteering programmes, employment, education and human rights.
The conclusions urge that:
• Every young person in Europe should have more opportunities to exchange with policy makers;
• There should be easier access to volunteering for everyone and a better recognition of skills and abilities acquired by the volunteers;
• International mobility amongst young people should be promoted by abolishing visa obstacles;
• The European Union should promote a similar education system in every European country, increase mobility and promote non-formal learning recognition;
• All citizens in the European Union should be considered equal, no matter what sex, skin colour, sexual orientation or social background he or she has.
The debate between young people and EU decision-makers was organised in the context of the revision of EU youth policies that will take place next year. European Commission has invited young people and all involved in youth organisations to open online consultations for their proposal on future activities: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/youth-policies/doc1220_en.htm
More information on the European Youth Week at www.youthweek.eu .
Life of the Movement
10th annual gathering of FOSE
During mid-October, the European Scout Foundation’s Friends of Scouting in Europe annual gathering too place in Hungary. Some 35 Friends met and had a splendid long weekend planed and organasied by Helene and Rene Karla as well as the Hungarian Scout Association.
Please note for your 2009 calendar that the 11th FOSE Gathering will take place in Montenegro from 8-11 October 2009.
European Scout Foundation’s financial results per year-end 2007/2008
As per 30 September 2008, the ESF closed its books for the financial year 2007/2008. The final figures are now in the hands of our external auditors, but we are pleased to report that the popular Friends of Scouting in Europe has enabled the Foundation to have an income of some CHF 100’000, which is in line with the previous two years. The ESF Small Projects have been exchanged for some CHF 50.000. Ths is half of previous years result and we are in need of quality project requests from Central and Eastern Europe. Once the final, audited figures are at hand the annual statement will be circulated to all NSOs.
Scout Camp Blå Sommer 2009 in Denmark
At Blå Sommer 2009 you won't just meet Danish Guides and Scouts, you will also meet Guides and Scouts from the rest of the world. Out of the estimated 20,000 participants, we hope to see approximately 2000 foreign Guides and Scouts at the Jamboree. As a foreign participant at the jamboree you will have the opportunity for many international experiences.
Scouts and Guides from all over the world are invited and encouraged to come to Denmark and experience Scouting the Danish way. More information can be found on the Blå Sommer website at http://dds.dk/blaasommer/index.php?id=105 .
Reminders and Deadlines
Long Term Staff Positions at KISC
4 or 7-10 month positions at KISC, Switzerland
Deadline: 1 December 2008
Training Systems Renewal Workshop
6-8 February 2009 in Salzburg, Austria
Deadline: 8 January 2009
6th Forum on Youth Programme and Adult Resources
18-22 March 2009 in Óbidos, Portugla
Deadline: 22 January 2009
North-South Network Meeting,
20 – 22 March 2009 in Athens, Greece
Deadline: 14 February 2009
Useful Information
Europak: http://www.europak-online.net
Stay in contact
World Scout Bureau
European Regional Office
P.O. Box 327
Rue Henri Christiné 5
CH-1211 Geneva 4
Switzerland
Tel: (+41 22) 705 11 00
Fax: (+41 22) 705 11 09
Email: eur...@scout.org
Web: www.scout.org/europe