[Euroscoutinfo-en] Fwd: Euro.Scout.Info - Issue 76 - December 2009
Cara Shields
Sent by:
World Scout Bureau
European Regional Office
Rue Henri-Christiné 5, P.O. Box 327, 1211 Geneva - 04 Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 705 11 00 / Fax: +41 22 705 11 09
Email: cshields @scout.org
Website: http://www.scout.org/europe
Introduction
There is a saying that ‘Christmas comes but once a year’ and some of us may be glad it is only once – too much food and maybe too many parties. But Christmas is also a good time for reflection: on those most important to us and on the previous year.
In looking back we can see some major activities have taken place; support has been provided, successes and challenges were faced. In looking back we can also ask – why? I am sure there are several possible answers, but many will agree that we do this to help young people to develop and grow, to be better members of society and, thus, to ‘Create a Better World’.
This is an ambitious boast – but it can be verified by millions of examples here in Europe and worldwide.
Take time to reflect, to thank those who made your achievements possible and to renew yourself to what Baden-Powell referred to as ‘an honourable charge’. Seasons Greetings from the European Scout Committee and the Regional Staff.
Areas of Work
International Commissioners ‘Go Beyond’ in Malta
The sunny island of Malta hosted 120 people for the International Commissioners’ Forum from 19-22 November. There were 98 participants, plus additional guests and the planning and host teams, at this important event. The Maltese Scouts and Guides worked hard to ensure that a full, effective programme matched the magnificent venue.
An initial training session was held on Thursday afternoon for new ICs, with more than 40 participants taking part. The forum continued with the theme ‘Go Beyond’ and tried to provide focus and inspiration for ICs in a rapidly changing world. During the four days there were training sessions and workshops, an open space introducing different challenges and a market place permitting associations to showcase some of their achievements.
A visit to the audio-visual show – the Malta Experience – gave an overview of the unique location of Malta and a Maltese night allowed everyone to experience the music, dance and food of the island.
Inputs were given from the world levels and a there was a focus on looking to the future of the Joint work. The event elicited 100 evaluation forms and this feedback will be used to ensure future events can be even more successful.
All information concerning the event will be posted on www.europak-online.net . Thanks, or grazzi, as they say in Malta, go to the host team from the Malta Guides and Scouts and to the planning team.
European Region explores web 2.0 for youth organisations
The European Youth Forum organised a seminar on ‘Better understanding and practical knowledge of web 2.0 tools for youth organisations’. This was a follow up of the youth event held by the Council of Europe Ministerial Conference on New Media. Mihajlo Atanackovic, Senior Web Editor and Event Administrator for WOSM – European Region, attended.
Held in the European Youth Centre in Strasbourg, the seminar was attended by 15 young people interested in new media and working within youth organisation. During the three days they are given the opportunity to meet Council of Europe experts on media, explore the context of a fast changing media environment, share their experiences using new media within youth organisations and develop creative strategy for communication 2.0 for youth organisations.
The event stimulated new ideas for reaching out the young people, fostering participation on and offline and ensures a long-term approach to web 2.0 communication tools in youth organisations.
Follow the Seminar on Twitter !
Have a look at the Facebook Group Youth Forum 2.0.
Read more about web 2.0 for youth organisations on here .
Educational Methods
A Wild Working Weekend held in Belgium
Forty members of the various working groups within the Educational Methods Team met in Antwerp last weekend for a ‘Wild Working Weekend’.
At the beginning of the triennium, approximately two years ago, most of the same volunteers met to plan the work for the coming years on the related priorities of the Region. This weekend, the groups successfully finished projects, evaluated the work that was done, looked at what work is still to be completed and planned some of the final events before the next conference.
Items discussed, planned and finished included the Programme Developers’ Summit next year, a Euro.Scout.Doc on How Adults Learn and gender issues.
As well as working wildly, the group enjoyed the hospitality of Scouts en Gidsen Vlaanderen , took a tour of the city and experienced the local Christmas market.
Agora 2010
Agora is an event provided by the European Scout Region for Rovers, by Rovers. In April 2010, in the magical setting of Kandersteg International Scout Centre (KISC), Switzerland, Agora will be know as a festival of Kander – ROCK!! Are you ready to ROCK?!
Kander – ROCK will empower, educate and develop young people and will put them in a better position to have a positive impact on their association. It is a crossroads of ideas, experiences, feelings, dreams and concerns; a place to discover differences and explore similarities.
Two participants from each National Scout Organisation are invited to attend this exciting event. Youth members are the present and the future of associations. The power to make positive change and action is in their hands. At Kander – ROCK participants will be inspired to use tools and experiment with ideas to develop Rover Scouting in a unique way. By coming to Agora 2010, participants will experience the Rover Spirit of Friendship, Serving and Creating a Better World during the event and after it at home in their National Scout Organisations.
Kander – ROCK will take place 22-25 April 2010 and the deadline for applications is 26 March 2010. Participants must be 16-22 years old and be able to communication well in English. Check out the promotional video here or more information can be found on www.rovernet.eu .
Development and Support
Organisational Development Core Group meet in Germany
The Organisational Development Core Group’s meeting was held in Castel Rieneck, Germany, from 4-6 December.
Topics discussed at the meeting included the membership software, which is now available on scout.org, and the membership letter, which was sent out to International Commissioners last week.
The group also had the opportunity to present WOSM – European Region, and the work of the core group, at the federal meeting of the German VCP Scout Association. They presented the structure of the European Region and unveiled the model of ‘Better Organisations’ and its 6 behaviours.
Tailored Support Unit meeting in Vienna
>From 11-13 December, the Tailored Support Unit had its meeting in Vienna. The main items for discussion, as for all Tailored Support Unit meetings, were the different Tailored Support projects from all over Europe.
The projects are evaluated, both for their successes and potential improvements for the future. It is important for the unit to look at how they can improve the support offered in this way to NSOs and NSAs in Europe.
After a long working day, they took the opportunity to visit some Christmas markets in Vienna and see all that the beauty that Vienna city can offer.
If you would need some further information on Tailored Support, please contact kke...@scout.org .
New Euro.Scout.Doc on Better Organisations
Since the last conference, the Organisational Development Core Group has worked on this new Euro.Scout.Doc, which has developed from previous work done on Learning Organisations. It considers the issues of how our NSAs can become more effective and efficient in supporting the delivery of Scouting in the 21st Century.
The approach of the document is practical and relevant to NSAs today and provides clear ideas on how some of the behaviours can make a difference to your Association.
The Members of the Core Group and the Tailored Support Unit would be very happy to assist Associations in implementing any of these ideas. Contact the European Office or Committee Contact for more information.
External Relations and Funding
Get involved in the European Year of Volunteering 2011!
Partners and volunteers needed to ensure Scouting has a significant impact.
The European Voluntary Service (EVS), part of the Youth in Action Programme is a very good way for young people to volunteer in another country. WOSM – European Region, in collaboration with Europe Region WAGGGS, are offering seven positions for young people – 18-25 years old – to volunteer in their Brussels offices or with partner MOs/NSOs around Europe.
The young volunteers will offer their time and service to give support to MOs and NSOs for the European Year of Volunteering 2011. To make this project successful, the Regions need both volunteers and MOs/NSOs interesting in being partners. So, help spread the word and ensure maximum impact!
Applications for volunteers for the EVS, and for MOs and NSOs interested in being partners and hosting volunteers in their offices, should send their applications to Alix Masson, ama...@scout.org , before 17 January 2010.
For further information see the entire Joint Communication, ‘ European Voluntary Service joint project to ensure a great Guide and Scout contribution to 2011 European Year of Volunteering – Call for partners and volunteers ’, related to this opportunity.
You can also contact Nicolò, the Funding and Project Support Officer, at npra...@scout.org, for information, suggestions and advice.
Scouting voice on the European 2020 Strategy!
In presenting his programme for the new European Commission, President Barroso set out his vision for where the European Union should be in 2020. He believes that the exit from the current crisis should be the point of entry for a new sustainable social market economy; a smarter, greener economy where our prosperity will result from innovation and from using resources better, and where knowledge will be the key input. To make this transformation happen, Europe needs a common agenda: the EU2020 strategy.
The Commission intends to present a formal proposal for the EU 2020 strategy early next year, with a view to the EU's Heads of State and government adopting the strategy at their spring 2010 meeting. In the meantime, the Commission would like to hear your views on some suggested broad policy considerations for the future EU2020 strategy, which are contained in the consultation document on http://ec.europa.eu/eu2020/ .
This strategy covers core issues for Scouting, such as the place of citizens in their society as well as what Scouting brings to young people and adults to better equip them to face society and the labour market.
Contributions should be sent to Alix Masson, ama...@scout.org as soon as possible!
Youth Rights in Europe: moving forward
The Lisbon Treaty came into force in Europe from 1 December . This means that, for the first time, there will be a legal recognition of the 'contribution of the participation of young people in democratic life in Europe', as stated in article 165 of the Lisbon text.
The presence of the Youth Article (art. 165(2)) is the result of a long-standing work from the European Youth Forum and WOSM, who will look with interest to the developments of the implementation of the Treaty.
The provision will expand dramatically the legal base of European Youth Policies, seen as key support to the action of European integration, enhancing the process towards a better recognition of youth rights in Europe.
Youth is a precious resource for society in order to achieve higher social goals, economic development and technological innovation. Acknowledgement of youth rights at the European level and worldwide, alongside youth policy measures, are gaining momentum as a means to guarantee favourable conditions for young people to develop their skills, fulfil their potential, work and actively participate in society.
Better recognition for Scouting as a non-formal educator
The European Youth Forum and the University of Ghent, Belgium, organised a dialogue between non-formal education providers, mainly youth organisations, and formal education, mainly researchers and practitioners. It was an excellent opportunity for WOSM to showcase Scouting as an educational institution that complements regular schooling.
WOSM presented how the Scout Method and volunteer management are part of Citizenship education and how we make a valuable contribution to society.
In previous years the dialogue focused on the business or labour sectors, while, this year, non-formal and formal education was the primary topic. Participants concluded that the dialogue is crucial to gaining a genuine holistic approach to education. Common understanding, willingness to exchange dialogue and cooperation were the key words of this two-day event.
A new era for youth policy in Europe!
On 27 November, EU Youth Ministers in Brussels adopted a new framework for EU cooperation in the youth field from 2010 until 2018. And few weeks later, the European Parliament, decided to have, for the first time, an intergroup on youth issues for the next 5 years. What does that mean? WOSM’s long-standing position on the need to take young people into account in policies affecting them is finally being listened to!
The new framework of cooperation sets out overall objectives, priorities, working methods and follow-up systems. The overall objectives of the cooperation will be to create more and equal opportunities for all young people in education and in the labour market and to promote their active citizenship, social inclusion and solidarity. The intergroup will allow the different committees of the European Parliament to better cooperate and adopt suitable policies for young people in Europe.
The decision regarding this framework has been preceded by extensive consultations with young people and youth organisations, including many Scouts and WOSM representatives. A continued structured dialogue with youth is a key feature of future cooperation. Scouts were also very much involved in the campaign to get the European Parliament to take an action on youth policy.
For all of us in Scouting, and other youth organisations, it is important because of a cross-sectored approach to youth policy and in 9 years, which is the life span of this framework, we hope to have a sustainable system ensuring that young people participate fully in the political decision making process and monitoring of the framework to ensure that youth policy meets the needs of young people.
The next step is to ensure that the European Youth Pact remain a strong process in the renewed Lisbon strategy (on employment and education) to be revised in the coming month.
Networking and representing at National Youth Council’s representative meeting
The European Year of Volunteering 2011 was the focal point for the meeting of more than 30 Scout and Guide representatives in Lisbon at the beginning of December. The aim was to ensure the spread of the information and discuss the ways to ensure that Scouts, Guides and National Youth Councils play a key role in the preparation and implementation of the year.
Regarding training, the participants focused their efforts on better understanding what networking is and the added value of it. Participants explored solutions to being better representatives of their associations. A first set of possible actions for 2011 was produced, which will be published in 2010 for all the NSOs.
They also came up with a checklist to help any Scout or Guide to be as prepared and effective as possible. This checklist will be useful for any representative in any external meeting: ensuring that one represents its association in the best possible way, as well as providing proper feedback. This checklist will be sent to all NSOs at the beginning of 2010.
Life of the Movement
European Scout Foundation’s annual meeting
The European Scout Foundation’s board members met in Geneva at the beginning of December. They reviewed the work done in the previous year and looked at future plans and activities. The financial report was presented and approved. It was shown that the Foundation is almost back to the same financial position is was in before the economic crisis began.
At the end of 2009, the European Scout Foundation will launch a new website. This website will host all relevant information on the Foundation’s activities. Please visit www.europeanscoutfoundation.org and take a look at all the ways you can support Scouting’s development.
An update on the Super Friends was also given. Super Friends are part of the successful Friends of Scouting in Europe activity and have achieved good results in the past year. They will organise a number of national events next year and details of these events will be announced on the new website, as soon as they are available.
6th Finnjamboree to be held in 2010
An international Scout and Guide camp will be held in Finland from 28 July to 5 August 2010. The camp will be held in southern Finland, near to town of Hämeenlinna, which is reached through Helsinki, Tempere and Turku’s airports and ports.
Around 10,000 Finnish Scouts and Guides are expected, as well as international guests from around the world. Participants will be between 12 and 22 years of age and a full programme will be offered to suit each age range. International guests will have the opportunity to avail of Home Hospitality or a tour of Finland after the camp.
The fee for the camp is €225, with reduced rates for some European countries. Further details about the camp are available at www.kilke.fi or by contacting kilke.int...@scout.fi .
Life of a Pinkie
Another season has finished at Kandersteg International Scout Centre (KISC) and it was the usual load of work, adventures, emotions, smiles and new friends.
The autumn season ended and the KISC staff (Pinkies) went to Schilthorn to do some adventurous skiing and sightseeing at the famous location of the James Bond movie. They then said “goodbye” to the 12 Autumn Short Term Staff (STS) and reflected on some important achievements over the previous months, including the conclusion of the Old Chalet Ground Floor renovation, the USA Room renovation and the acquisition of the chalet Sunneblick. Everyone is now ready (snow included) and excited for Winter!
Four new members recently joined the Long Term Staff (LTS) team: Magdaléna (CZ) – Guest Services Director; Kaspar (CH) - Administration Assistant; Hannes (SE) - High Adventure Assistant and Rahel (CH) - Senior House Manager. Also this month, the Centre welcomed new Short Term Staff from Denmark, Germany, UK, Switzerland, USA, Kenya, Netherlands and Finland. The Pinkie team is growing once again!
KISC is looking forward to this coming year and all the challenges and news that it will bring. They are also hoping to find more new Scouts and Guides to join their Staff Team!
Interested? Check out the LTS positions that are now available on www.kiscstaff.com and remember the deadline for the application is 15th January 2010! Also have a look at our STS possibilities for Spring 2010; a great chance to have three fantastic months in the Alps, being part of an international team and working at the World Scout Centre.
K ISC welcomes Eastern European Scouts
KISC and WOSM – European Scout Region have recently signed an agreement that will allow Scouts and Guides from Eastern European countries to stay for free on the Campsite. This important step will ensure more Scouts and Guides have the chance to visit the Centre and experience the Permanent Mini-Jamboree!
Five hundred free overnights per year have been allocated for the Campsite to be used by Eastern European Scouts. For those who would like to stay indoors and enjoy the atmosphere of a typical Swiss Chalet, or one of the Centre’s newest buildings, the rates for indoor accommodation have been reduced for the countries belonging to the WOSM B, C and D categories.
This is a wonderful opportunity, both for those who have already been in Kandersteg and would like to return, and those who have never visited B.-P.’s dream. KISC is the place where International Friendship is more than an idea – it is everyday life!
Come and live you dream!
Hungarian Scout Conference deals with communication
The 3rd Hungarian Conference, held in Budapest 20-22 November, concentrated on the issue of communication. Over 100 participants, both Scouts and experts, took part in the conference. There were a series of workshops and lectures on both new and traditional tools for communcation.
István Sas, a Hungarian expert in advertising and psychology, gave an induction on advertising to children. He showed how it is important for Scout Leaders to understand this issue to ensure they communicate well with their Scouts and keep their interest in Scouting.
Another presentation was given by Zsófia Lakatos, a PR expert, on the power of communication. She concentrated on external communications. These lectures helped Leaders develop idea and tools for both the recruitment and retention of Scouts in Hungary.
Reminders and Deadlines
The European Scout Symposium 2010
4-7 March 2010 – Budapest, Hungary
Deadline: 15 January 2010
Applications for ESV volunteers and partners
Deadline: 17 December 2010
Useful Information
Web: www.scout.org/europe
Europak: www.europak-online.net
Stay in contact
World Scout Bureau
European Regional Office
Switzerland
P.O. Box 327
Rue Henri Christiné 5
CH-1211 Geneva 4
Tel: (+41 22) 705 11 00
Fax: (+41 22) 705 11 09
Belgium
Avenue de la Porte de Hal 38
BE-1060 Brussels
Tel: (+32 2) 534 33 15
Fax: (+32 2) 534 16 54
Email: eur...@scout.org