Call for Participants
Study Session: “Right to Exist?”
27.09.2015 – 03.10.2015
at the European Youth Center in Budapest
Service Civil International (SCI) in cooperation with the European Youth Foundation are excited to introduce the study-session “Right to Exist?”.
In recent years, social mobilisations of undocumented migrants began in most countries of Europe. They claimed their (human) rights and sought to let the public know that they actually exist – despite the fact that the authorities of the countries where they reside effectively deny this.
The aim of this study session is to empower volunteers and youth-workers in their work with and for undocumented migrants, and to build the capacity of our network and ourselves to be more actively and efficiently engaged with the topic.
In spite of the fact that we would like to involve undocumented migrants currently living in Europe in the study session, we will focus on volunteers and activists (both SCI and non SCI) who support undocumented migrants in their own country or elsewhere.
Profile of the Participant
We are inviting volunteers, activists, youth workers, undocumented migrants, researchers and staff of NGOs whose work relates refugees/undocumented/migrants (e.g. an SCI branch or partner organisation) with the following profile:
- between 18-30 years old
- able to work autonomously and to discuss complex topics and concepts in spoken and written English
- able to participate during the entire Study Session
- resident in a European Cultural Convention Country
- have work / volunteer experience with undocumented migrants or are motivated and able to contribute to such work in the futureare interested in follow-up activities in support of undocumented migrants up through personal and organizational (online) activism.
During the selection gender and regional balance will be taken into account.
Aims & Objectives
The main objectives of the Study Session is to bring 25 youth-workers, volunteers, undocumented migrants, researchers and/or NGO workers together.
We will be:
- sharing information and experiences of situations of undocumented migrants in different countries,
- sharing and learning from experiences of work in relation to undocumented migrants,
- reflecting on and discussing the situation from a human rights perspective,
- building capacity and competence of participants to work on the topic,
- creating the space to support participants to develop initiatives and projects to follow up the Study Session at local and/or international levels,
- supporting networking and partnership building among participants.
Background information
Service Civil International is an international peace and voluntary organisation with 45 branches and more than eighty partners world-wide. SCI has a long tradition of giving shape to values such as solidarity, human rights and inclusion of refugees/migrants. Many branches of SCI carry out activities with and for refugees/migrants, some of them are explicitly supporting undocumented migrants .
The main methods used by SCI to promote peace and justice are short and long term international voluntary service projects; we also organise seminars and trainings to foster our values and objectives. These include: volunteering, non-violence, human rights, solidarity, respect for the environment, inclusion, empowerment and cooperation. With the help of our seminars / trainings we strive to support volunteers working for people without a voice and to involve those in our projects.
We the facilitators are all active volunteers of different European SCI branches. We felt the need to connect to other volunteers, youth workers and NGOs to share experiences and best practices on the topic, in order to exchange experiences, enhance cooperation and discover new ways of action.Therefore we are very happy that the EYC approved our Study Session application and that we can now invite you to join us in a week-long process of discussing and working on how to support undocumented migrants and empower their supporters.
Financial and practical information
Travel expenses: the travel and visa expenses of the participants will be 100% reimbursed according to the rules of the Council of Europe and only upon presentation of the original receipts. We urge participants to choose the most economic while sustainable itinerary and tickets for traveling, since there is a limited travel budget for every Study Session. Only participants who stay for the complete duration of the Study Session will be reimbursed. The reimbursement is done at the end of the meeting in cash (in euros only) or by bank transfer after the meeting.
Accommodation: accommodation and meals will be provided by the Council of Europe at the European Youth Center in Budapest.
Participation Fee: there is only a participation fee of 50 euros. This will be deducted from the reimbursement of the travel expenses.
Travel and health insurance is not covered.
Si esteu interessades, cal que envieu un correu a voluntariat@sci-cat.org abans del 13 de juliol al migdia.
Cal que adjunteu carta de motivació i/o CV.