Showing posts with label Europe. Show all posts
JRS Europewide!
Our volunteer Liliane
visited Romania from 13th to 15th Oct to take part in a
JRS meeting. She kindly answered for an interview after the trip.
Q: Tell me about the event in Romania. What was the
occasion?
Liliane: It was JRS Europe Annual General Meeting. The topic
was Accompaniment this year. In the workshop, JRS staff and volunteers from all
around Europe participated. From our JRS UK, Jonathan, Kate, Sr Margaret and I
participated.
Q: What did do you and learn?
L: During the three days, we looked around a hostel for
asylum seekers run by the city council in Bucharest, attended workshops, and
visited JRS Romania main office, ‘My place’ as they call it. And we had a
chance to see the sights and to have meals out to enjoy each other’s company.
We also had a Mass together on the last day of our visit.
In one of the workshop sessions, we were divided into small
groups and discussed. Afterwards we had presentations. In the first workshop,
the questions were what the difficulties we face in our working places were,
why they were difficult, and how we solved the issues.
We also listened to the differentprocesses of welcoming
refugees in various countries and we talked about how to accompany others. I
learned, in order to accompany them, we need to be passionate and listening to
them attentively.
I could see that different countries have different
situations. I met one refugee who was complaining about the lengthy process he
had to undergo, but I told him that in some other places, it could be worse.
I also saw that JRS Romania was doing many good works.For
example, they run language courses, help the refugees to obtain citizenship and
accommodation, and give legal advice. It is possible because they have many
staff members.
Q: How did you feel about this trip and what did you like
most?
L: I was very excited about this trip because it was the
first of such a kind of trip in ten years. It was great to meet people from
different backgrounds and to share our works with each other. I learned a lot.
And the place we stayed was also very nice.
Q: Finally, anything you would like to say?
L: Well, I really enjoyed the trip and am grateful to JRS
for giving me this opportunity. I am also proud of our JRS UK for what we do.
Thank you very much.
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Tag :
accompany,
advocate,
asylum seekers,
befriending,
crossing bridges,
Europe,
JRS,
refugee,
sharing,
travel,
volunteers,
welcome,
workshops,
Hospitality
The main subject of discussion during the annual JRS meeting in Portugal was hospitality. Hospitality is the welcome, one of the most important things that we do in JRS.
JRS is going to run a hospitality campaign around hospitality, community and destitution. The word community came up for me. I think it is important being able to form a community for the refugees. For example, through church or through activities like sports. In the UK, we do that with all the activities and workshops we offer such as the creative writing sessions. Through those activities, refugees can become a part of something and belong to a community, in contrast with the isolation they live in when they first come. They feel that they are not out on a limb and more a part of us, as we are part of them, feeling all part of the same community.
I believe we are doing the best that we can in the UK, although we are sometimes limited as an organisation because of the way things are politically here. Hospitality first and foremost is about being a welcoming presence, being a place of safety for people to come to where they feel accepted and safe. It would be wonderful if we had the means, if we could for example provide accommodation for the homeless people who come here. I would love to be able to do that!
The trust that asylum seekers have in us comes quickly, and you can see a change in people thanks to the hospitality we offer. At first, they are apprehensive but later, they see that we are just here to help them and the next time they come they are all smiles.
The Portuguese team put hospitality into practice with us, the participants. They went out of their way to make the everyday really interesting and enjoyable. I felt how I want our refugees to feel when they come to us. It has made me realise even more how it feels for those we see.
From Sister Bernadette
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Tag :
accompany,
asylum seekers,
bound together,
community,
Europe,
friends,
home,
Jesuits and Friends,
welcome,
The needs of urban refugees
Sister Bernadette has been working 4 years with JRS. Before that, she spent 10 years with Asylum Welcome in Oxford, co-ordinating English classes and the advice team. She shares her reflections on the different contexts for urban refugees here in the UK and in Portugal.
The purpose of the meeting this year’s JRS Europe meeting was the theme “The Refugee in the Urban Context”. We looked at how JRS can respond to the needs of urban refugees. The meeting offered a comparative approach on how different countries deal with the same issues, all with the ultimate same aim.
In contrast with JRS UK, JRS Portugal works mainly with migrants and just 5% of refugees, plus they run a night shelter for 17 people. Also, in Portugal, migrants are supported by governance subsidies and they are allowed to work. Migrants there normally do an apprenticeship during which they are not paid, but if they do well they can get a paid job in future. For example, we had the chance to meet a young man, who in his own country had been a professional footballer and now taught skills to children. We also went to visit an elderly people’s centre where some migrants were working as well. These examples show that the context in Portugal is different to here in the UK.
Generally speaking, it was very interesting meeting people from different European countries like Albania, Romania, Macedonia or Ukraine. I found the wide representation of JRS across Europe very helpful. Some of the participants were from the main office; some were volunteers and some members of staff. There were a lot of young people, especially volunteers. I found it surprising to be invited as a volunteer as I thought the meeting would be just for staff! This meeting gave me a wider view of what JRS is and how it works in Europe. To me it was like looking at the wider church family which I found it quite inspiring.
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