Messengers of Peace Award
Dear Scouts and Scouters,
The Messengers of Peace Award is a programme initiative from World
Scouting, which is open to all youth members of Scouting Ireland. It aims to
promote world peace through the positive activities of young people. With
scouts all over the world having the possibility of taking part, the Award
enables thousands of actions which will help encourage peace,
development, and social justice. Check out this video which explains what
the Award is all about: youtu.be/9acT1dym9tE
The Award is very simple. All you need to do is to complete a community
project which involves over ten hours of commitment from each youth
member. It is international recognition for local action. The resources in this
pack show how you can achieve the award in each section.
Messengers of Peace is part of the Better World Framework, which Scouting
Ireland recently signed up to. Information on the Messengers of Peace
Award, and the other parts of the Framework, the World Scout
Environemntal Programme and the Scouts of the World Award (Venture
Scouts and Rover Scouts only), is available on scouts.ie.
Yours in Scouting,
David Shalloo
Chief Commissioner (Youth Programme)
Messengers of Peace
The Activity:
Complete a Messengers of Peace
service project
The Beaver Scout Trail
Bree:
Help with the service project
Ruarc: Take on a specific job for the service project
Conn:
Help choose and organise the service project
Whose talents can help with this activity?
Fionn: Understand that it is important that I am
considerate and help others
Spike:
Be kind to others and don't do harm
Understand the ideas of right and wrong
Plan
Introduction
The Messengers of Peace Award aims to promote world peace
through the positive activities of young people. Any Beaver Scout
who has voluntarily invested more than 10 hours in a community
service project is eligible for the award. This can be anything from
running a fun day for the disadvantaged in your local community, to
coordinating a book donation for a school in need.
Any community project that brings a positive change to an area - its
health, environment, social circumstances, safety or addresses
conflict – is a Messengers of Peace project. Since 2012, Scouts
across the world have been sharing their community service
initiatives online on scout.org. To date, more than 620,000,000
service hours have been registered in over 40,000 community
service initiatives.
Requirements
Complete a service project which involves at least 10 hours of
effort. Your project should include the following:
• Service to a community: The project should address a
need in the community.
• Sustainable: It should have a lasting impact
• Personal Progression: All of the Beaver Scouts should be
involved in organising and doing the project.
Plan
Steps to getting the Award:
1. The Colony or each Lodge firstly registers by emailing
[email protected] (include your Group details, numbers of
Beaver Scouts participating, and your planned project).
2. Plan: Fionn helps us explore a community issue (meeting) and
Spike shows us why it is important to help (meeting)
3. Do: Do your community project (day adventure)
4. Review: Spike helps you look at the difference you made and
Fionn helps you celebrate (meeting). Submit an application.
5. Celebrate your achievement!
Plan
Exploration activities
Activity 1: Céad Míle Fáilte! – A Hundred Thousand Welcomes!
Aim: To encourage the Beaver Scouts to take a positive role in
welcoming migrants or refugees.
Time: 30 minutes
Sustainable Development Goals: 4. Quality Education, 10. Reduced
Inequalities, 17. Partnerships for the Goals
Materials: Map of the world, colourful sticker dots, art materials,
A2 paper, pens, markers.
The idea of this activity is to give the Beaver Scouts a positive sense
of the fact that people move around the world for lots of different
reasons and that we can take a proactive role to welcome them.
Step 1: Show the Beaver Scouts the map of the world. Give each
Lodge a different coloured sheet of stickers. Invite the Lodges up
one by one, each member placing stickers on the places that they
have visited.
Step 2: Ask the Beaver Scouts how they travelled there. Was it
comfortable? How was the food? Were the people nice? What was
most fun?
Step 3: Explain to the Beaver Scouts that sometimes families have
to move from their home country and go to live in another country.
The Lodges might suggest reasons for this, or Scouters might
mention some. (You can make a call about whether the group are
ready to talk about sensitive issues like refugees)
Step 4: Get the Beaver Scouts to imagine that a group of children
their own age were going to be arriving in their area in a month.
Ask them to make a poster to welcome these new children. Tell
them all of the great things about the area!
Activity 2: The Same But Different
Aim: To enable Beaver Scouts to recognise and appreciate that as
human beings, we can be similar and different in many ways.
Time: 30 minutes
Sustainable Development Goals: 4. Quality Education, 10. Reduced
Inequalities
Materials: A potato for each Beaver Scout, a bag to put the
potatoes in, flipchart, markers.
Step 1: Let each Beaver Scout pick a potato out of the bag. Ask
them to examine their potato carefully – look at its shape and size,
any lumps or bumps, etc..
Step 2: Collect the potatoes into the bag. Mix them around and
pour them onto the floor. Ask the Beaver Scouts to find their
potato and return to their Lodges.
Step 3: Ask the Beaver Scouts how they were able to identify their
potato. Using a flipchart/board, write down the Beaver Scouts’
answers to the following questions:
• Was it difficult to find their potato?
• Were all of the potatoes different? How were they
different?
• Were they the same in any way? How?
You should point out at the end of the exercise that although each
potato is different, it is still a potato on the inside.
Step 4: Ask the Beaver Scouts to discuss the following in their
Lodges:
• Do all people in your local area and in Ireland look the same,
dress the same, etc.? If not, why is this the case?
• In what way are we different on the outside?
• In what way are we the same on the inside?
Step 5: Invite the Lodges to tell the rest of the group what they
found in their discussion as part of a Log Chew.
Do
You should run a project which is benefit to the community. This
can be any service, such as putting on a variety show in a nursing
home, make gift boxes for local social charities, or a fundraising
event for a charity.
Before You ‘DO’ Anything…
Reflect:
Brainstorm with your Beaver Scouts on the following…
• What activities did the Beaver Scouts carry out in their
exploration?
• What did they learn from these activities?
• How does what we have learned in the ‘exploration’ relate to
our local community, or a community that we know of?
• What can we do for this community in relation to the issues
addressed?
• Is there already a group in your community who need help with
a project?
Do:
• Make an action plan!
Once you have a rough outline of your action plan, ask your Beaver
Scouts to draw/explain the community as it is now, then ask them
to draw/explain how they imagine things might look after the
project is complete. You might ask your Beaver Scouts to write one
wish for the project on a piece of card. Keep these somewhere safe
to look back on in your Review!
Review
Lodge Chew
• What was your project?
• How did it help the community?
• Did you like helping other people?
• Look back on your wish for the project
How did the Fox Lodge help us achieve our Beaver
Scout Trail badges?
Fionn shows us it is important to be considerate
and help others
Bree: What was your project? What did you do?
Ruarc: What was your job? Did the project help
other people?
Conn: How did you help? Why is it important to
help others?
Spike shows us why we should be kind and how we
can understand right and wrong
Bree: What was your favourite part?
Ruarc: Did you like helping other people?
Conn: How did the project help other people?
Let’s get out the trail map and colour in some dots!
The Sustainable Development Goals
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
No Poverty
No Hunger
Good Health
Quality Education
Gender Equality
Clean Water & Sanitation
Renewable Energy
Good Jobs & Economic Growth
Innovation & Infrastructure
Reduced Inequalities
Sustainable Cities & Communities
Responsible Consumption
Climate Action
Life Below Water
Life on Land
Justice
Partnerships for the Goals
Key Definitions
•
•
•
A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee their home
country because of a well-founded fear of persecution because
of ethnicity, religion, nationality, and political opinion, or
because of violence, conflict, or natural disaster.
An asylum seeker is a person seeking to be granted protection
as a refugee outside their country of origin, and who is waiting
for a legal determination of his/her application.
A migrant is someone who chooses to move to another country
in search of a better life – to find work, or for such reasons as
education, business, or family reunion.
Castle Saunderson Scout Centre
Castle Saunderson has Peace and Community programmes which
are specifically linked to the Messengers of Peace Award. It is a
great way of practically exploring the Award and getting started on
planning a project. Check out their website for more
www.castlesaunderson.com
Messengers of Peace
The Activity:
Complete a Messengers of Peace
service project
Cub Scout Adventure Quest
Turas:
Help with the service project
Taisteal: Take on a specific job for the service project
Tagann: Help choose and organise the service project
Whose talents can help with this activity?
Sarah: Understand that it is important that I am
considerate and help others
Conor: Be kind to others and keep things fair
Plan
Introduction
The Messengers of Peace Award aims to promote world peace
through the positive activities of young people. Any Cub Scout who
has voluntarily invested more than 10 hours in a community service
project is eligible for the award. This can be anything from running
a fun day for the disadvantaged in your local community, to
coordinating a book donation for a school in need.
Any community project that brings a positive change to an area - its
health, environment, social circumstances, safety or addresses
conflict – is a Messengers of Peace project. Since 2012, Scouts
across the world have been sharing their community service
initiatives online on scout.org. To date, more than 620,000,000
service hours have been registered in over 40,000 community
service initiatives.
Requirements
Complete a service project which involves at least 10 hours of
effort. Your project should include the following:
• Service to a community: the project should address a
need in the community
• Sustainable: It should have a lasting impact
• Personal Progression: All of the Cubs should be involved in
organising and doing the project.
Plan
Steps to getting the Award:
1. The Pack or each Six firstly registers by emailing
[email protected] (include your Group details, numbers of
Cub Scouts participating, and your planned project).
2. Plan: Sarah helps us explore a community issue (meeting) and
Conor shows use why it is important to help (meeting)
3. Do: Each six does a community project (weekend)
4. Review: Conor helps you look at the difference you made and
Sarah helps you celebrate (meeting). Submit an application.
5. Celebrate your achievement!
Plan
Exploration activities
Activity 1: Should I Stay or Should I Go? – Moving Debate
Aim: To understand what influences decision making. Debate
through ‘reasoning’. To imagine what it might be like for a refugee
who is fleeing conflict. To understand that it’s not an easy decision
to leave one’s home, family, friends, job, club, school, etc..
Time: 30 minutes.
Sustainable Development Goals: 1. No Poverty 3. Good Health 4.
Quality Education
Materials: ‘Stay’, ‘Go’, and ‘Not Sure’/‘Depends’ signs (Optional).
Statements sheet.
Step 1: Pick one location to be the ‘Stay’ side, pick another location
to be the ‘Go’ side. Halfway between these locations is the ‘Not
Sure’/‘It Depends’ spot.
Step 2: Tell the Pack that you will be calling out a number of
statements, and that they must react to these statements by
moving to either of the three locations. Let the Pack know that
after everyone has moved, you will be asking people why they
moved there. The Cub Scouts are free to change their mind and
move again at any stage.
Statements
• Your parents are going on holidays next month and they have
asked if you want to go with them. – Do you stay or go?
• You’re at a birthday party and the other children are excluding
you. – Do you stay or go?
Statements (cont’d)
• Your friend is pushing another of your classmates in the school
yard. The teacher is on their way. – Do you stay with your friend,
who hasn’t noticed the teacher coming, or do you run away?
• You’ve been offered to go stay with your cousins in Spain for the
summer to learn the language. – Do you stay or go?
• Your parents have lost their jobs and suggest moving to a
different county to find work. – Do you stay or go?
• You’re playing football on the green when an army jet goes
overhead. – Do you stay or go?
• You’re watching the news with your family, the presenter says
that a war has begun in another part of the country. – Do you
stay or go?
• There are rumours that a nearby town is going to be bombed in
the coming months. – Do you stay or go?
• Your family has given all of their savings for a place on a boat
across the Irish Sea to escape a war. You arrive at the shore and
realise that there is no life jacket for you. – Do you stay or
leave?
Plan
Activity 2: The Crossing
Aim: To explore the journey of the many refugees making their way
towards Europe, while exploring the breaches of their human rights
on their journey and on their arrival. To consider what is involved in
the journeys undertaken by refugees across the Mediterranean
Sea.
Time: 45 minutes
Sustainable Development Goals: 3. Good Health, 10. Reduced
Inequalities, 16. Justice, 17. Partnerships for the Goals
Materials: Masking tape, cut-outs of the individual articles in the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The idea of this exercise is to give the Cubs an idea of the journey
undertaken by many people as they flee their homeland.
Step 1: Mark out an area of 10ft by 2.5ft using the masking tape.
Step 2: Tell the Pack that they are now refugees fleeing across the
Mediterranean Sea, and that this is their boat. Ask the Pack to
divide into their Sixes. Assign one of the following to each Six,
making sure that everyone in the Pack can hear…
You are fleeing because…
• A rebel group took control of your town
• A government group took control of your town
• You ran out of money and could no longer stay
• Your homes were destroyed and you had nowhere else to
go
• It was too dangerous to stay, your lives were in danger
• All of your family and friends had left
Step 3: Ask each of the Sixes to sit into the ‘boat’ one-by-one,
handing each Cub Scout that boards an individual article cut-out
from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (provided).
Step 4: Once everyone is in the boat, ask the Six who ‘ran out of
money’ to raise their hands. Tell them that they don’t have life
vests, they couldn’t afford them.
Step 5: Ask the Pack to look at their article. Invite the Cub Scouts to
raise their hands if their article has been breached in the boat, or
on the journey to/from the boat.
Step 6: Ask a few of the Cub Scouts with their hands up to read out
their article, and explain why they put their hand up.
Step 7: The Cub Scouts may now disembark and regroup into their
Packs, they have arrived safely in Europe.
But…
•
•
•
•
•
The Six whose ‘homes were destroyed’ must remain where
they are, this is now a waiting room. They cannot leave
the waiting room because they have no passports, these
were destroyed along with their homes.
The Six who ‘ran out of money’ must remain seated also,
they are now in the hospital, they did not make the
crossing safely.
The Six whose town was taken over by the rebels are
kidnapped by criminals gangs in Europe.
The Six who left because their lives were in danger were
told to leave Europe because there was ‘no money’ and
‘no room’ to take care of them.
The remaining Sixes found safe asylum in Europe.
Step 8: Give each Six a sheet of paper and a pen. Ask them to
brainstorm the things they might be thinking if they were in this
situation.
Step 9: Get the Sixes to read out what they have written down.
Step 10: Group discussion on the following…
• Did you realise anything about the journey many refugees
take which you may not have realised before?
• Is there anything we could do to make this journey easier
for the refugees?
THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS 1948
(Simplified by Amnesty International UK)
1. We are all born free. We all have our own thoughts and
ideas. We should all be treated in the same way.
2. These rights belong to everybody
3. We all have the right to life, and to live in freedom and
safety
4. Nobody has any right to make us a slave. We cannot make
anyone else our slave.
5. Nobody has any right to hurt or torture us.
6. We all have the same right to use the law.
7. The law is the same for everyone. It must treat us all fairly.
8. We can all ask for the law to help us when we are not
treated fairly.
9. Nobody has the right to put us in prison without good
reason, to keep us there, or to send us away from our
country.
10. If someone is accused of breaking the law they have the
right to a fair and public trial.
THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS 1948
(Simplified by Amnesty International UK) (cont’d)
11. Nobody should be blamed for doing something until it
has been proven that they did it. If people say we did
something bad, we have the right to show this was not true.
12. Nobody should try to harm our good name. Nobody has
the right to come into our home, open our letters, or bother
us or our family without a very good reason.
13. We all have the right to go where we want to in our own
country and to travel abroad as we wish.
14. If we are frightened of being badly treated in our own
country, we all have the right to run away to another
country to be safe.
15. We all have the right to belong to a country.
16. Every grown up has the right to marry and have a family.
17. Everyone has the right to own things or share them.
Nobody should take our things from us without good
reason.
18. We all have the right to believe in what we want to – to
have a religion, or to change it if we want.
19. We all have the right to make up our own minds, think
freely, speak freely, and share our ideas with people.
20. We all have the right to meet our friends and to work
together in peace to defend our rights. Nobody can make us
join a group if we don’t want to.
THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS 1948
(Simplified by Amnesty International UK) (cont’d)
21. We all have the right to take part in the government of
our country.
22. We all have the right to a home, to have enough money
to live on and medical help if we are ill. We should all be
allowed to enjoy music, art, craft, sport and to make use of
our skills.
23. Every grown up has the right to a job, to get a fair wage,
and to join a trade union.
24. We all have the right to rest from work and relax.
25. We all have the right to a good life, with enough food,
clothing, housing and healthcare. Mothers and children,
people without work, old and disabled people all have the
right to help.
26. We all have the right to an education, and to finish
primary school, which should be free. We should be able to
have a career. We should learn about the United Nations
and about how to get on with other people and respect
their rights. Our parents have the right to choose how and
what we will learn.
27. We all have the right to our own way of life, and to enjoy
the good things that science and learning bring.
28. We have a right to peace and order so we can all enjoy
rights and freedoms in our own country and all over the
world.
THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS 1948
(Simplified by Amnesty International UK) (cont’d)
29. We have a duty to other people, and we should protect
their rights and freedoms.
30. Nobody can take these rights and freedoms from us.
Do
As a recap. from earlier, this can be anything from running a fun
day for the disadvantaged in your local community, to coordinating
a book donation for a school in need.
Before You ‘DO’ Anything…
Reflect:
Brainstorm with your Cub Scouts on the following…
• What activities did the Cub Scouts carry out in their
exploration?
• What did they learn from these activities?
• How does what we have learned in the ‘exploration’ relate to
our local community, or a community that we know of?
• What can we do for this community in relation to the issues
addressed?
• Is there already a group in your community who need help with
a project?
Do:
• Make an action plan!
Once you have a rough outline of your action plan, ask your Cub
Scouts to draw/explain the community as it is now, then ask them
to draw/explain how they imagine things might look after the
project is complete. You might ask your Cub Scouts to write one
wish for the project on a piece of card. Keep these somewhere safe
to look back on in your Review!
Review
•
•
•
•
What was your project?
How did it help the community?
Did you like helping other people?
Look back on your wish for the project
How did the Atlantic Six help us achieve our
Personal Journey Badges?
Sarah shows us it is important to be considerate
and help others
Turas: What was your project? What did you do?
Taisteal: What was your job? Did the project help
other people?
Tagann: How did you help? Why is it important to
help others?
Conor shows us why we should be kind.
Turas: What was your favourite part?
Taisteal: Did you like helping other people?
Tagann: How did the project help other people?
Don’t forget to clip your travel cards!
The Sustainable Development Goals
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
No Poverty
No Hunger
Good Health
Quality Education
Gender Equality
Clean Water & Sanitation
Renewable Energy
Good Jobs & Economic Growth
Innovation & Infrastructure
Reduced Inequalities
Sustainable Cities & Communities
Responsible Consumption
Climate Action
Life Below Water
Life on Land
Justice
Partnerships for the Goals
Key Definitions
•
•
•
A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee their home
country because of a well-founded fear of persecution because
of ethnicity, religion, nationality, and political opinion, or
because of violence, conflict, or natural disaster.
An asylum seeker is a person seeking to be granted protection
as a refugee outside their country of origin, and who is waiting
for a legal determination of his/her application.
A migrant is someone who chooses to move to another country
in search of a better life – to find work, or for such reasons as
education, business, or family reunion.
Castle Saunderson Scout Centre
Castle Saunderson has Peace and Community programmes which
are specifically linked to the Messengers of Peace Award. It is a
great way of practically exploring the Award and getting started on
planning a project. castlesaunderson.com
Possible partner organisations
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Community Associations often undertake small social projects
which you can help out with.
City/County Councils: Local authorities often have community
or recreational divisions which offer support to community
organisations.
Enable Ireland provides services to children and adults with
disabilities and their families. www.enableireland.ie
Irish Red Cross provides humanitarian support and community
services to the most vulnerable at home and abroad. redcross.ie
Irish Wheelchair Association provides quality services to
people with limited mobility throughout the country. iwa.ie
St Vincent de Paul offers practical assistance to families in need.
You could fundraise for them or organise a collection of items
for their shops. www.svp.ie
European Anti-Poverty Network Ireland provides training on
social issues. www.eapn.ie
Trócaire have a number of campaigns to get involved in www.trocaire.org
World Vision are always seeking funding for their work –
perhaps this could tie in with your project? -worldvision.ie
Messengers of Peace
The Activity:
Complete a Messengers of Peace project
The Crean Awards
Discovery:
• Help with the service project
• Know about community groups and the roles they play in your
locality
Terra Nova:
• Take on a specific job for the service project
• Participate in a Patrol based community project
Endurance:
• Help choose and organise the service project
• Demonstrate how you can find and evaluate information to help
plan an activity
• Take an active role in your Troop
• Take an active role in Patrol meetings
• Help run and have an active part in a Patrol or Troop Community
project
Polar:
• Help to lead the service project
• Take an active role in your Group
• Plan, run and review an activity for your Patrol or Troop
• Plan and run a Patrol or Troop Community Project
Special Interest Badges
Community
Plan
Introduction
The Messengers of Peace Award aims to promote world peace
through the positive activities of young people. Any Scout who has
voluntarily invested more than 10 hours in a community service
project is eligible for the award. This can be anything from running
a fun day for the disadvantaged in your local community, to
coordinating a book donation for a school in need.
Any community project that brings a positive change to an area - its
health, environment, social circumstances, safety or addresses
conflict – is a Messengers of Peace project. Since 2012, Scouts
across the world have been sharing their community service
initiatives online on scout.org. To date, more than 620,000,000
service hours have been registered in over 40,000 community
service initiatives.
Requirements
Complete a service project which involves at least 10 hours of
effort. Your project should include the following:
• Service to a community: The project should address a
need in the community.
• Sustainable: It should have a lasting impact
• Personal Progression: All of the Scouts should be involved
in organising and doing the project.
Plan
Steps to getting the Award:
1. The Troop or each Patrol firstly registers by emailing
[email protected] (include your Group details, numbers of
Scouts participating, and your planned project)
2. Plan: Learn about a local social issue (meeting) and decide on
ways in which you can help (meeting)
3. Do: Patrols organise a community project (weekend)
4. Review: Evaluate your project and its impact, and commit to
maintaining if required (meeting, on-going). Submit an
application.
5. Celebrate your achievement!
Plan
Exploration activities
Activity 1: What’s It Worth?
Aim: To introduce Direct Provision as the current model in Ireland
for hosting Asylum Seekers. To facilitate reflection on the daily life
of the average teenager in Ireland in contrast with a young Asylum
Seeker.
Time: 50 minutes
Sustainable Development Goals: 1. No Poverty 8. Good Jobs and
Economic Growth 16. Justice
Materials: A2 paper, pens, tape, markers, A4 paper.
Step 1: Give each patrol a few sheets of A2 paper taped together.
Each group much draw the outline of one of the patrol members on
the page. This will represent the average teenager. Leave the inside
empty and some space around the figure.
Step 2: Ask the patrols to draw clothes and accessories on the
figure – what might this person normally wear? A uniform, a
schoolbag, glasses, etc..
Step 3: Now get the patrol to put a realistic price tag on all of these
items.
Step 4: Now the group should write, in the area outside the figure,
other expenses that this individual may encounter in an average
week – phone credit, lunch money, bus fare, cinema tickets, etc..
Step 5: The group should add up all of the prices they have written
on the page and write it down.
Step 6: Explain the following to the group…
A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee their home
country because of a well-founded fear of persecution because of
ethnicity, religion, nationality, and political opinion, or because of
violence, conflict, or natural disaster.
An Asylum Seeker is a person seeking to be granted protection as a
refugee outside their country of origin, and who is waiting for a
legal determination of his/her application.
Direct Provision is the accommodation provided to persons
without means who are seeking asylum and permission to remain
in Ireland, whereby they receive shelter and full board in
accommodation provided by the State while their application for
asylum is being processed. People in direct provision receive a
weekly allowance for adults and children.
There are 35 Direct Provision centres around Ireland. These housed
4,484 people in May 2015.
Step 7: Tell the group that the person they have drawn has now
become an asylum seeker living in Direct Provision. They receive set
meals each day, and have their basic accommodation and health
costs covered. Their guardian would also receive €15.60 in child
allowance per week, along with their adult allowance of €19.10,
totalling €35.70 per week. Neither adult nor teen is allowed to
work while in Direct Provision.
Step 8: Ask the patrols to cross out all of the things that this
teenager would no longer be able to afford/need to buy.
Step 9: Invite the group to discuss what their sheets now look like.
Step 10: Explore the following with the group...
• Did you know that this is what asylum seekers were entitled to?
• Is this generous, unfair, or the right amount?
• Is this hard or easy to live on?
• Do you think that your family could survive on a similar amount
of money?
• Imagine if you/your family were not allowed work. What might
be the consequences? (You may want to compare or relate this
to the recession)
• Does this situation fit into the world we want? Why/Why not?
Activity 2: Myth vs. Fact
Aim: This activity gives the group an interactive way of discovering
some of the facts about refuges and migrants, while also dispelling
some of the myths. It is hoped that this new knowledge and
awareness will represent a positive development or individuals in
the group.
Time: 35 minutes
Sustainable Development Goals: 3. Good Health 10. Reduced
Inequalities 8. Good Jobs and Economic Growth
Materials: Photocopies of the myths/facts.
Step 1: Cut out and mix up the myths and facts cards. Put them in a
bag/box/sack and get the Scouts to take one each.
Step 2: Each Scout is now either holding a myth or a fact. Each
myth has a corresponding fact and vice versa. Get the Scouts to
individually call out what their card says. Someone else in the room
will be holding the myth or fact that matches this statement.
Step 3: If a Scout thinks they are holding the matching statement,
they must call out what their card reads.
Step 4: The group must decide whether this is the correct match,
and which is the fact and myth.
Step 5: If it is agreed that they are a match, the Scout who called
out their statement second must move to their partner.
Step 6: As a group, discuss where the myths come from and what
impact they have on the way we treat people.
See following pages for Myth/Fact sheet
MYTH
FACT
Migrants are a drain on the Irish
economy.
Most migrants are of working age
and contribute to services through
taxation. Until asylum seekers are
granted refugee status, they
cannot work and therefore do not
have the option to contribute to
taxation.
Asylum seekers receive cars,
mobile phones and services to
which Irish people are not entitled.
Asylum seekers are not entitled to
free cars or mobile phones. They
are housed in hostel style
accommodation until their
application is processed.
Once a person reaches Europe,
they are usually granted asylum
straight away and can start life as a
European citizen.
Of the 1 million people that
applied for asylum in Europe in
2015, only 292,540 were granted
it.
Ireland is overcrowded, there is no
more room for refugees.
Ireland is not densely populated.
The population density of Ireland
is 65 people per sq. km compared
to 260 per sq. km in the UK.
Refugees are the same as illegal
immigrants.
The UN Refugee Convention
recognises that refugees have a
lawful right to enter a country for
the purposes of seeking asylum,
regardless of their travel
documents.
MYTH
FACT
All Muslims should be treated as a
potential threat to security.
Muslim religious and community
leaders condemn attacks and
bombings undertaken in the name
of Islam. There is no justification or
sanction in Islam for taking
innocent life.
Migrant workers in Ireland have
the same rights as Irish workers.
Many migrant workers do not have
the right to have their family with
them or choose who they work for.
Most people are sent to Europe as
‘anchors’ so that the rest of their
family can follow them over.
Family reunification is
complicated, and depends on
many factors such as the
relationship between the person’s
host country and its laws.
Ireland has taken its fair share of
refugees from the Syrian Conflict.
Ireland promised to take 4,000
Syrian refugees. As of September
2016, it has only taken 311.
All refugees in Europe are from
Syria.
Syria is the largest country of
origin for refugees arriving in
Europe. People also flee from
Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya
however.
Travelling by boat is not actually
that dangerous.
Many boats used by those fleeing
are overcrowded and do not have
life jackets. According to the
International Order of Malta, more
than 3,770 refugees died trying to
cross the Mediterranean in 2015.
Activity 3: Step Forward
Aim: To explore equality in Irish society in 2016 and gain insight
into the lives of other people who may be less privileged than us.
Time: 40 minutes
Sustainable Development Goals: 4. Quality 5. Gender Equality 10.
Reduced Inequalities
Materials: Shoeprint cut-out with Scout’s name on (optional),
character cut-outs, statement list.
Step 1: Cut out the individual character cards and place them in a
container.
Step 2: Invite the Scouts to pick a card, but not to show anyone
else.
Step 3: Get the Scouts to form a straight line.
Step 4: Tell the Scouts that you will read a number of statements.
For each statement they feel the answer is ‘Yes’ to, in relation to
their character, they must take a step forward. If they feel that the
answer is ‘No’, then they should not move.
Step 5: After all of the statements have been called out, ask
everyone to lay their shoeprint down where they are standing.
They may then walk around and take a look at the area (If you
aren’t using shoeprints just ask everyone to remain standing). Ask
the group if they felt their characters were realistic, or if they know
anyone like those characters (ask them not to give specific names,
just a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’).
Step 6: Starting from the furthest back, invite the Scouts to
describe who their character was.
Step 7: Explain to the group that in a way, this represents one
picture of Ireland right now…
• Ask the Scouts at the back how it felt when they were not
taking steps forward.
•
Ask the group if they are surprised by where they are or where
others are (You may have used the same character twice, this
can help to illustrate that experiences can be different even
with the same label).
• How do the people at the back feel about those in front?
You might ask how connected those at the front might be to those
at the back, and whether this is a barrier itself to equal
opportunities. You might notice that the single white male is at the
top, but, a homeless person could fit this description. The group
may also reflect on how these basic labels can frame a whole
person’s life for us and the challenges that brings.
Statements
• You have never had any serious financial difficulty
• You feel that your language, culture and religion are respected
in this society
• You feel that your opinion on social and political issues is valued
• You are not afraid of being stopped by the police
• You know where to go for help or advice if you need it
• You have never felt discriminated against because of your origin
• You have adequate social and medical protection for your needs
• You can invite friends home for dinner
• You feel that you can follow the profession of your choice
• You are not afraid of being harassed or attacked on the streets
• You are presented positively in the media
• You can vote in national or local elections
• You are not afraid for the future of your children
• You can fall in love with the person of your choice
• You can celebrate the most important religious festivals with
your relatives and close friends
• You have decent housing
• You can move freely in this society and to any other country
• You feel represented in national politics
CHARACTERS
Wheelchair User
Teenage son of a drug addict
Asylum seeker
Single white male
Teenager in care (taken out of family home)
Black teenager born in Ireland
Young person with depression
Unemployed builder
Romanian Immigrant
CHARACTERS (CONT’D)
Pregnant Teenager
Teenager with a brother who is a convicted drug
dealer
Daughter of a bank manager
University student from Iran
Unemployed college graduate
Young person in Direct Provision
Young carer (cares for a sick person)
Early school leaver
Young single parent
CHARACTERS (CONT’D)
Young traveller
Single white female
Gay teenager
Teenager from ‘council estate’
Young person with anorexia
Homeless young person
Muslim girl
Teenager who has been in prison
Young person with a mental disability
CHARACTERS (CONT’D)
Reformed drug addict
Daughter of a gangland boss
Young victim of domestic violence
Young person with ADHD
Do
Before You ‘DO’ Anything…
Reflect:
Brainstorm with your Scouts on the following…
• What activities did the Scouts carry out in their exploration?
• What did they learn from these activities?
• How does what we have learned in the ‘exploration’ relate to
our local community, or a community that we know of?
• What can we do for this community in relation to the issues
addressed?
• Is there already a group in your community who need help with
a project?
Do:
• Your project should have a clear focus and be completed in a
limited amount of time - You and your group should
concentrate an a project that you can do in a day or weekend.
It is better to have a successful simple project, rather than a
more complicated project which doesn’t work out. Also, be
careful not to make commitments you can’t keep.
• Your project should make a clear difference to your community,
one of the best ways to ensure this is to work with another
group. Sometimes what we think as a good project may have
already been thought of by another group.
• Assign roles...
Potential Roles for the Project
Activity Leader(s): These Scouts take the lead in organising the
activity and work closely with the Scouters.
Liaison Person: If working with another group, you should have one
person as a point of contact to ensure clear communications.
Do
Potential Roles for the Project (cont’d)
Financial Person: Looks after the finances, if required. They should
work with a Scouter/Group Treasurer in planning a budget. They
should plan all expenditure, collect all receipts and keep detailed
records.
PR Person: This Scout should publicise the event or the project,
especially if it needs support. Print posters, get a webpage, get in
contact with media.
Quartermaster: Organises troop and other equipment
Photographer: Record events, especially for promotion and sharing
later
First Aider: Depending on the type of activity
•
Draw up a priority list and timeline – When, What, Who? –
What are the skills in your group? How can we use those skills?
Would this person be suited for that job? - This time line should
list all the jobs that need to be done and who is responsible for
each one. Everyone in the group should have a job for the
project - Your plan may look something like this to start with…
When
What
Who
2nd
Budget
Cuan
2nd
Promotional Posters
MJ
4th
Put up Posters
Mai
10th
Get Equipment
Emily, John
10th
Meet Treasurer
Cuan
10th
Visit Local Paper
MJ/Mai
11th
Collect other items
John
•
Once you have a rough outline of your action plan, ask your
Scouts to explain the community as it is now, then ask them to
explain how they imagine things might look after the project is
complete. You might ask your Scouts to write one wish for the
project on a piece of card. Keep these somewhere safe to look
back on in your Review!
Some Extra Tips…
• Why not form a partnership with another organisation?
• Local newspapers are always eager for community stories, why
not publicise your project?
• Looking for specific advice? Why not ask someone who’s done a
similar project? – Find them at www.scout.org
• Hang your timeline up in your den and check the stages off as
you go along
Patrol Review
What was your project?
How did it help the community?
Did you enjoy helping other people?
Look back on your wish for the project
Scout Review
In their Patrol Corners, each Scout, with the help of the PL or APL,
should look at how the Award helped them in the their Crean
Awards and in the SPICES. PLs and APLs can complete their reviews
at the next PLC meeting, with the help of a Scouter.
Crean Awards
• How did the project help each Scout progress in their Crean
Awards?
•
Terra Nova: What was your role in the project?
•
Endurance: What was your area of responsibility? What did
you learn from participating in the project?
•
Polar: How did the project make a difference in the
community? Did you lead or organise an aspect of the project?
SPICES
• What sections of the SPICES were most relevant to this
activity?
•
Did you help in your community (Social)?
•
Did you follow and live by the Scout Promise and Law (Social,
Character)?
•
Did you set goals and attempt to achieve them? (Intellectual)
•
Were parts of the project challenging for you or the patrol
(Emotional)?
Review SPICES
The Sustainable Development Goals
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
No Poverty
No Hunger
Good Health
Quality Education
Gender Equality
Clean Water & Sanitation
Renewable Energy
Good Jobs & Economic Growth
Innovation & Infrastructure
Reduced Inequalities
Sustainable Cities & Communities
Responsible Consumption
Climate Action
Life Below Water
Life on Land
Justice
Partnerships for the Goals
Key Definitions
•
•
A migrant is someone who chooses to move to another country
in search of a better life – to find work, or for such reasons as
education, business, or family reunion.
If a child under 18 years arrives in Ireland without parents or
guardians, and seeks asylum, they are called a Separated Child
Seeking Asylum. They stay under the care of the HSE until they
reach 18, usually in foster care. They can attend school until
completing their Leaving Certificate. They are not entitled to
free state education beyond secondary school.
Additional Links and Activities
UNHCR Refugee App - http://mylifeasarefugee.org/
Youth Developmental Education Site - http://www.youthdeved.ie/
UN Refugee Agency Site - http://www.unhcr.org/
BCC Interactive Refugee Game - http://www.bbc.com/news/worldmiddle-east-32057601
Irish Refugee Council - http://www.irishrefugeecouncil.ie/
Human Rights in Ireland – www.humanrights.ie
Rich
Man’s
World
Activity
Booklet
http://www.youthdeved.ie/sites/youthdeved.ie/files/A-RichMan%27s-World.pdf
Castle Saunderson Scout Centre
Castle Saunderson has Peace and Community programmes which
are specifically linked to the Messengers of Peace Award. It is a
great way of practically exploring the Award and getting started on
planning a project. Check out their website for more
www.castlesaunderson.com
Possible partner organisations
•
•
•
•
Community Associations often undertake small social projects
which you can help out with.
City/County Councils: Local authorities often have community
or recreational divisions which offer support to community
organisations.
Enable Ireland provides services to children and adults with
disabilities and their families. www.enableireland.ie
Irish Red Cross provides humanitarian support and community
services to the most vulnerable at home and abroad. redcross.ie
•
•
•
•
•
Irish Wheelchair Association provides quality services to
people with limited mobility throughout the country. iwa.ie
St Vincent de Paul offers practical assistance to families in need.
You could fundraise for them or organise a collection of items
for their shops. www.svp.ie
European Anti-Poverty Network Ireland provides training on
social issues. www.eapn.ie
Trócaire have a number of campaigns to get involved in www.trocaire.org
World Vision are always seeking funding for their work –
perhaps this could tie in with your project? -worldvision.ie
Messengers of Peace
The Activity:
Complete a Messengers of Peace
service project
Messengers of Peace is an excellent way for Venture Scouts
to develop in the Social and Character areas by engaging in
practical projects that address local social needs.
SPICES Objectives
Social:
Get involved in your community
Character: Try to help where you see injustice or inequality
Fiontar
Suas:
Trasna:
Help choose the service project. Take on a
specific job for the service project.
Help choose and organise the service project.
Plan
Introduction
The Messengers of Peace Award aims to promote world peace
through the positive activities of young people. Any Scout who has
voluntarily invested more than 10 hours in a community service
project is eligible for the award. This can be anything from running
a ‘legal awareness camp’ for the disadvantaged in your local
community, to coordinating a book donation for a school in need.
Any community project that brings a positive change to an area - its
health, environment, social circumstances, safety or addresses
conflict – is a Messengers of Peace project. Since 2012, Scouts
across the world have been sharing their community service
initiatives online on scout.org. To date, more than 620,000,000
service hours have been registered in over 40,000 community
service initiatives.
Requirements
Complete a service project which involves at least 10 hours of
effort. Your project should include the following:
• Service to a community: The project should address a
need in the community.
• Sustainable: It should have a lasting impact
• Personal Progression: All of the Ventures should be
involved in organising and doing the project.
Plan
Steps to getting the Award:
1. The Unit firstly registers by emailing [email protected]
(include your Group details, numbers of Venture Scouts
participating, and your planned project)
2. Plan: Learn about a social issue (several meetings) and plan
ways in which you can help (several meetings)
3. Do: Activity Crews undertake a community project (two
weekends)
4. Review: Evaluate your project and commit to maintenance
(meeting, on-going). Submit an application.
5. Celebrate your achievement!
Plan
Exploration activities
Activity 1: It’s Only Words
Aim: To gain an understanding of the importance of the language
we use, and how our attitude towards other countries, religion,
and other people can be shaped by the media.
Time: 45 minutes
Sustainable Development Goals: 4. Quality Education, 10. Reduced
Inequalities, 11. Sustainable Cities and Communities, 16. Justice
Materials: Headline cut-outs, paper, pens, A4 paper, markers.
Step 1: Divide the Unit into small groups.
Step 2: Provide each of the groups with a cut-out of one of the
headlines provided, along with markers and paper.
Step 3: Ask each group to identify the key terms and words used in
the headlines. Invite them to write down how the people in the
stories are portrayed.
Step 4: Ask the groups to reimagine the headlines in a way that
reports the news from an ethical journalistic viewpoint.
Step 5: The groups may share their old and new headlines with one
another, and any other material they feel is relevant to the
discussion. You may want to read the following facts out to the
group…
In the years after 9/11, MediaTenor examined 2.6 million
Western news stories from 10 American, British, and German
outlets. They found that the media’s coverage of Islam has rarely
been positive. While religious leaders like Pope Francis were often
the face of Catholicism in the media, fringe extremists like Abu Bakr
al-Baghdadi became the face of Islam.
Step 6: Discuss the following…
• Ask the group if they were journalists would they write a
different headline.
• What might a young asylum seeker or Islamic migrant be feeling
reading these headlines?
• What are the truly important messages that should be in our
media?
HEADLINES
‘Rescue boats? I’d use gunships to stop migrants’
‘Muslim Women Face €9000 Fine as Another Country Bans Burka’
‘4000 Foreign Murderers and Rapists We Can’t Throw Out’
‘Muslim Forced Off Train as Commuter Complains He Used His
ipad Suspiciously’
‘We Must Stop the Migrant Invasion’
‘Australian Senator Urges End to Muslim Immigration’
‘Migrants are Becoming Hooked on Gambling’
Activity 2: The Future We Want
Aim: To realise the value of exploring our own beliefs and values so
as to understand how they influence your attitudes and behaviours.
The key message here is about the connection between belief,
values, and positive change. For young people to see themselves as
potential agents of change, and realise the importance of reflecting
on how our beliefs and values shape future behaviours.
Time: 50 minutes
Sustainable Development Goals: 4. Quality Education, 10. Reduced
Inequalities, 16. Justice, 17. Partnerships for the Goals
Materials: A2 paper, A4 paper (1 per person), markers & pens.
Step 1: Divide the Unit into smaller groups and provide each group
with the required materials.
Step 2: Get each group to draw a large circle in the middle of the
page. Draw three concentric circles around it.
• In the centre write the word ‘Beliefs’
• In the next circle write the word ‘Values’
• In the next write the word ‘Attitudes’
• In the final circle write the word ‘Behaviours’
This represents a person. Each circle is connected to and influenced
by the previous. Mention that beliefs are at our core, while
behaviours are the part of us that other people see and experience.
Ask the groups to bear the following in mind for the exercise…
Belief – A belief is an idea that you hold to be true. It can be
influenced by culture, faith, education, experience, mentors,
media, etc. You are usually willing to defend it and you have
reasons and evidence to support this belief. E.g. I believe that gay
people should have the right to marry.
Values – A value is a stable and long lasting belief about what is
important to a person. Values can relate to different parts of our
lives; happiness, wealth, education, career, family, health, etc. E.g. I
think it is important for gay people to have the right to get married.
Attitudes – Attitudes are ‘settled views’ about things. They are
influenced most often by underlying beliefs and values. Attitudes
affect decision making and behaviour. E.g. The law should be
changed to allow gay marriage.
Behaviour – Behaviour is how we outwardly act. It is an action that
can be a response to a certain situation. E.g. I will campaign for
marriage equality!
Step 3: Ask the groups to consider the current situation with
refugees in Europe. Half of the groups should write what they feel
the beliefs, values, attitudes and behaviours of someone with a
negative view towards refugees might be, the other half should do
the same for those with a positive view towards refugees.
Step 4: Ask the group to share what they have found.
Step 5: Invite the groups to suggest how you might change or shift
some of the beliefs, values, and attitudes of the negative people.
Take note of these.
Step 6: Invite the group to redraw the circles on their A4 sheet, and
fill them in with their own beliefs, values, attitudes and behaviours
when it comes to refugees. (This is a personal reflection and does
not need to be shared with the group)
Step 7: Watch the following videos….
Part 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBQ-IoHfimQ
Part 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKDgFCojiT8
Afterwards reflect on how campaigns like this might shift people’s
beliefs, values, attitudes and/or behaviours. Do they think this
could be a successful campaign? Why? Ask them to look at their A2
sheets and see what might change, or what might be strengthened
from watching these videos.
Do
Reflect:
Brainstorm on the following…
• What activities did you carry out in the exploration?
• What did you learn from these activities?
• How does what we have learned in the ‘exploration’ relate to
our local community, or a community that we know of?
• What can we do for this community in relation to the issues
addressed?
• Is there already a group in your community who need help with
a project?
Do:
• Your project should have a clear focus and be completed in a
limited amount of time
• Be careful not to make commitments you can’t keep
• Your project should make a clear difference to your community
• Sometimes what we think as a good project may have already
been thought of by another community group – do they need a
hand with it?
• Assign roles – Activity Leader(s), Secretary/Liaison, Finance, PR,
Quartermaster, Photographer, First Aider
• Draw up a priority list and timeline – When, What, Who? –
What are the skills in your group? How can we use those skills?
Would this person be suited for that job? - This time line should
list all the jobs that need to be done and who is responsible for
each one.
• Once you have a rough outline of your action plan, ask your
group to explain the community as it is now, then ask them to
explain how they imagine things might look after the project is
complete. You might ask them to write one wish for the project
on a piece of card. Keep these somewhere safe to look back on
in your Review!
Some Extra Tips…
• Why not form a partnership with another organisation? The
more the merrier! – Is your local charity shop short of
volunteers? Do SVP need extra hands to deliver food for their
big Christmas run?
• Local newspapers are always eager for community stories, why
not publicise your project?
• Looking for specific advice? Why not ask someone who’s done a
similar project? – Find them at www.scout.org
• Hang your timeline up in your den and check the stages off as
you go along
Review
Crew Review
• What was your project?
• How did it help the community?
• What problems did you encounter, if any?
• What would you do differently next time?
• Look back on your wish for the project
Fiontar Review
SUAS:
Social: Get involved in your community
• What was the purpose of your project?
• What was your role in the project?
Character: Try to help where you see injustice or inequality
• How did you decide on what your project was going to be?
• How did it address a need in the community?
• What other actions could you take to improve the
community?
TRASNA:
Social: Get involved in your community
• What was your areas of responsibility? How did it contribute
to the overall project?
• What did you learn about community involvement?
Character: Try to help where you see injustice or inequality
• How did you decide on what your project was going to be?
• How did it address a need in the community?
• What other actions could you take to improve the
community?
The Sustainable Development Goals
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
No Poverty
No Hunger
Good Health
Quality Education
Gender Equality
Clean Water & Sanitation
Renewable Energy
Good Jobs & Economic Growth
Innovation & Infrastructure
Reduced Inequalities
Sustainable Cities & Communities
Responsible Consumption
Climate Action
Life Below Water
Life on Land
Justice
Partnerships for the Goals
Key Definitions
•
•
•
•
•
•
A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee their home
country because of a well-founded fear of persecution because
of ethnicity, religion, nationality, and political opinion, or
because of violence, conflict, or natural disaster.
An asylum seeker is a person seeking to be granted protection
as a refugee outside their country of origin, and who is waiting
for a legal determination of his/her application.
A migrant is someone who chooses to move to another country
in search of a better life – to find work, or for such reasons as
education, business, or family reunion.
If a child under 18 years arrives in Ireland without parents or
guardians, and seeks asylum, they are called a Separated Child
Seeking Asylum. They stay under the care of the HSE until they
reach 18, usually in foster care. They can attend school until
completing their Leaving Certificate. They are not entitled to
free state education beyond secondary school.
The Schengen Agreement permits travel throughout twenty-six
European countries without visas. The citizens of Schengen
countries can travel/migrate outside their own country without
limitation. The current crisis with the movement of people from
Africa and the Middle East has raised tensions amongst the
Schengen countries and threatens the agreement and relatively
open borders.
Direct Provision is the accommodation provided to persons
without means who are seeking asylum and permission to
remain in Ireland, whereby they receive shelter and full board in
accommodation provided by the State while their application
for asylum is being processed. People in direct provision receive
a weekly allowance for adults and children. There are 35 Direct
Provision centres around Ireland. These housed 4,484 people in
May 2015.
Additional Links and Activities
UNHCR Refugee App - http://mylifeasarefugee.org/
Youth Developmental Education Site - http://www.youthdeved.ie/
UN Refugee Agency Site - http://www.unhcr.org/
BCC Interactive Refugee Game - http://www.bbc.com/news/worldmiddle-east-32057601
Irish Refugee Council - http://www.irishrefugeecouncil.ie/
Human Rights in Ireland – www.humanrights.ie
Rich
Man’s
World
Activity
Booklet
http://www.youthdeved.ie/sites/youthdeved.ie/files/A-RichMan%27s-World.pdf
Responsible
Journalism
Code
http://ethicaljournalismnetwork.org/who-we-are/5-principles-ofjournalism
Report on Young People’s Standpoints and Global Attitudes http://www.youthdeved.ie/sites/youthdeved.ie/files/Standpoints_
Global_Attitudes_0.pdf
Lost
Children
of
The
Jungle
–
Calais
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G7OXCgmp9w
UN’s Lazy Person’s Guide to Saving the World http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/takeaction/
One World Week SDG Presentation and Resource Pack http://oneworldweek.ie/sdgs-presentation
Castle Saunderson Scout Centre
Castle Saunderson has Peace and Community programmes which
are specifically linked to the Messengers of Peace Award. It is a
great way of practically exploring the Award and getting started on
planning a project. castlesaunderson.com
Possible partner organisations
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Amnesty International campaigns for a world where human
rights are enjoyed by all. amnesty.ie
BeLongTo provides safe and fun services to LGBT young people
across Ireland. belongto.org
Community Associations often undertake small social projects
which you can help out with.
City/County Councils: Local authorities often have community
divisions which offer support to community organisations.
Enable Ireland provides services to children and adults with
disabilities and their families. www.enableireland.ie
Irish Red Cross provides humanitarian support and community
services to the most vulnerable at home and abroad. redcross.ie
Irish Wheelchair Association provides quality services to
people with limited mobility throughout the country. iwa.ie
No Name! Clubs are run by and for young people aged 15 years
+plus who come together in a safe and lively environments
nonameclub.ie
St Vincent de Paul offers practical assistance to families in need.
www.svp.ie
European Anti-Poverty Network Ireland provides training on
social issues. www.eapn.ie
Trócaire have a number of campaigns to get involved in www.trocaire.org
World Vision are always seeking funding for their work –
perhaps this could tie in with your project? -worldvision.ie
Messengers of Peace
The Activity:
Complete a Messengers of Peace
service project
Messengers of Peace acts as a way of doing a Rover Scout
service project that enables each member to participate in
a meaningful programme.
The Rover Challenge
Participation:
Help choose the service project. Take
on a specific job for the service project.
Leadership:
Help choose and organise the service
project.
ASSESS
Service
SPICES
Social
Character
Recognise my roles within, and make a
positive contribution to society.
Demonstrate that I have the confidence
to live by the Promise and Law.
Plan
Introduction
The Messengers of Peace Award aims to promote world peace
through the positive activities of young people. Any Scout who has
voluntarily invested more than 10 hours in a community service
project is eligible for the award. This can be anything from running
a ‘legal awareness camp’ for the disadvantaged in your local
community, to coordinating a book donation for a school in need.
Any community project that brings a positive change to an area - its
health, environment, social circumstances, safety or addresses
conflict – is a Messengers of Peace project. Since 2012, Scouts
across the world have been sharing their community service
initiatives online on scout.org. To date, more than 620,000,000
service hours have been registered in over 40,000 community
service initiatives.
Requirements
Complete a service project which involves at least 10 hours of
effort. Your project should include the following:
• Service to a community: The project should address a
need in the community.
• Sustainable: It should have a lasting impact
• Personal Progression: All of the Rovers should be involved
in organising and doing the project (Leadership and
Participation badges).
Plan
Steps to getting the Award:
1. The Crew firstly registers by emailing [email protected]
(include your Group details, numbers of Rover Scouts
participating, and your planned project).
2. Plan: Learn about a social issue (two meetings / day adventure)
and decide on the ways in which you can help (two meetings)
3. Do: Crews complete a community project (two weekends)
4. Review: Examine and evaluate your project and commit to
maintenance, if required (meeting, on-going). Submit an
application.
5. Celebrate your achievement!
Plan
Exploration activities
Activity 1: Refugee Camp
Aim: To explore the complexity of navigating a refugee camp upon
arrival. To highlight the struggle of a young person trying to manage
camp life. To show the need for a systematic and human approach
to managing the arrival of refugees.
Time: 45 minutes
Sustainable Development Goals: 10. Reduced Inequalities, 11.
Sustainable Cities and Communities
Materials: Stickers, role cards, paper, pens, markers, ink (for
fingerprints), cards (for fingerprints).
In this activity, each person will play one of the following roles: A
refugee, a social worker, or a smuggler. Refugees will be identified
by a sticker, the social worker and smuggler identities must be kept
secret.
Step 1: Read out the following statement to the group. These
statements relate specifically to those playing as refugees, but are
relevant to all.
• A Google search you conducted before you left told you that
you can register for asylum in Italy and then be transferred to
Ireland, your ultimate destination. To do this you need to give
your details and fingerprint to the workers that you met upon
arrival at camp.
• A friend messaged you from a camp in Italy (the one you are
headed to) and told you that they have been stuck there for 7
months already. They have registered and are waiting to be
transferred. They said that the conditions are terrible, there is
overcrowding and violence with others in the camp and from
the police.
•
The man who you paid to get onto the boat (who you trust)
warned you not to register in Italy. He said that the quickest way
for you to get to Ireland is through the non-legal underground
route.
Step 2: Split the Crew in to two groups.
• Group One (two thirds of the group) – are refugees and all get a
sticker to wear on their chest.
• Group Two (one third of the group) – Receive either Social
Worker or Smuggler role cards (to be kept secret).
Designate one side of the room as the refugee camp, and the other
as the destination. Everyone must start on the camp side.
Step 3: Bring half of the refugees to have their fingerprints taken on
a card while Group Two are picking their role cards. The refugees
without identity cards lost or had them stolen or destroyed on the
journey to Italy.
Stage 4: Everyone must now assemble at the halfway point
between the camp and the destination. Round One and Round Two
below should have a tight time pressure element.
• Round One: Participants from both groups must now mingle
with one another. Refugees are trying to get moved from the
camp. Others are fulfilling their role according to their card.
• Round Two: This round should be shorter and more intense
than Round One. Invite remaining refugees who ended up back
at camp to come back to the middle. Tell a few people from
Group Two to take ‘a day off’ for this round.
Step 5: Call the activity to an abrupt halt. Some refugees should be
at the destination, some should be back at camp. Ask the Rovers to
take a look around.
Step 6: Bring everyone back to the centre for a discussion.
• How did people feel during the exercise. What was it like?
• What factors influenced where people ended up?
• What role did luck play in the exercise?
•
•
How might you feel if you were really in this situation?
Who would you hope would be in a camp to help young people
in this situation?
Step 7: Bear what you have just discussed in mind while watching
the following videos…
Part 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBQ-IoHfimQ
Part 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKDgFCojiT8
•
•
Did watching this video change any of your answers to the
questions posed in the discussion?
Reflect again on the role luck plays in this crisis.
ROLE CARDS
Social Worker A
Tell them you are a social worker in the camp. You can ONLY
grant a transfer if the person has a fingerprint. Anyone you
transfer can reach their destination immediately and may
move to that part of the room. You are new in the job and
very enthusiastic and willing to help refugees in whatever
way you can.
ROLE CARDS (cont’d)
Smuggler A
Your motivation is to keep the person from going to the
official system so that you can get them to take your route.
You will promise them anything and give them
misinformation. You can grant a transfer only if the person
has NOT got their fingerprint document for the authorities.
The person reaches the destination straight away and may
move to that part of the room. Telling them you are a
smuggler is up to you.
Social Worker B
Tell them you are a social worker in the camp. You can only
grant a transfer if the person has their fingerprint. If they
show it to you the person must return straight to their
starting point and wait for further information. You are not
exactly happy with your job at the moment, you have been
in camp a long time and you are getting burnt out.
Smuggler B
You will lie to any refugee you meet with a fingerprint
document. Convince them to hand you their fingerprint. Tell
them to return to the waiting area while you organise
things. If they do not have their fingerprint document it is
up to you whether you send them to their destination or
back to camp. Telling them you are a smuggler is up to you.
Activity 2: Moving Forward – Framing the SDGs
Aim: To begin thinking about what the new SDGs mean to the
members of the Crew on a personal level, within the community,
and on a global scale. This exercise has been designed to help
participants understand where they might take action. The activity
should help participants understand the tools required for change
and how it occurs.
Time: 1 hour
Sustainable Development Goals: All
Theme: The SDGs and Advocacy
Materials: A2 paper/flipchart paper, markers, list of the SDGs
Go through the 17 SDGs (provided at end of document) and pose
some/all of the following questions to the Crew (this may be done
in smaller groups if necessary)…
• Looking at the 17 goals, where do you see a connection with
yourself as an individual and your role as a young person,
student, citizen, Scout, volunteer, etc.?
• Are some goals more important than others? What are the
most important to you?
• Do you see any barriers/challenges in achieving these goals
within a community that you are familiar with? Explain.
• Where do refugees fit into the goals?
• Why is it important for individuals to be aware of these goals?
• Do you think it’s important for companies/organisations to be
aware of these goals? Why?
• If there were one or two key messages that you would want
those in positions of power within the community you
discussed earlier to hear, what would that message be?
• What action will you personally take to support these goals?
• What action will the Crew take?
• What support do you/the Crew need to enable and empower
you to take action?
Activity 2: Taking Action
Aim: Some tips, exercises and tools to help your Crew get started
on your project.
Time: As long as you need!
Sustainable Development Goals: All
Materials: A2 paper/flipchart paper, markers, pens, post-its list of
the SDGs
Phase 1: Brainstorming
• Hand out post-its and ask everyone to write down some ideas
for an action they could take in a community of the Crew’s
choosing.
• Draw the following table on a large sheet of paper
HIGH IMPACT
MEDIUM
IMPACT
LOW IMPACT
SIMPLE
NEEDS EXTRA
EFFORT
QUITE TOUGH
•
•
•
Collect all the post-its in a pile and ask individuals to take a few
Rovers should then read out what it says on their post-it, and
decide as a group where it fits in the table
After all the actions are on the chart, decide what action is best
for your Crew
(Perhaps actions could be combined, or even considered as
separate projects that can be shelved for another day)
Phase 2: Think BIG, Start small
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Start on a new page
As a group, write down which issue you want to address most
How does it relate to the SDGs?
Bear in mind the ASSES and the SPICES
What can your Crew do about the issue?
Think about what you want to happen
Cross out anything that’s unrealistic
Identify the right people to ask for advice – use the skills of
people and organisations around you
Phase 3: Moving Towards Action:
•
•
•
•
•
Give everyone a task
Create a timeline – When, What, Who?
Let relevant parties know what’s going on
Make it fun
Keep logs
Do
Reflect:
Brainstorm on the following…
• What activities did you carry out in the exploration?
• What did you learn from these activities?
• How does what we have learned in the ‘exploration’ relate to
our local community, or a community that we know of?
• What can we do for this community in relation to the issues
addressed?
• Is there already a group in your community who need help with
a project?
Do:
• Your project should have a clear focus and be completed in a
limited amount of time
• Assign roles – Activity Leader(s), Secretary/Liaison, Finance, PR,
Quartermaster, Photographer, First Aider
• Draw up a priority list and timeline
• Once you have a rough outline of your action plan, ask your
group to explain the community as it is now, then ask them to
explain how they imagine things might look after the project is
complete. You might ask them to write one wish for the project
on a piece of card. Keep these somewhere safe to look back on
in your Review!
Some Extra Tips…
• Sometimes what we think as a good project may have already
been thought of by another community group – do they need a
hand with it?
• Local newspapers are always eager for community stories, why
not publicise your project?
• Looking for specific advice? Ask someone who’s done a similar
project? – Find them at www.scout.org
• Hang your timeline up in your den and check the stages off as
you go along
Review
Crew Review
• What was your project?
• How did it help the community?
• What problems did you encounter, if any?
• What would you do differently next time?
• Look back on your wish for the project
Individual Review
Possible questions for you to consider:
• What did I get out of this activity?
• What was your role and contribution?
• Do you have a new appreciation for the social issues you
explored?
• How did the activity help me explore areas of the SPICES?
Review SPICES
The Sustainable Development Goals
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
No Poverty
No Hunger
Good Health
Quality Education
Gender Equality
Clean Water & Sanitation
Renewable Energy
Good Jobs & Economic Growth
Innovation & Infrastructure
Reduced Inequalities
Sustainable Cities & Communities
Responsible Consumption
Climate Action
Life Below Water
Life on Land
Justice
Partnerships for the Goals
Key Definitions
•
•
•
•
•
•
A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee their home
country because of a well-founded fear of persecution because
of ethnicity, religion, nationality, and political opinion, or
because of violence, conflict, or natural disaster.
An asylum seeker is a person seeking to be granted protection
as a refugee outside their country of origin, and who is waiting
for a legal determination of his/her application.
A migrant is someone who chooses to move to another country
in search of a better life – to find work, or for such reasons as
education, business, or family reunion.
If a child under 18 years arrives in Ireland without parents or
guardians, and seeks asylum, they are called a Separated Child
Seeking Asylum. They stay under the care of the HSE until they
reach 18, usually in foster care. They can attend school until
completing their Leaving Certificate. They are not entitled to
free state education beyond secondary school.
The Schengen Agreement permits travel throughout twenty-six
European countries without visas. The citizens of Schengen
countries can travel/migrate outside their own country without
limitation. The current crisis with the movement of people from
Africa and the Middle East has raised tensions amongst the
Schengen countries and threatens the agreement and relatively
open borders.
Direct Provision is the accommodation provided to persons
without means who are seeking asylum and permission to
remain in Ireland, whereby they receive shelter and full board in
accommodation provided by the State while their application
for asylum is being processed. People in direct provision receive
a weekly allowance for adults and children. There are 35 Direct
Provision centres around Ireland. These housed 4,484 people in
May 2015.
Additional Links and Activities
UNHCR Refugee App - http://mylifeasarefugee.org/
Youth Developmental Education Site - http://www.youthdeved.ie/
UN Refugee Agency Site - http://www.unhcr.org/
BCC Interactive Refugee Game - http://www.bbc.com/news/worldmiddle-east-32057601
Irish Refugee Council - http://www.irishrefugeecouncil.ie/
Human Rights in Ireland – www.humanrights.ie
Rich
Man’s
World
Activity
Booklet
http://www.youthdeved.ie/sites/youthdeved.ie/files/A-RichMan%27s-World.pdf
Responsible
Journalism
Code
http://ethicaljournalismnetwork.org/who-we-are/5-principles-ofjournalism
Report on Young People’s Standpoints and Global Attitudes http://www.youthdeved.ie/sites/youthdeved.ie/files/Standpoints_
Global_Attitudes_0.pdf
Lost
Children
of
The
Jungle
–
Calais
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G7OXCgmp9w
UN’s Lazy Person’s Guide to Saving the World http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/takeaction/
One World Week SDG Presentation and Resource Pack http://oneworldweek.ie/sdgs-presentation
Castle Saunderson Scout Centre
Castle Saunderson has Peace and Community programmes which
are specifically linked to the Messengers of Peace Award. It is a
great way of practically exploring the Award and getting started on
planning a project. www.castlesaunderson.com
Possible partner organisations
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Amnesty International campaigns for a world where human
rights are enjoyed by all. amnesty.ie
BeLongTo provides safe and fun services to LGBT young people
across Ireland. belongto.org
Community Associations often undertake small social projects
which you can help out with.
City/County Councils: Local authorities often have community
divisions which offer support to community organisations.
Enable Ireland provides services to children and adults with
disabilities and their families. www.enableireland.ie
Irish Red Cross provides humanitarian support and community
services to the most vulnerable at home and abroad. redcross.ie
Irish Wheelchair Association provides quality services to
people with limited mobility throughout the country. iwa.ie
No Name! Clubs are run by and for young people aged 15 years
+ who come together in a safe and lively environments
nonameclub.ie
St Vincent de Paul offers practical assistance to families in need.
www.svp.ie
European Anti-Poverty Network Ireland provides training on
social issues. www.eapn.ie
Trócaire have a number of campaigns to get involved in www.trocaire.org
World Vision are always seeking funding for their work –
perhaps this could tie in with your project? -worldvision.ie