The Salvation Army EU Affairs Office
ABOUT US The Salvation Army, motivated by its Christian faith to do justice, has a long history of working with people who are vulnerable, marginalized and exploited across the world. The Salvation Army works in 127 countries worldwide, including in 22 of the 28 EU Member States, providing social services, poverty relief, social inclusion activities, refugee and migration support, and anti-human trafficking services. It is also present in many of the bordering countries of Central and Eastern Europe. The EU Affairs Office Based in Brussels the EU Affairs Office represents the international Salvation Army Europe zone. The goal of the EU Affairs Office is to provide an EU-level platform for The Salvation Army to relate to the EU and European issues and to enable the Army to engage in advocacy, representing the organization as well as the people we serve. Across the Europe zone we have approximately 700 social projects 1500 community centres 20,000 employees 2.5 million beneficiaries of services 65,400 volunteers Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. Proverbs 31: 8-9
HOW WE WORK The Salvation Army is deeply committed to fighting poverty and social injustice in Europe and has an important role in advocating social justice at EU-level through several means Advocacy The Salvation Army EU Affairs Office carries out advocacy and awareness raising activities, targeting mainly the European Institutions (the European Parliament, the Council, The European Commission) as well as other civil society organisations and individuals of the general public. We aim to identify pan-european challenges and to bring a cohesive response to those challenges. Visibility The Salvation Army EU Affairs Office brings its presence and its expertise to the table in relevant areas of EU affairs among the European institutions and other civil society organisations. The EU Affairs Office aims to highlight The Salvation Army s grass-roots work done across Europe to decision makers in Brussels. Capacity building The Salvation Army EU Affairs Office aims to foster mutual learning among its European counterparts through the sharing of learning resources and expertise by means of online fora as well as regular network meetings and training sessions/conferences. Information The Salvation Army EU Affairs Office aims to support the exchange of knowledge and information on relevant EU policy developments as well as events and funding opportunities.
POLICY PRIORITIES The EU Affairs Office monitors EU policy developments that are relevant for the Europe zone and the issues that particularly affect our social work. Key issues that we monitor include human trafficking, Roma inclusion, refugees and migration, homelessness as well as women s and children s issues. All of these issues have their roots in wider questions of poverty and social injustice and are often interrelated and complex. However we hope to bring to the debate a holistic and integrated approach, based on our expertise gained from over 150 years of serving the most vulnerable and marginalised. Poverty and social exclusion Migrants and refugees Anti-Human Trafficking Roma Inclusion Women s and children s issues An evolving Europe, a social Europe As the EU evolves and European societies become increasingly diverse and multi-cultural, The Salvation Army recognises its need to evolve its work while remaining constant in its faith-based values. Source: The Salvation Army Norway The Salvation Army is committed to working to fight poverty and social exclusion in Europe and we will continue to do so as Europe continues to change. Therefore the role of The EU Affairs Office is to identify the challenges and opportunities that these societal changes create and bring a timely and cohesive pan-european response. The Salvation Army develops its policy responses through various working groups Source: The Salvation Army Germany
and networks such as the European Network for Social Services (ENSS) the Anti- Human Trafficking Network, the European Roma Network, the Youth Network and a Refugee Response Task Force. By bringing together our national experts, we can provide European decision makers with a unique European perspective as well as nationalspecific insights. Whilst most social policy is largely a national competency, the European Union has a role in coordinating Member States efforts through soft law and the Open Method of Coordination. Through various EU policy instruments and funding streams, we believe the EU can contribute to reducing inequalities across the continent and has a role in fostering social inclusion, combating poverty, defending human rights and promoting the values of a social Europe. The Salvation Army therefore aims to cooperate with Photo: helping refugees in Greece the European institutions and other strategic partners to highlight our concerns, contribute to the debate and offer our expertise where needed. Migrants and refugees The Salvation Army responds to meet the needs of the millions of people who are refugees and asylum seekers, not only in Europe but across the world. The Salvation Army provides many social and in particular integration services for migrants residing in Europe. Education, vocational training, legal advice and information, accommodation and cultural activities are a few examples of the work done to support the integration of migrants. The Salvation Army also takes an active role in meeting with members of government and international organisations as a form of peaceful advocacy for refugees. It seeks to influence governments to ensure the relevant international conventions are upheld and is committed to proactively advocating for the development of legislation that ensures that those who seek asylum are met with compassion and given a high level of human security. The Salvation Army believes that the EU has an important role in coordinating Member States in their response to migration flows, protecting the rights of refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants, and supporting the integration of migrants. The Salvation Army advocates for the development of proactive and compassionate policies in relation to all asylum seekers and refugees.
Anti-Human Trafficking The Salvation Army with its international ministry to the poor and oppressed is placed in unique position to reach out to the survivors of trafficking; to fight the great evil of exploitation and gross violation of human rights and to restore human dignity for all. Jeroen Hoogteijling, Chair of European Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force Photo Source: The Salvation Army UK Prevention, protection and care for victims of trafficking are part of its global mission since The Salvation Army s early beginnings in the 19th century. With a ministry in more than 120 nations, the Salvation Army is active in source, transit and destination countries and is uniquely placed to respond to the issue of trafficking. In 2013 The Salvation Army formed a European Anti-Human Trafficking Network of National Contact Persons to respond to the problem through a united and coordinated approach that works across borders and boundaries. Our work is guided by three goals to Prevent trafficking Protect survivors of trafficking Reintegrate survivors of trafficking Traffickers are good at networking, we must be better Christine Tursi, Policy Advisor The Salvation Army Switzerland
Roma Inclusion The Salvation Army is deeply committed to fighting poverty, social exclusion and discrimination faced by Roma across Europe. The Salvation Army seeks to advocate social and human rights for Roma, at local, national and European level. The Salvation Army meets basic needs and supports the social inclusion through its provision of social services in areas of housing, education, employment and health as well as through the provision of emotional, spiritual and psycho-social support. Given the community-based nature of The Salvation Army churches and social services, it has built bridges of trust with Roma communities and Roma are an integral part of the church and service provision. With a network of National Roma Contact Persons across the European region, The Source: The Salvation Army in Romania (project with The Salvation Army Norway) Salvation Army also provides a transnational network of support for migrating Roma. The Roma settlement of Plavecky Stvrtok (Slovakia) has mostly had a negative reputation. We can now see great progress in the lives of the children attending a Salvation Army Pre-school activity as they have daily attention for several hours. We believe that from these children, a new generation will grow up, a generation that will change the history of this settlement. Inna & Vitalie Chiriac, Salvation Army leaders in Slovakia Women s and children s issues Women s and children s issues are a growing area of concern for The Salvation Army as women are particularly at risk of inequality, sexual abuse and exploitation, as well as exploitation in the labour market. Child poverty is growing in Europe and specific groups are particularly vulnerable to poverty and exploitation such as unaccompanied minors and undocumented families and children. Given the interrelatedness of these issues, at EU level, The Salvation Army highlights women s and children s issues as they relate to wider questions of poverty and social
injustice. In particular it looks at these issues in relation to human-trafficking and Roma as well as the integration of women and children with a migration background. We aim to have a cohesive pan-european response to women s and children s issues based on our experience in the provision of services across the Europe zone. Source: The Salvation Army Belgium WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP The Salvation Army EU Affairs Office works in partnership with other organisations working at EU level where common positions support the advocacy work of the Office. This includes the European institutions as well as civil society organisations. The EU Affairs Office works in partnership with EU-level NGOs by means of formal membership such as in Social Platform, the European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) and Eurodiaconia as well as other informal civil society groups who have common advocacy goals. The EU Affairs Office also links with the International Social Justice Commission; part of The Salvation Army s International Headquarters based in New York City. The ISJC seeks to represent the voices of the 127 countries at the United Nations. Some of our partners
EXAMPLES OF OUR WORK The work of The Salvation Army has two strands, on one hand it runs professional social services and institutions and on the other, community-based projects run by local churches engaging large numbers of volunteers. Examples of both local church-based projects and professional institutional social services: Refugee assistance Cultural mediation Language classes Legal advice Accommodation for asylum seekers Debt counselling and mediation services Homelessness prevention programmes Vocational training and employment support Prevention and support for victims of trafficking Trauma counselling Drop-in and day centres Homeless services Day nurseries, pre-schools, playgroups and crèches Sport, culture and leisure activities Food and clothing distribution Older people and nursing homes Children and youth homes Second hand stores/ social enterprises Support for victims of domestic abuse Addiction support and rehabilitation Services for people with disabilities
WHERE WE WORK Denmark and Greenland Territory Eastern Europe Territory (Georgia, Moldova, Romania and Ukraine) Finland and Estonia Territory France and Belgium Territory Germany, Lithuania and Poland Territory Italy and Greece Command The Netherlands, Czech Republic and Slovakia Territory Norway, Iceland and The Færoes Territory Russia Command Spain and Portugal Command Sweden and Latvia Territory Switzerland, Austria and Hungary Territory United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland For more information http://www.salvationarmy.org/ihq/europe
TESTIMONIALS Beneficiary of Debt Advice service, Bedford, UK My story is simple - unhealthy addiction, debts here and there, resorting to living life like a waster who doesn t care anymore, when deep down I did care. No two ways about it, The Salvation Army s help to me was like no others, offering me friendly support and guidance and debt advice, helping me to sort things out. Something that, on your own, can be awkward and put off for a long time, ultimately spiralling out of control can be very worrying. By attending a few appointments I arranged with The Salvation Army Debt Advice Source The Salvation Army UK team made a world of difference to me. The Army still have praise for me to this day in how far I have come and I only have praise for them as I couldn t have done it without them. My story today is much better! Victim of human trafficking, Svetlana Svetlana (18) from Eastern Europe was trafficked to the UK three years ago, forced to become a prostitute and to take hard drugs. I was put on a bus and told I would be met at the other end. Sitting on a cold bus, feeling so alone, so scared, not knowing where they would take me or what they would do to me. We were moved to various places and they took pictures of me. It was only then that I realised I would be forced to work as a prostitute. Other girls told me I should go to the police. I was scared but it was worth the risk. I would rather die that continue to live like this. I was allowed to go to the local petrol stations to buy a drink. On my third visit to the petrol shop I had the courage to ask the man in the shop to call the police. The police was very helpful and supportive. Soon I was in the care of The Salvation Army. Since being with The Salvation Army I have worked as a volunteer, gone to college and have found work. When I came to the Salvation Army I was a young and frightened girl. I leave as a confident and independent, determined and educated young girl with a bright future ahead of me.
CONTACT US 34, Place du Nouveau Marche aux Grains B 1000 Bruxelles Belgium Tél: 02/274 10 56 /59 Fax: 02/513 81 49 Email: IHQ-EUOffice@Salvationarmy.org www.salvationarmy.org/euaffairs www.salvationarmy.org/euaffairs INTERNATIONAL MISSION STATEMENT The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in his name without discrimination.