International version N°4

NOVEMBER 2009

Dear reader, This fourth International edition of the Crosswords magazine is focused on the Red Cross youth activities, aiming to raise awareness on the social problems encountered by children and young people in Luxembourg and underline the importance of helping them build up a future. We would like to thank you for your support and wish you Merry Christmas. Redaction Committee, members of the Red Cross International Section

The Zoe Group: Support for teenage mothers and their children The Zoe group is a part of the Norbert Ensch House of the Red Cross whose mission is to welcome children and teenagers with personal or family difficulties. Its intercession aims to support the stabilization of their situation, their return within their families and the success of their social and future professional integration. As a day-care centre for teenage mothers and their children, the Zoe group offers a 24-hour service for pregnant teenagers and /or their children and provides a socio-educational and psychological support. The service is arranged so as to best meet the needs of young mothers and their babies. The main objectives of the educational team are to allow the pregnant girls to go through the pregnancy and childbirth experience under the best conditions, to educate teenage mothers about maternity, to physically and psychologically help them and their infants, and to give them the opportunity to work, continue their studies or practice some sports while raising their children.

Experience Story Joël´s return to his family Joël* joined the children’s group in “Maison de Conet” at the age of four. His father was divorced and lived with his grandfather while Joël´s sister had been placed in another children´s home for several years. Their father had problems with alcohol and could not deal with the upbringing of Joel. When Joel first came to the home, he found it difficult to stick to limits, as he was not aware that there were any. Joël´s father was shocked by his son´s removal, and subsequent placement in the home, as he was very attached to him. However, he cooperated well from the very beginning and actively began to solve his problems. He came to visit Joel twice a week after work and they did a lot together during the weekends when Joel stayed at his house. Thanks to his father´s presence and continuous involvement Joel was ready to return to his family after eight months.

Contact Details for the International Section and further information : T: 661 56 74 52 - section.internationale@croix-rouge.lu

International version N°4

NOVEMBER 2009

Joël´s father found a school and organized someone to care for his son during working hours. Apart from that, the children´s home had guaranteed a half-year aftercare. * The child's name has been changed to preserve his anonymity.

Creating a perspective: Future project of the Youth Centres Young adults over 18 years of age increasingly look for help and advice in the Youth Centres of Red Cross. The problems of visitors coming for various reasons (such as addiction, violence, unemployment or an unacceptable living situation) are becoming more complex and young people can often not tackle their problems by themselves. Therefore the “Perspective” project has been developed and offers individual assistance and encourages young adults to change their lives positively by drawing on their own strengths. The "Perspective" gives a hand with housing and individual assistance in life management to people between 18 and 30 years. By living in their own apartment their previous dysfunctional living situations are eliminated. Social skills, hygiene, housekeeping and own money management are developed. Once a job has been found and day-to-day life is managed, moving to their own apartment can follow. All that is required to qualify for an entrance ticket into “Perspective” is the will to solve one’s dysfunctional life situations. Red Cross is currently looking for a suitable build ing with several apartments for young people. Material and financial donations are essential for the realisation of this project.

Children and Young People: Help them build their future! During this end-of-year festive season, the Red Cross aims to make the public aware of the issues that children and young people from Luxembourg are facing and to place the spotlight on the importance of helping them build their future! Various activities are undertaken and the raised funds will support the youth activities and projects in Luxembourg.

A special year-end project: the Red Cross Christmas Tree... The objective of this project is to give a smile to disadvantaged children and adolescents, allowing them to celebrate Christmas or Saint Nicolas in the same way others do, and make people aware of the action and service needs of the Cross Red in the field of youth.

...through a field mission conducted by the youth t eam to help the children in difficulty Youth Homes and the Red Cross Youth team organize a part of the operation "The Red Cross Christmas Tree" for children from the day-care centers and families in difficulty. Having an intermediary role, a team of young people will visit the children asking for their gift wishes, their feelings and their stories.

International version N°4

NOVEMBER 2009

Each child will be represented on the Red Cross Christmas tree placed on the Grand-Rue in Luxembourg Ville during 5th and 6th December, with their testimony, the desired gift and the value thereof. Passersby can support a child by offering them a gift. They can either buy it and give it to the young intermediaries or make a donation equivalent to the required value to enable the youth intermediaries to go buy the gift. Aiming to offer a gift to nearly 100 children, all youth participants will then visit them once more and personally present them with their gifts.

...through its global action of supporting the acti vities for children and young people in difficulty The Red Cross Christmas Tree is virtually reproduced on www.croix-rouge.lu, allowing the public to discover and support the actions and projects, for children and youths, by the different departments of the Red Cross. Greeting cards and an electronic "Red Cross Christmas Tree" are sold for the “Youth” activities. This Crosswords aims to support these communication efforts and encourages readers to engage themselves alongside with the Red Cross as a volunteer or to make a material or financial donation. Some projects to support: • Playgrounds and play equipment for day-care centers • Material assistance to asylum-seekers and their families • Teaching and therapeutic materials for specialized services • Holidays and trips for children and teenagers • Outdoor arrangements for the Holiday Home • Educational and therapeutic workshops for children and young More information at: communication@croix-rouge.lu or 450202-442 Events in December 1st December 2009 - World AIDS Day At the occasion of World AIDS Day Aidsberodung (a section of RC Luxembourg) organizes a campaign to raise the public’s awareness about HIV/AIDS. Please see www.croix-rouge.lu for more information about various actions. 4th December 2009 - Parade of Migrants and Refugees Asylum-seekers and youth from "Jugendtreff" in Redange will parade at the Aula in Redange/Attert from 7 p.m. to present their creations of clothing and accessories made of recycled materials and old clothes. These works on the theme of “Art and Environment” were made during several workshops supervised by fashion professionals. 5th December 2009 - Red Cross Christmas Tree The Red Cross Christmas Tree is waiting for you at Grand Rue in Luxembourg City! You have the opportunity to support a child of your choice by making a donation for the value of its gift or by buying the gift directly.