Cooperation for the same sake

Yesterday, me and my collegues Sanja and Alari had a trip to Stockholm to meet Simon from Fake Free project. We had already met and discussed possible cooperation of Fake Free and Active’s new campaign that starts in June, so it was not completely new yesterday, but yesterday was THE day when we went deep into both projects and understood that they match perfectly and we can learn and help each other incredibly much. Great click =) I am very happy. It’s amazing to see how many great ideas come out when there are various people focused on one goal. I say: YES!

Pretty good combination

I am in Slovakia doing Active stuff – planning the congress 2010 and preparing the documents. I am really enjoying.  Discussions, thinking, visions, strategies and funny moments in between.

Life is good =)

The work is rolling just fine!

The more quiet I am  here in my blog, the more I talk beyond the borders of the virtual world. Or talk is not the best word. Express myself would be a better one. In my free time of the latest days was my attention directed towards the Gender booklet that I managed to finalize and even design (will be published in June), then I dealt with correcting the draft paper on rehabilitiation and then I was at the IOGT International meeting in Göteborg. Inspite of very little sleep and lots of work, I came to the office today ready to get hold of all the reports, applications, bills and planning.

It’s easy to work and enjoy work when I am surrounded by people who also work or help to “prolong the arms” of my work. Like Janika doing her tasks on time and with precision, Saska fixing everything regarding the postage of Content matters material from Slovakia and keeping eye on the practical arrangements of the coming Active seminar in Slovakia, Emina getting new enthusiastic people who help with or participate in our activities, Madlena and Gaffe preparing the job interview with me and last but not least the volunteers on Faroe Islands – Sten, Martin and Fanny starting new activities, running already established activities and helping with coodination of our new Nordic project. Those speaking swedish, you can follow them here: www.fo512.dusten.se

Knowing that, it’s totally OK to sit here and search among old bills, do several tasks at once, thinking about future activities and evaluating the activities from the past! Moreover a new volunteer is coming to the Active office so from wednesday, we are 3!  

Me like!!!

At work

These days are totally filled by work and preparations for the Xmas course in Italy. The bills are paid, the invoices are sent, the To-Do things are getting less and less, will have one of the last meetings this afternoon. Sten, Sara, Martin and Fanny will come to plan the work in NORDGU. I like when we (as organisation) have something concrete to offer and this time we really do: A chain exchange in Nordic countries – Norway, Faroe, Sweden, Iceland! And yes – Iceland! It feels like it’s their turn to have volunteers, have regular activities and become a strong organisation!  

And on the top of everything – Active got a seminar for October 2010 approved! What a day! =)

White Xmas vs Carl Jan

OK…I guess Carl Jan* will not sign the contract with him self in White Christmas campaign.

You know the saying that you will see who your friends are when you are in deep trouble. A campaign as White Xmas can also reveal a lot about people’s attitude to the world.

I have never seen a big deal with signing the campaign. OK I am sober anyway so of course I do not see a big deal but also for those who usually drink, I did not see it as a big deal. I mean – three days without alcohol for a good cause. If one is not alcohol addicted, it should be fine even for those who consider drinking a very pleasurable thing to do. There are so many other pleasant things to do and eat for Xmas. The tables hardly carry the amount of food people usually serve for Xmas. That a bottle of alcohol is missing should not be a huge problem. But it is. I realized it thanks to the campaign. And my knowledge about people in geneal got broaden =)

There could be a done a new study that would reveal people’s characters from a perspective of responses to solidarity acts. Some of the categories could be: selfish, defender, ignorant, apathist, warm heart, open mind and some more maybe. On the example of the White Xmas campaign, the descriptions could be:

Selfish – likes his/her glass of wine for Xmas or for any other occassion and does not care for the act of solidarity although s/he understands the consequences of drinking around children and understands the situation of children who instead of Xmas presents get a drunk parent they either have to take care of or hide from.

Defender – feels attacked by the campaign. Considers him/herself labeled as an alcoholic just because s/he was informed about the campaign and suggested to sign. Will fight for his/her right to drink since it is a tradition (as a general reason).

Ignorant – totally does not care for the impact of his/her behaviour on his/her surrounding. Everyone has a right to do with his/her life exactly whatever s/he decided to do. Does not even want to discuss. Does not need to explain him/herself and does not need to convince others to do one or another way.

Apathist – the world is so screwed up, that one person’s behaviour will not do.

Warm heart – as soon as s/he hears that someone tries to make the world a bit nicer for other people, s/he expresses the appreciation, takes the pen and wants to sign.  Will be happy to hear some more examples of the campaign activities, will happily nod and leave with smile on his/her face and a good cause on his/her mind.

Open mind – can consider to reconsider his/her behavior if s/he gets good examples and good reasons. Will not take the campaign as a personal attack against his/her alcohol consumption but will reflect on the message of the campaign and his/her own reasons for drinking during Xmas. Will either sign or not. Will leave with a new thought. 

———-

* Carl Jan is a swedish face who today discussed White Xmas and abstaining from alcohol for three Xmas days. He likes that young people in UNF are iniative and they can continue playing on the sand pit (little bit in that style)  BUT drinking is normal and mumsi so why he should stop for those three days if he has no problem with alcohol.

White Christmas is a campaign to create nice Christmas for children. There are many children (5 – 9 million in EU) who grow up with parents who abuse alcohol. The drinking turns home into the least safe place. Moreover, not just the alcohol abuse is a problem. Drinking of alcohol changes people’s behviour which causes insecurity in children. Some adults get “too” happy and come up with jokes children do not get, some smell pretty bad and some hug in a different way. The holidays of fairy tales turn into a riddle and insecurity for children. Xmas is mostly children’s holiday.White Xmas campaign encourages adults to abstain from alcohol for the three Xmas days.  We could all try to make childrens holiday as safe and as magic as possible.

Noon entry

Am still writing. With really small breaks just to refresh my attention and to eat or drink a bit. I am coming to an end of the content description, just the budget will be left then. That I am coming to the end means that I will be writing for 2 – 3 more hours at least, but it’s getting really exciting. The project is getting very concrete shape and I am looking fwd to it (so you guys responsible for approving it, better do so =D )

Hawk!

My heroes Sten and Sara

I am so happy and so proud of these two guys who have spent some time on Faroe Islands and managed to create intereseting environment for youngster there. I have seen some pictures on Facebook. There were pictures of some teambuidling activities, of some people playing board games, of some individuals building towers from all the possible objects. I did not recognize most of the faces. I have never met many of them. And that is POSITIVE! I was on Faroe Islands several times with the aim to discuss with the local IOGT how to bring the youth organisation back to life. The first visit was like more than 2 years ago. Since then, we have had several volunteers there. Stina was there, then Kristiina, then Sara and then Sten joined Sara. All these people who have spent some time on Faroe Islands have made this working. The first 2,5 years were tough with some light moments. But slowly but surely, young people started popping up for regualarly offered activities. First just 2  or 3, then 5, then 15. =) I am so happy we did not give up, when we had so few in the beginning.

And now I see those pictures on Facebook, I think of Sten and Sara, who did MARVELOUS job there and I do not know how to express my happiness about what they have reached. There are no words to describe it.

From January, we will have three people working on Faroe Islands and extended activities. How great is that!

The other side of going to Slovakia.

I have written about my days in Slovakia already. That blog entry was about the positive side of that country – it was about meeting friends and soul mates and myself.

There is also a less positive side of going home. Every time I go home, I understand, why I left. The differences in standard of living between the two countries are worrying. The behaviour of people on the roads, in the shops, the public service and the attitude of the people in Slovakia feel so far from my heart. Trash, smell of alcohol in buses, frustrated faces. It squeezes my heart knowing that it can be much better but it is not.

Since dealing with alcohol issues is part of my every day work, I am of course very sensitive to whatever connected to it. Availability of alcohol is alarming. The visible harmful impact of alcohol on people is shocking. Heavy faces – heave hearts, prematurely old, revealing a disease connected to too much drinking.  Alcohol is in every day talks. Part of casual joking, part of anger, part of relax. It’s a decoration, it’s a present, it’s a solution, it’s lifestyle, it’s cool, it’s normal.

It’s tough to see it knowing that it could be different – more light hearted, healthier, safer for all the others, natural. I hope it will be like that one day. And while dreaming, I will move my feet as well (as an old indian proverb says=)

Black sheep

Am sitting in the office, 5 minutes after midnight, really happy that I managed the deadline =) No I am not the last minute applier. I just had so much to do, that I prioritized this way. Campaigns in Active are so far not a huge success, the member organisations have other things to deal with, but still, if we have time and energy to come up with some campaigns and apply for them, we can slowly but surely create a campaign culture in this organisation. Of course not to be stuborn and just run a campaign for a campaign. No no – I am thinking the other way around. I am thinking – what have our organisations in common, what are they dealing with, what can be the thing that will just enrich their current activities and bring the spirit of sharing the same ideals and goals?

I was thinking and thinking, believing that some idea would strike me in the end and it did! Inspired by the campaigns of IOGT-NTO that are clearly and in a very interesting and attractive way showing connection between alcohol consumption and violation of Human Rights, I created a campaign called “Black sheep”  – based on the same idea, but of course adjusted to the European standards. I even created an introduction picture:

Black sheep

So let´s see how it will work out. I enjoyed =)

Looking back – being thankful!

Switzerland – Germany – Göteborg. Those are the places where I have been these weeks. Everything went so fast that I did not have time to reflect or “digest” all the experience and impressions. Now I am sitting at UNF Congress, following the discussions and having lots of time for thinking.

IOGT Switzerland was an experience.  Sleeping on a farm, in straw but being at the Congress in a nice fancy place. Nice combination. My Switzerland experience is actually full of combinations – young and old together, local and international focus, serious discussions and fun. I was happy to see this organisation a bit closer. To understand it a bit better.

Germany was a nice holiday. Very short. Lots of kilometers spent in a car. But still energizing. Doing something what I do not do so often – watching a graduation party. Walking a bit around Berlin and Munster. Realizing that I understand more German than I thought. And almost no responsibilities.

And now UNF Congress. More than 100 delegates gathered for 5 days to discuss and plan and devote their time (it´s summer holiday here) and energy into making the world better. Congress sessions start at 9.00 food breaks are pretty short, now it´s 20.00 and the debates are still going on. People here gather during breaks to read through the papers, discuss them, prepare for the comming sessions. I like this culture. It makes me happy to see it! So eventhough I have not really a lot to do , I really enjoy following the whole process. It will give me strength for the days when I will sit in the office and feel very alone in what I do. I will try to remember that I am not. 

 I am very thankful for being able to see this!