Can Scouting help migrants and refugees? How Chilean Scouts are doing it
Community service and compassion are key values in Scouting. Showing determination to help others, Scouts in Chile - the Asociación de Guías y Scouts de Chile - created a program for migrants to provide recreational activities that lead to more harmonious inclusion of migrant children and youth through Scouting.
Let’s learn more about their programme so we can replicate their welcoming spirit in Scout communities worldwide.
How can Scouting help refugees?
When someone is forced to leave their home, they inevitably find themselves with many challenges. For example, you may have heard about Scouts helping migrants and refugees find new or temporary homes, jobs, schools, medications, clothes, etc.
But did you know that Scouts can also help create a sense of belonging for young people worldwide?
Migrants and refugees often struggle with their sense of identity and belonging, which can be detrimental to their well-being. After all, everyone deserves to feel they have a place in their community, where they know people with shared values and interests!
This is where the National Scout Organization in Chile realized they could help migrants through Scouting. Across city limits and international borders, Scouts share many of the same values, like friendship and creating a better world, and passions, like environmentalism and camping. This makes it a great place for young people of various age groups to get together, make friends, appreciate each others’ strengths and differences, and have fun!
Why did Chilean Guides and Scouts start helping migrants?
Migration to Chile has increased considerably in recent years. According to ReliefWeb, 1.5 million refugees and migrants live[d] in Chile in 2022, most from Venezuela. As the economic and political crisis in Venezuela goes on, more and more migrants are thought to be entering Chile by irregular crossing. In fact, the government estimates approximately 127,000 migrants have crossed as of July 2022.
The UNHCR explains that Venezuelans have a particular case, whereas they aren’t called refugees, they are considered “forced migrants” or “Venezuelans displaced abroad,” referring to “persons of Venezuelan origin who are likely to be in need of international protection […] but who have not applied for asylum in the country in which they are present.”
Notably, most migrants who make it to Chile - many of whom are with their young families - have endured exceptionally difficult desert journeys to make it there. Since Scouts value helping others, especially the most vulnerable, the Asociación de Guías y Scouts de Chile decided to offer specific support to integrate and support vulnerable young people arriving from Venezuela and other places.
What is the Migrant Scout programme?
After a year of hard work, the Asociación de Guías y Scouts de Chile launched their programme for migrants in August 2022 to favour positive social, economic and cultural development for migrants, their families and their communities.
As part of their National Youth Programme, Chilean Guides and Scouts help bring young people together to have fun and learn about human rights, peace, international cooperation, intercultural perspectives, active and global citizenship, social participation and anti-bullying.
The Scout organization plans all aspects of this programme of activities for young people, from coordinating volunteers and accompanying young people to creating booklets and developing activities to donating school supplies, clothes, food and more to migrant families. The programme also leaves space for migrants from different places to share their cultures, experiences and realities, including cultural events to showcase dances, foods, traditions and customs of Chile and others countries.
The Migrant Scout program has everything in one and aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with particular attention to Goal 4 - Quality Education and Goal 10 - Reducing Inequalities. It also achieves education goals by linking with existing World Scouting initiatives, like the Earth Tribe, as well as WAGGGS initiatives like Your World Your Voice, and UN programs like YUNGA.
To ensure they learn from others and meet the most important needs of migrants and refugees, the Migrant Scout programme coordinators regularly meet with migrant communities, the Interamerica Scout Region, and coordinators from similar initiatives in Brazil and Argentina.
What does the future hold for the Migrant Scout programme?
Unfortunately, migration is a phenomenon that has always been and will continue to be a reality for many people due to conflict, economic insecurity, climate change, and other factors. That is why the Migrant Scout programme wants to continue growing and reach young people from more countries.
The goal is to be able to translate the program into other languages so that people in interested countries can modify it according to their realities and make it their own, improving their activities and including more foreign children and youth.
They also intend to work with volunteers in the process of validating their wood badge or other courses in their country of origin to ensure they can still be recognised and continue contributing to the education and development of more children and young people.
Migrant Scout team recognised as Messengers of Peace Heroes
For their successful efforts to welcome and integrate migrants in Chile, the team behind Migrante Scout was awarded a Messengers of Peace Hero Award in 2022.
Get Involved
If you are a Scout Leader or National Scout Organization member who wants to take humanitarian action in your community, you can consult our Scouting & Humanitarian Action resources here or get in touch with your National Scout Organization here.
