Camino for the marginalised

[sillydoll]

Last Saturday 16 people at "risk of social exclusion", including young ex-addicts, members of the "Tuesday Group" began walking to Santiago along with several volunteers.
The pilgrims started their pilgrimage from Tuy and will walk to Santiago.
The journey aims to "implement human and Christian values, including sharing, reflection, dialogue and living together, which are closely linked to the group's own philosophy."
The initiative of the "Tuesday Group" takes place for the second consecutive year at the request of its members.

http://www.camineo.info/news/141/ARTICL ... 08-04.html

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Sil - I've no doubt you've come accross the fantastic work of this Belgian organisation providing challenging young poeple with a Camino experience:

http://www.oikoten.be/

 

[sillydoll]

Yes - I am familiar with the organisation. Each year when the Pilgrims' Office releases the annual stats they usually also give the number of Oikoten pilgrims.
In 1982 Oikoten introduced pilgrimage to Santiago as an alternative of incarceration of minor delinquents. The Oikoten pilgrimage gives these youngsters the opportunity to prove that they could be released by the juvenile court integrated into normal society.
The young people have to sign a contract:
1. to walk every inch by foot
2. to respect the law
3. to leave behind personal stereos and GSM
4. to avoid behaviour that endangers the hike.

You could help these youngsters by becoming a ‘guardian angel’ through the Ultreia Walk On programme. Log onto this website to find out how you can sponsor a pilgrim or even help a troubled youth apply to become a sponsored pilgrim.
http://jeffer-london.com/ultreia/eng/ul ... or_en.html

 

[JohnnieWalker]

The young people have to sign a contract:
1. to walk every inch by foot
2. to respect the law
3. to leave behind personal stereos and GSM
4. to avoid behaviour that endangers the hike.

Not a bad set of criteria for everyone else too!

 

[Bridget and Peter]

3. to leave behind personal stereos and GSM

What is GSM? Or am I missing something obvious?

 

[sillydoll]

I am a techno retard so had to look it up!

Global System for Mobile communications (GSM: originally from Groupe Spécial Mobile) is the most popular standard for mobile phones in the world. ...