Awareness raising

GIVE EUR-HOPE will endeavour to highlight the reality of the statistics regarding poverty and social exclusion in the European Union.

Despite the overall wealth of the EU … nearly 1 in 7 people are considered to live at risk of poverty.  This figure is higher for children and older people.

We believe that poverty in the EU is very real problem and it brings misery to the lives of many people - and can limit the opportunities for people to achieve their full potential. It also brings high costs to society and can hamper sustainable economic growth.

When we talk about poverty we also talk about social exclusion. This is a term to describe people pushed to the edge of society - limiting their access to resources and opportunities and curtailing their participation in normal social and cultural life.

Our communication and information campaigns will aim to draw the attention of colleagues working in the European Institutions to the reality of life for many people living closely beside us, both in our host countries - and in our home countries.

• We will aim to be objective and clear and open a debate on the situation across the EU.

• We hope to encourage colleagues to work with us through drawing to our attention organisations already working in the field who may need practical and financial support.

• We also hope that colleagues, through becoming members of GIVE EUR-HOPE, will share their skills, knowledge and expertise with those less privileged than ourselves.

GIVE EUR-HOPE will issue regular newsletters and will host information events on specific issues.

GIVE EUR-HOPE will also, in association with other establisehd networks of EU staff, organise events to raise funds to support projects in favour of the less privileged in our societies.