Emmaus (charity)

Emmaus ( Emmaus French ) is a movement that was created in 1949 by Abbé Pierre in France to life. It is organized around the world since 1969 under the umbrella organization Emmaus International. This non-governmental organization today includes 310 groups and communities in 36 countries on four continents. In France, for example, in 2007, the movement managed approximately 9,000 social housing and there based on the cooperation of almost 15,000 people.

• 3.1 Austria
• 3.2 Germany
• 3.3 Switzerland

General

The aim of the Emmaus movement is fighting poverty, it focuses on helping people help themselves. The focus is on people who are homeless, jobless and without hope. Each Emmaus group works independently and decentralized.

From Emmaus Internationally recognized groups must act financially autonomous and received through donations and the sale of products and services that are produced by the guests in their own "establishments" and carried out under the guidance of employees. Categorical denial of state funding is mandatory, so that the clubs can operate largely independent of, rather than having to bend the rules of the public sector.

By working in the premises of the organizations, guests learn - mostly craft - skills to facilitate later integration into the labor market and thus into a standard, middle-class life. A positive side effect of this - mandatory depending on the institution - activities is a regular daily routine and the presence of a task, so that the social skills of guests encouraged and will prevent the feeling of futility.

All Emmaus Communities have to convey the goal of the people cared for a job and an apartment so that they can live safely and from a relatively steady regular income.

Method

Swell

Depending on the community or group different thresholds are offered, so guests can gradually and gradually settle into the structure of Emmaus and eventually adapt to the society stronger.

In order to carers are not suddenly overwhelmed with rules, obligations and duties which they can not cope in part because of other long-standing practice, the matching process is divided into mostly 3 levels ( Schwelligkeiten ):

Low threshold

Mittelschwelligkeit

Höherschwelligkeit

International representation

Austria

This movement is represented in Austria by clubs in Lilienfeld, Innsbruck and Salzburg. Also located in Lower Austria with the Emmaus Community of St. Pölten an associated, but not recognized by Emmaus International Association for the integration of socially disadvantaged people - the reason for the rejection by the French model is due to the non-autonomous organization and the reference state subsidies.

Germany

In Germany there are Emmaus communities in Cologne, Krefeld and Sonsbeck. Although Emmaus Stuttgart is still a regular member, but since 2000 living and working project is inactive ( in January 2010 a normal residential community of three persons ).

Switzerland

In Switzerland there are 11 EMMAUS-I NSTITUTIONS, namely 6 EMMAUS communities (so-called communautés ) and 5 more groups (so-called amis ). These 11 autonomous institutions are united in the " Swiss EMMAUS Association " ( umbrella organization ). The 6 EMMAUS communities, Carouge (GE), Fribourg (FR), Etagnières (VD ), La Chaux -de-Fonds (NE), Sion (VS) and Rivera (TI ) operate to finance their social assistance benefits thrift stores and grant marginalized people shelter and work. The 5 other EMMAUS groups are located in Bern ( from the " Leprosy Relief Emmaus Switzerland " emerged Foundation FAIRMED, the " Children's Aid EMMAUS ", the " friends of EMMAUS Bern ") in Dübendorf ( " EMMAUS Zurich " ) and in Boncourt ( " EMMAUS Jura "). These groups provide humanitarian aid at home and abroad by the management of the proprietary or third-party financing development projects. Some of these groups result in fundraising for its humanitarian work also thrift stores. The first EMMAUS institutions in Switzerland was founded in 1956. Reason to do so gave the securities held by Abbé Pierre in Geneva and Bern lectures in which he called for solidarity with people in need. The "Swiss EMMAUS Association " is a founding member of EMMAUS International. The founding meeting of EMMAUS - International, based in Alfortville in Paris took place on 24 - 26th May 1969 held in the presence of Abbé Pierre ( † 2007), the National Council Chamber of the Federal Palace in Bern. The "Swiss EMMAUS Association " presented with her ​​then- President Marcel Farine († 2008), the first president of EMMAUS International.

Emmaus and the Third World

Since the early 1970s, a number of Emmaus groups in Sweden, Italy, Germany and Latin America have extended the principle to help themselves to an active aid to poorer countries in the Third World. The explicitly non-denominational approach Abbe Pierre was always more politicized. So, for example, supports the largest Swedish Emmaus group in Björkå until now mainly Marxist -oriented liberation movements in the former African colonies. Emmaus Cologne showed solidarity with the majority of its revenue to Emmaus Chile after Salvador Allende was overthrown in 1973 by General Pinochet. Emmaus International recognizes these non-religious groups not only continues, but itself organizes international meetings ( most recently in 2007 in Sarajevo ), the subject of which in the meantime turns primarily to human rights, the consequences of globalization, migrants, and basic economic problems.