Conexión – Creando Puentes
About us
It remains a shocking fact that there are more than 108 million refugees and internally displaced persons throughout the world. This tragedy has come about via war and violence, persecution and intolerance, and the problem has been most notable in the last 12 years.
Forced migration is an international crisis of colossal proportions. These are people who have been forced to leave their homeland and seek refuge elsewhere not through want, but through necessity. Having undergone traumatic experiences to get where they seek refuge, asylum seekers are generally met with hostility and intolerance.
Expecting to be welcomed, instead they find they are looked down upon, neglected and stigmatised by the government of their new home, and isolated from society as unwanted immigrants. They have had their lives uprooted by war or persecution. They have travelled an arduous journey with hope in their hearts, only to find they feel unwanted when they reach a safe haven.
It is the duty of all countries to help refugees and asylum seekers, yet more is needed to ensure they are included, and have access to the education and to learn how to live in harmony in their new home.
Conexión C.P. is a charity founded as a response to the worldwide forced migration crisis. We are mainly dedicated to helping refugees and displaced persons (although also immigrants in vulnerable situations are benefitting from our courses) get the help and education they need to further their lives and settle in foreign countries. To do this, we need the help of an army of volunteers, people who have the passion and drive to meet newcomers, and to help them learn the language of their new country. How can you get involved?
Current Programmes and Need for Volunteers
At Conexión C.P. we are committed to developing educational programmes and implementing projects to teach refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants in vulnerable situations the language they need to enrol at school or perhaps find work. Currently we offer programmes covering English, German and Spanish (and in some cases Catalan, French and Italian) languages. We have also provided on-site courses on mathematics and science and will be branching out into more diverse subjects with the help of volunteers.
Our focus is on education, and we are actively seeking volunteers who speak English, Spanish, Arabic or German, but there is more to a Conexión CP volunteer. You do not need to be a qualified teacher and you will get full support from the Conexión CP team. What we are looking for is people who are willing to connect with displaced persons and help them through the difficult time they are going through. We need to build that bridge they can cross to inclusion and a better life, and to an improved mental health and standard of living.
Like everyone else, Conexión C.P. was hampered in our aims by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, we have been offering online training using Microsoft Teams, Google Meet or Zoom, with which we will get you on board with our Code of Conduct and some basic rules, and ensure you are ready to provide the support these people need.
Having been forced out of their homes by war, by persecution, by climate change or by very real threats of violence or death, these are people who deserve your help. If you have the language skills we need and want to do your bit, please get in touch with the Conexión C.P. team, and help us do our part to help people in serious need.
Covid-19
The Covid-19 crisis forced us to adapt to the movement and social distancing regulations, leading us, as with many other institutions, to broaden our use of today’s technology. And today we are still offering online teaching sessions and inviting people willing to help and people in need of help to get connected through Conexión CP. The charity operates as a bridge between them. In so doing we will not lose sight of our goals: to help forced migrants and refugees to thrive in their new home countries even from afar.
