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Urgent Help Needed for Young People in Brazil
Posted by ">')
July 1, 2003
Request for Assistance for SGs Leaving The Family From Brazil:
On June 1, 2003 all of the Brazilian communities in the religious organization The Family were placed under partial excommunication. A list of restrictions required for the next six months were set in place, and their emergency funds were collected and turned into the Family’s head offices. We have heard of a number of young adults born and raised in The Family who would like to take this opportunity to leave the group. The transition from an isolated community to society at large can sometimes be challenging. In Brazil it is likely that young people leaving have not made preparations for a change in lifestyle and due to the economy there, airfare to leave is extremely expensive.
Safe Passage Foundation (SPF) is a non-profit organization founded in the spring of 2003 by young adults who grew up in the Family. SPF was established in part to support young people who wish to leave isolated communities with the transition. While we are a New York based organization, if you are within another country and wish to provide assistance to young people leaving who are citizens of that country, please contact us, as we have an extensive network within many countries worldwide.
SPF is currently in the process of applying for tax exempt status in the US, but we cannot offer this to donors yet. However, due to the urgency of the situation in Brazil, we wanted to put this appeal out to those interested in providing help immediately.
SPF does not discriminate on the basis of religion, belief, gender or race. A requirement for those wishing to offer support through our network is that religious beliefs or opinions on the Family or Family beliefs and practices are not relevant or attached to any support you may offer. The beliefs of young people leaving should be respected and not infringed upon nor should any attempt be made to influence their faith or opinion of The Family, whatever it may be.
If you are interested in providing assistance, the specific things we are putting out an appeal for help with include:
1. Sponsorship for those wanting to leave
While we have recommended other ways for young people to purchase airline tickets to return to their country of nationality, these options may not be available to some. If you are willing to sponsor travel costs for young person or a young family, please contact us.
When we are contacted by young people wishing to leave, we will then let you know and work the details out with you and them. We do not recommend that you send money to the person or people directly, rather, a ticket purchased by you from their current location to their destination would be the recommended process.
2. Provide temporary housing
Another method of support is to provide temporary housing for those returning to their country of nationality, who may not have anywhere else to go. If you are interested in providing this, please send the following information to SPF. All information sent to SPF remains confidential and will never be disclosed to a third party without your explicit consent. We will put you and a perspective guest in touch before the decision to host them is made.
a. Personal Information.
Some personal information on you and what you can provide will assist us in matching you with an appropriate guest. Information we require includes:
i. Full Name
ii. Address
iii. Phone Numbers (home and work)
iv. Email Address
v. Marital status and number and ages of children.
vi. Accommodations details (spare room, sofa, etc.) and amount of privacy available for guests.
vii. Your occupation
viii. Are you a former member of The Family? If so, what was your name in the group, what was the length of your time in the Family and during which years? Which countries did you live during your time as a member? What was your reason for leaving?
ix. Do you have a criminal record? Have you ever been charged with a crime?
x. Please provide three personal references we can call to verify your identity and get background information on you. (If you are a first generation former member, at least one reference should be a young person who was raised in the Family who knows you)
b. House Rules
Please provide us with a list of your house rules that you expect any guest you take in to follow. This may include things such as smoking in the house, noise at night, expected chores, etc. Any guest you take in will be notified of these requirements and should agree to them before arrival.
c. Free housing
If you can provide temporary free housing to young people leaving the Family from Brazil, please specify:
i. The length of time you can provide this
ii. Accommodation details (if different than above)
iii. Number of people you can accommodate
iv. Preferences (young family, no children, etc.)
d. Housing for Rent
If you need to charge rent for facilities offered please provide the following information:
i. Cost of monthly/weekly rent
ii. Facilities rented
iii. Additional charges (food, phone, utilities, etc.)
v. Number of people you can accommodate
iv. Preferences (young family, no children, etc.)
An additional option might be to provide initial housing for free for an agreed on period of time while the young people get set up. After this period, if they and you wish to continue the arrangement, they would then pay rent for the facilities.
3. Additional/alternative support you can provide
There may be additional or alternative support that you are interested in providing to young people leaving Brazil. If so, please contact us and let us know what you can provide assistance with.
Some other forms of support may include:
a. Job placement
i. Business owned by you
If you own or manage a business, consider hiring a young person who has recently left the Family from Brazil. Even a short-term job placement would provide valuable experience and help build confidence for someone just starting out in a new country.
ii. Provide referrals to local businesses
Another option is to provide referrals for young people. Assistance with resume creation and job applications can also help with the transition process. (Of course, before providing a reference or referral, we recommend that you get to know the person first and ensure that you have a good understanding of their reliability and skill level, in order to provide an accurate assessment.)
b. Occupational training (credited course or short term internship)
Assistance with occupational training is another method of support for young people starting over. Some companies may accept someone with no experience on a short term internship, with the option to hire after the specified period of time. If you can provide free accommodations for the same period of time, this may be a way to gain experience and relevant skills.
Financial assistance or grants may be available for training courses for people within a specific age range or for those below a certain income bracket. Assistance with applications for entrance into courses and for financial help is another way to help people get set up.
c. Educational assistance
Education support may include tutoring, assistance with academic evaluations, obtaining high school equivalency, applications for entrance into post-secondary institutions, and enrollment in academic courses.
If you have never taken in a young person leaving the Family before, we strongly recommend that you contact someone who has, to help you understand some of the issues you may be faced with. If you do not know anyone who has taken someone in, please contact us, and we can put you in touch with someone with this experience.
Thank you for consideration and assistance. Your generosity and support is greatly appreciated.
Lauren Stevens
President, Safe Passage Foundation
Julia McNeil
Director, Safe Passage Foundation
