Sin Barreras y el Camino de Santiago - Without Barriers and "the Camino"

El Camino de Santiago ha sido, históricamente, un lugar de peregrinación y encuentro de diferentes culturas, razas y personalidades.
Por ello, hemos considerado que para nuestro proyecto Grundtvig “Sin Barreras”, no podríamos encontrar mejor entorno para desarrollar nuestras actividades de integración dirigidas a la población inmigrante.
Aprovechando que, el año 2010 es Año Santo Xacobeo hemos decidido “recorrer” el Camino en sus diferentes etapas en la Comunidad de Galicia.
En este enlace podéis conocer un poco más sobre lo que significa el Año Santo Compostelano.

http://blog.xacobeo.es/about-xacobeo-2010/

Al ser los miembros de nuestro grupo internos en un Centro Penitenciario, con las dificultades evidentes que este hecho conlleva, no realizaremos las etapas de un modo consecutivo, sino alternándolas en diferentes periodos del año.
Además, no queremos recorrer simplemente el camino, sino recopilar las experiencias que, en cada etapa, se puedan disfrutar: experiencias de convivencia de nuestro grupo, de reflexión o de compartir con otros peregrinos unos metros de camino o unos alimentos y agua. Y reflejarlas, a través de textos y fotografías, en un pequeño libro que trataremos de editar. Libro donde, desde la libertad que transmite la ruta Xacobea, podamos transmitir cómo un Centro Penitenciario puede ser algo más que rejas y muros, y donde las diferentes culturas y creencias tengan cabida en un marco común: el singular y maravilloso marco del Camino de Santiago.
Pero como no hay mejor muestra que la realidad, a continuación os presentamos algunas fotografías de la primera etapa que realizamos el pasado 15 de octubre, etapa que comprende desde la localidad de O Cebreiro, inicio del camino en Galicia y la de Triacastela. Porque, muchas veces, las imágenes sí que valen más que mil palabras…


































The “Camino de Santiago” (St James’Way) has been historically a place of pilgrimage and encounter of different cultures, races and personalities.
That’s why we felt that it could not be found a better environment to develop our Grundtvig project integration activities, which are aimed at the immigrant population.
Considering that 2010 is the “Jacobean Holy Year”, we have decided to walk along the different stages of the Way in the community of Galicia.
(You can look for some more information about the “Jacobean Holy Year” in this website:

http://blog.xacobeo.es/about-xacobeo-2010/

Since the members of our group are inmates, with the obvious difficulties that this entails, we will not do all the stages of the Way consecutively, but we will set off our journey in different periods of the year.
Not only do we want to walk along the Way, but also we want to collect the experiences which can be enjoyed at each stage: coexistence experiences in our group, reflection or sharing with other pilgrims a few yards of the road, some water or food. We would like to show all these experiences, using both texts and pictures, in a little book that we will try to edit. With this book, and through the freedom that the “Jacobean Way” transmits, we want to state that a Penitentiary Centre can be more than just bars and walls; it can be a place where different cultures and beliefs can coexist in a common framework: the unique and wonderful “Camino de Santiago”. .
And since we want to show you that reality, we are going to present some photos of the first stage of our journey which was made the last 15th October. This stage stretches from the town O Cebreiro, which is the beginning of the Way in Galicia, to
Triacastela. As you can see, a picture is worth a thousand words.

acuerdos de los socios en Bremen - Partner´s agreements in Bremen

Resumen de los acuerdos establecidos por los socios en la reunión del proyecto “sin barreras” celebrada en Bremen, Alemania, durante los días 21 y 22 de octubre.
- El calendario para las próximas reuniones internacionales será: Días 27 y 28 de abril, en Turquía; días 16 y 17 de junio en Noruega.
- Compromiso para una mayor participación activa en el proyecto, desarrollando actividades que se dirijan a la consecución de los objetivos del proyecto “sin barreras” y definiendo, en su caso, claramente los grupos con los que se realizarán las actividades del proyecto.
- Compromiso, por parte de todos los socios, de una participación activa en el Blog, tanto para publicar artículos con las actividades realizadas en el proyecto, como para realizar comentarios, sugerencias, etc. a cada uno de los artículos publicados.
- Procurar la difusión de las actividades del proyecto a través de diferentes medios, como medios de comunicación, autoridades educativas, autoridades locales, regionales, etc.
- Elaboración de materiales o recopilación de actividades realizadas que puedan ser recogidas para incluirlas en el trabajo que se elaborará como informe final del proyecto.
Agradecer sinceramente a los socios alemanes por la perfecta organización de la reunión y por sus esfuerzos para atender a los socios durante los días de la reunión.



Summary of the agreements established by the partners at the meeting of the project "without barriers" held in Bremen, Germany, during 21th and 22th October.
- The schedule for upcoming international meetings will be: 27th and 28th April in Turkey, and 16th and 17th June in Norway.
- Compromise for a higher involvement in the project, developing activities for the achievement of the objectives of the project "without barriers" and with a clear definition, when appropriate, of the groups which will develop the project activities.
- Compromise by all partners, for an active participation in the blog, publishing articles with the activities of the project, and doing comments, suggestions, etc. of the published articles.
- Dissemination of the activities of the project through different means such as media, education authorities, local, regional authorities...
- Elaboration of materials or collection of activities which can be collected for their inclusion in the work to be developed as a final project report.

Sincerely thanks to German partners for the perfect organization of the meeting and for their efforts to assist the members of the project during the days of the meeting.

The GRETA and the insertion of the persons of foreign origin

GRETA participates in the insertion of the foreigners in several ways.

The establishment proposes individual or collective classes meeting the needs of persons.There are lessons of FLE (French foreign languages). The objective is to get acquainted with our language to be able to communicate more easily.

Our training center also gives individual classes to improve the written and oral expression. These sessions are intended for the individuals having acquired some notions of French but wishing to enrich their vocabulary and to refine their mastery of the grammatical rules.

The establishment also collaborates with associations or organizations depending on the Education.

The United Garden welcomes persons in the unemployment and having a difficult life. Among them, we meet men and women of foreign origin. They left their country for economic reasons either to avoid the war. GRETA intervenes by animating a session of two hours a week. The "gardeners" meet themselves to draft a small newspaper, to speak about the current events, to discover the computing... The main objective of this formation is to allow has these persons to find a certain confidence in them.

We also work with the Class Relay which welcomes young people (11 to 16 years old), who don’t go to school. Middle schools make call up to this organization to supervise the young people " firstly new-comers «. With adapted lessons, the Class Relay allows them to discover the French school environment. This organization helps them to join middle school.

Presentation of the GRETA

The network of the GRETA is the first national organization of training for adults and depends on the Ministry of Education.
The establishment works in close collaboration with all the middle schools and the high schools of labour pools and the socioeconomic world.
The proposed trainings are leading to a certificate or a qualification in the following domains: mechanics, electricity, chemistry, plastics, processing industry, transport, business, building business, accounting, secretarial department, care to the persons. In interaction with the world of enterprises, they facilitate the occupational integration. Developments proposed to the trainees are personalized, sometimes individualized.
Our structure of formation addresses a varied public: employees, job-seekers, individual and contribute to the economic development of a region.

« without barriers » Agenda of the meeting 21st October – 22nd October 2009

Grundtvig-Projekt « without barriers »
Agenda of the meeting 21st October – 22nd October 2009


Wednesday, 21st October

09:30 h Arrival at the meeting (with coffee and tea) at
"Alten Eichen", Horner Heerstraße 19, 28359 Bremen
• Reception (i.e. by Wilfried Möhlmann – St. Petri Kinder- u.
Jugendhilfe, Rolf Degen - Stiftung Alten Eichen and
Constanze Ripke - Senator for environment, building, traffic and Europe)
• Presentation of the supporting organisations
("St. Petri" SP und "Alten Eichen" AE)
• Introducion of co-operation partners ("Quali-Treff" e.V.)

12:00h Lunch ("Goedeken's")

14:00h Visitation of "JuS-Plantage" (Jugendhilfe und Soziale Arbeit gGmbH),
Informations about judicial orders upon juvenile court laws (JGG) § 10
(work instructions, social trainning course, STK) and
qualification measures

16:00h "Sightseeing", or alternatively "Siesta"

18:00h "Evening of encountering"
Konsul-Hackfeld-Haus, Birkenstraße 34, 28195 Bremen
• Reception (i.e. by Herrn Schmalz – managing commitee of
"Diakonisches Werk")
• "multicultural buffet"and optionally cultural viewings

20:00h A short stroll arround the funfair "Bremer Freimarkt"


Donnerstag, 22.10.2009

09:30h Arrival at Kutur- Bildungs- u. Kommunikationszetrum
"KuBiKo", Godehardstraße 19-21, 28309 Bremen
• Visiting of a Project for persistent truants, Kreativ in die Zukunft "kidZ4u"
(Christiane Helmken - DRK)
• Lecture about the social structure in Germany: "Principle of subsidiarity"/
"Evolution of integration policy" (Dr. Jürgen Stein –
associate Director and union Coordinator, "Diak. Werk")
• Visit to the facilities of "Haus für unsere Freundschaft"
• Presentation of "Strickleiter-Projekt" (AE)

12:30h Lunch (Bürgerhaus Hemelingen)

14:00h Final discussion for participants of "without barriers"
(Bürgerhaus Hemelingen)


We are looking forward to welcoming you in Bremen!

Reunión con el grupo de trabajo - Meeting with the work group of Monterroso

El pasado viernes, 9 de octubre, tuvimos en Monterroso una reunión con el grupo de trabajo en la que, el abogado y jurista D. Carlos Villar, miembro de la ONG Ecos del Sur, analizó la problemática de la ley de extranjería y su impacto sobre la población inmigrante, en general, y adaptada, particularmente, a la situación de los internos en Centros Penitenciarios.

Last Friday, October 9th, a meeting with the working group was held in Monterroso where the lawyer and jurist Mr. Carlos Villar, a member of the NGO “South Echoes”, analyzed the problem of the immigration law and its impact on the immigrant population in general, and particularly adapted to the situation of inmates in prisons.



El ponente trató de simplificar la temática de la situación jurídica de los extranjeros en España, desde su entrada en territorio nacional hasta su legalización o expulsión, aportando ejemplos concretos y explicando de un modo pedagógico y práctico la terminología referente al status jurídico de un inmigrante (visado de entrada, tipos de visados, permiso de residencia, requisitos para la misma, entre otros muchos asuntos).

The speaker at the lecture tried to simplify the issue of the legal status of foreigners in Spain, from their entry into national territory until their legalization or removal, providing concrete examples and explaining in a pedagogical and practical way the terminology related to the legal status of an immigrant (entry visa, types of visas, residence permits, requirements to get them, among others).



A continuación, y por el interés que consiguió crear el ponente en el grupo, se creó un debate en el que los participantes tuvieron la oportunidad de aclarar las diferentes dudas sobre la situación jurídica de un inmigrante, en general, y de la suya en particular, respecto a la legislación y la actuación de diferentes instituciones administrativas o judiciales.

Next, and due to the interest aroused by the speaker among the listeners, a debate was held, in which the participants had the opportunity to clarify the various doubts about the legal status of an immigrant, in general, and also personally, with respect to the legislation and performance of various administrative or judicial institutions.



Queremos agradecer de un modo sincero a nuestro amigo Carlos, ya que supo crear un clima durante la conferencia, de afecto y, a la vez, de profesionalidad, con lo que nuestro grupo pudo conocer numerosos aspectos que realmente les han de servir para solventar sus diferentes situaciones como inmigrantes en nuestro país. Sirva de testimonio de ello el enorme agradecimiento que manifestó nuestro grupo por la actividad realizada.

We want to sincerely thank our friend Carlos for being here, since he was able to create an atmosphere of affection and professionalism during the lecture. Thanks to him, our group was able to learn many aspects about this topic; information which will really serve them to meet the different situations they will have to face with in our country as immigrants. The enormous gratitude that our group expressed by the lecture bears testimony of this.

What is difficult for a foreigner living in Norway?

Some of our participants who are out working twice a week as part of their Norwegian studies, have discussed several questions about what they think is difficult for them living in Norway. We split the group in two; one with 4 women and the other with 4 men. To my big surprise, their answers were quite different - but maybe our men set a more long term focus on the problem than the women did. So, this is some of their answers:

The men claimed that the following were difficult in Norway:
- to get the first job
- to get your previous education and practice accepted by the Government
- to find Norwegian friends
- to get the driving license (expencive and difficult language)
- to learn Norwegian in general
- to live so far from family and friends

The woman said it was difficult to:
- order food from cafeterias and restaurants
- walk in the snow and on icy roads (especially with high heels)
- live here in wintertime
- rent a house or a flat which is affordable
- find friends

As you might guess, we had some good laughs while the lists were read loudly to all. But our conclusion were that finding jobs and native friends are challenging in a new country.

Education in Norway, a brief introduction

Our school has students from many different countries and with a different level in education. In Norway everybody has a right for primary school if they don’t have a comparative education from their home country.
Some of these students apply for our primary education, which in Norwegian is called, GRUNNSKOLE.
After a brief conversation with a counselor they are tested in English, mathematics and Norwegian.
The tests are done in May/June before start in august.

We have had some problems with these tests.
• Was they good enough?
• Did they give us the answers we want to now?
• Were they too easy or too difficult?
• And how did other schools solve these problems?
These questions led us to contact the school for adult education in Oslo in summer 2007. They are the largest school for adult education in Norway, and we learned that they had developed a test we also could use. The test was not a standard for the country, but several other schools in different communes used it.

The tests are internet based. The results are produced automatically after the student is finished. This does the work easier.

Norwegian grunnskole is 10 year. We are offering 3, 2, and 1 year courses depending on the results from the test. Each student gets a new meeting with a counselor. The results are discussed together with economy, final goals for the education and future occupation.

This was a brief introduction. I will try to follow up this blog what happens to the new students that begun at our school this august. I appriciate any comments, and I also want to know how this is done in your country.

Knut Aarvig.