Today, around 38.000
people are connected through SPEAK.
The project was born
in 2012 and within 8 years has expanded into 27 cities located in 3 continents,
becoming global. The cultural diversity of this universe is represented by 185
countries, having allowed the sharing of 50 languages.
SPEAK Caldas, despite having some implementation issues and the
added difficulty posed to close relationships by the current situation, has had
since September 2014, 198 participants belonging to 32 nationalities. Maybe it
is time to make a memory exercise because the understanding of a language,
spoken or written, is the most important element to unite people from different
cultures.
At Caldas, SPEAK
is unquestionably linked to the social sector and its bond to Ordem do Trevo – an association of
volunteers that intervenes with families in need, allows a indirect
intervention at the local level through the channelling of 75% of the funds
payed by participants in SPEAK language groups. This is maybe the most committed
and perceived by those who participate in it. In a direct way, SPEAK
freely welcomes people with financial issues that want to be part of a
group. It creates opportunities among those who would not otherwise have access
to, for example, the participation in English speaking groups.
Taking part in SPEAK
is a very positive experience.
For the ones who learn, it broadens contacts,
knowledge and information beyond their restricted social network, facilitating
integration in the local community and creating shared networks whit the ones
already in the project. For the ones who
teach, it develops communication skills and allows them to share their
country’s culture. It fosters opportunities to unemployed, immigrant and other
country’s refugees that wish to expand their skills within the
training/education area.
Maybe the least
visible part is the commitment that our main partner, AIRO (Associação Empresarial da Região do Oeste), has done by
providing rooms for the group’s meetings or events. As SPEAK is notable for its
informal environment, and it isn’t uncommon meetings outdoors, in cafes or
other spaces happen sometimes, but the fact that we were able to ensure rooms
with excellent conditions enables stability to focus on the communication,
structuring of new groups, support to the participants and buddies.
From the participants
in the informal groups, around 75% belong to foreign communities that live in
the municipality or in the ones adjoining. The typical participant of SPEAK Caldas is foreign, retired,
average age above 50 years old, schooling above average, multiple professional
experiences, eager to learn Portuguese and to integrate. Is has not been easy
to reach the young or national local people despite having tried to start
language groups like German, Spanish, Russian or Mandarin.
The use of the social
network has brought some visibility to SPEAK
Caldas, but it remains essentially a project of “spreading the word” among
friends and family by those participating, which has been confirmed by the
applications. The informality and positive group dynamics have turned out to be
critical factors for the growth of the SPEAK community in Caldas that, although slow,
has been constant, also supported by the perseverance and professional
experience of their founders, creating an identity known by all.
SPEAK is a social project that enables the welcoming and
integration of immigrants in the local communities. It fights social exclusion.
It gathers people regardless of religious beliefs, politic ideology or gender.
In its essence, SPEAK
does not mistakes beliefs with truth, prejudice with fairness of opportunities
or moral approaches with ethical commitment.
There is great
humility in the SPEAK
community because we do not suffer from “the illusion of knowledge”. Although
each one of us has our own set of knowledge, the only way to grow as
individuals is through the community. And only by witnessing great cultural
diversity, can we not subdue the different individual perspective to the one of
the group. If there is a global perspective, its acceptance.
SPEAK is a project that mobilizes, shares and replicates
essential values for the development of a city that wants to be inclusive and foment
a more integrative community, providing the best conditions for all the people
within. 💚
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