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How to Get Involved in Social Action

If you are interested in getting involved with Social Action, there are countless ways to do so. Please share this information with your fellowships!

• Stay informed by reading the Unifier, where we feature Social Action news and projects. We also have a closed Social Action Facebook Group.
• Offer a workshop at a retreat (or simply participate in one).
• Talk to your Fellowship or Social Action Rep about your fellowship’s projects.
• Let us know about projects you’re involved in. Maybe others would like to join you. Contact us at SocialAction@europeanuu.org.
• This year’s call for proposals is still open: if your fellowships are working with worthy organizations that need financial support, or if you have your own project, the EUU has money in the budget for more grants. Please contact SocialAction@europeanuu.org and send us your request. 

New Social Action Program Areas!

Social Action concentrates on three program areas: people & partnerships, planet, and democracy & conflict resolution.

We have long focused on people and have a long-established partnership with the János Zsigmond Unitarian High School in Transylvania, Romania. We regularly invite youth from the school to attend our retreats, and we send youth from EUU to visits in Transylvania. We have supported organizations helping refugees, immigrants, women and girls.

We have been supporting organizations that protect the planet, such as BUND Friends of the Earth, Biovision, Climate Outreach and others.

We are now focusing on democracy and conflict resolution and investigating organizations that work in this field. All around the world we see an increase in violent means to address conflict. We want to support organizations that work on peaceful conflict resolution. We also observe movements curtailing democracies all around the world. This, too, worries us, and we are investigating means to strengthen the democratic idea.

If you have suggestions for organizations working in these areas, please share them with us at SocialAction@europeanuu.org.

What Is Social Action?

The goals of EUU Social Action (SA) are to:

• Foster a culture of social engagement within the EUU;
• Encourage members to find ways to engage in Social Action projects in local, European and global communities;
• Support charitable organizations at existing and new retreat sites through Sunday collection donations collected during retreat weekends;
• Build partnerships based on service with other UU organizations and congregations;
• Serve as a central information platform and networking point for members interested in Social Action;
• Help members share information about and interests in Social Action.

A Culture of Engagement

Social Action starts with the individual. EUU Social Action fosters a culture of social engagement and personal development within the EUU, encouraging members to find their way to action in their own communities.

One way SA does this is by offering retreat workshops around topics of social engagement and intercultural communication. These workshops are by nature specific and participatory, with at least one element that participants can take away and implement at home.

Another important function of the SA is to help socially active members share their experiences through talks at retreats and online, Unifier articles, and maintaining a list of organizations members are currently engaged with.

Through these efforts, we connect EUU members committed to social action on an individual level to each other and to external organizations, partners and opportunities, helping to create stronger networks and a more effective overall effort.

SocialAction@europeanuu.org
Tina Huesing & Peter Jarrett, committee co-chairs