Kirkens Korshær

2018

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Diversity and Social Inclusion in Europe

Demands for Politics, Civil Society and Social Enterprises

Budapest 27th September 2018

Helle Christiansen Kirkens Korshær/DanChurchSocial

Kirkens Korshær was founded in 1912 by H.P. Mollerup with inspiration from Church Army.

Litterally Kirkens Korshær means ”The Cross Army of the Church”

Motto: By This You Shall Conquer

Who we are Copenhagen Priest H. P. Mollerup founded Kirkens Korshær

(Kirkens Korshær) in 1912. The purpose was the same then as it is now: to help people in need no matter their background. Kirkens Korshær works on the basis of the Christian faith, which maintains that all people, irrespective of what life has dealt them or what they have done with their life, were created in the image of God.

Kirkens Korshær has – 450 staff members spread all over Denmark. The payed staff in

diaconal work are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark which is our theological base

– More than 9.000 volunteers help to secure the funding by running 250 second hand shops or they work social by providing shelter and company for socially vulnerable people seeking help.

What we do - dayshelters

Throughout Denmark, Kirkens Korshær has dayshelters providing coffee, meals, baths, clean clothes free of charge or very cheaply. In the shelters, we give room to people living an otherwise tough, rough and hectic everyday life with poverty, loneliness, homelessness, psychological illness or substance abuse.

What we do – night shelters

In some of the greater Danish cities Kirkens Korshær has night shelters accommodating people, who have nowhere else to stay at night.

This kind of accommodation is very primitive with many people sleeping on the floor in one or a few rooms.

What we do - homelessness

In collaboration with the local authorities Kirkens Korshær runs six hostels and re-establishment centres. These hostels are a temporary accommodation for people without a home. The intention is for the residents to hopefully shift to a long-term residence.

What we do - Supporting families

In our family work, there is an increasing number of single parents who need counseling and support to manage their lives. We provide network that they can share small and big things in everyday life with. Often the biggest problems are the economy and loneliness in the role of sole provider. The employees have the primary task of listening and guiding. The support includes common experiences such as summer camps, Christmas Eve and eating together are organized.

What we do - Caring for the Lonely Soul

Employees doing pastoral care for people in custody

Telephone counseling and pastoral care around the clock

Pastors serving the people we meet in Kirkens Korshær with services, weddings, funerals and pastoral care

Shelters, hostels and villages for

elderly alcoholics/addicts and

former homeless

Injection rooms for drug addicts

Going on vacation

Welcoming everyone

Unity in Diversity

Need is need and we help as far as we our means allows us nomatter where or who

We do not divide people. It doesn’t matter whether

You are born in Denmark or elsewhere

You are young or old

Man or woman

Sober or drunk/affected

Evangelizing

Yes We Can!

Denmark Against Poverty

250 Second Hand Shops

Charity shops with

second hand furniture,

clothes, building materials

etc. fund much of our work.

It is run by volunteers

Corporate Social Responsibility

Cooperation with Government and Municipalities

We make contracts about tasks with government or municipalities

As civic society organisation and as Christians we want to maintain our freedom of work and speech so we sometimes turn down an offer if it is in conflict with our values

Our work with migrants has been very much critizised. No public funding goes to that

Inclusion

Spreading Hope - Moments Matter

Demands for Politics, Civil Society and

Social Enterprises Start with ourselves:

Working together cf. Eurodiaconia, LWF and other platforms and using our united forces.

Connect to the Sustainable Development Goals to get even stronger force. This includes caring for the environment.

Forget the small differences and lift the eyes to the tremendous task helping people in need, spiritually and socially

Demands for Politics, Civil Society and Social Enterprises

Then we must demand of our politicians that they listen to our experiences and act in benefit of the poor and deprived people. To lift up our voices on behalf of these people is not a popular thing to do but we fail in our mission if we do not take this profetic task of speaking the truth

Demands for Politics, Civil Society and Social Enterprises

Social enterprises On the Conditions of

the Market

• Experience in Kirkens Korshær with social enterpises have been mixed.

• The social part goes well but the economic part is harder.

• We run a laundry wich now after 4 years is beginning to show some potential

• We ran a café on a railway station which didn’t pay off

• This coffee trading in London had to lower the prices. People would not pay the extra “social” price

The Wisdom of Löhe and Mollerup

To read the signs of the here-and-now-need and respond to them

To not step back from unpopular tasks

To be patient and saw the little we can. It might grow in ways we cannot imagine

Helle Christiansen Chef for Kirkens Korshær

KIRKENS KORSHÆR Nikolaj Plads 15 1067 København K www.kirkenskorshaer.dk