Statement on the Turkish Earthquake Crisis from EASSW
31 October 2011
The European Association of Schools of Social Work (EASSW) wishes to extend a sincere message of sympathy to our Turkish colleagues in light of the terrible earthquake in Eastern Turkey and its devastating consequences. Our Turkish social work colleagues will be working alongside the survivors of the disaster and to them we wish to express our solidarity.
EASSW has a European network of social work educators, many of whom are qualified social workers, whose skills can be placed at the disposal of those leading the emergency response at the local level. Additionally, EASSW wishes to support the peoples of Turkey in their longer-term objectives through capacity building endeavours including assisting with the further development of education and training programmes for social workers and community development workers who can work with local people to develop their resilience and capacities for their future.
EASSW suggests that those members who wish to donate to the emergency relief funds for the Turkish Earthquake Disaster do so through their local collection agencies. For those who wish to contribute through an international relief agency, the Red Cross is one that can be easily accessed by all who wish to do so. This may be done through:
The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies at: www.ifrc.org and follow the links for the Turkish Disaster. Please note that fraudsters have been known to make requests for funds during times of disaster, so make sure that you are using the official site.