"Jar you ready?": Art idea of the week
Take an old glass jar, add a dash of colour, et voila- a gorgeous glass lantern, perfect for all those tea lights you never use ;) (Sorry pumpkin... we won't be needing you anymore!) You will need: x1 glass jar (or more!) glass paints & paint brush OR marker pens thin craft wire Method: Wash your glass (This is probably the most important step...you don't want your lovely candlelit bath spoilt by the smell of singed passata) Plan your design (Or not) Get drawing/painting Let


Innovation Knows No Borders
"There are 65 million forcibly displaced people worldwide... More efforts are needed to find pragmatic and human-centred solutions." We are excited to announce that on 21st September, Pass the Crayon will be taking part in "Innovation Knows No Borders", a conference co-organised by Wikistage and Migration Hub Network. The event will be hosted at Migration Hub, our co-working space which we share with many other awesome non-profits such as MigrationMatters, RESTART and Wefugee


"Integration of diversity, with a smile": An interview with WelcomeCamp co-founder, Bastia
"In the beginning we collected money, clothes and other donations to help with refugee accommodation, but it did not seem to be enough..." This is the the story of a group of friends living in Germany, who were inspired to start their own initiative through witnessing the struggles of the refugee community; not just to find food and shelter, but the more complex struggle... for acceptance. Saddened by the fear and mistrust directed at the migrant community, but confident in t


Paper plate fish: Art Idea of the Week
This craft is super-easy and extremely effective. The scalloped edge of the paper plate perfectly mimics the texture of a fish's fin; who would have thought a simple paper plate could be turned into such a convincing fish!? Make sure you use your most vibrant paints, and dont hold back-- be as creative as you can be... because guaranteed... there will always be something crazier in the sea! ...... nam sayin? You will need: 2 disposable paper plates (or more if you want to ma


Funky bird feeder: Art idea of the week
Summer is here, the flowers are in full bloom, and baby birds are leaving their nests and venturing out into the world... Why not give them a helping hand by installing a bird-feeder in your garden, or your local park? This groovy, recycle-friendly craft isn’t just fun to make … it also benefits nature! Help foster your child’s passion for wildlife, by making this simple bird feeder. You will need: Empty milk carton or plastic bottle A wooden chopstick Scissors Glue String Pe


"More than a gathering of people"...
Emilie Hamadi, one of our Pass the Crayon volunteers, writes about her WelcomeCamp experience; the sessions she attended, her thoughts, feelings and hopes for the future... "More than a gathering of people acting, or working together in the same sector; WelcomeCamp provided the chance for dialogue, constructive exchanges, and genuine connections. One of the most valuable aspects of the day was everything which surrounded the formal sessions: the casual encounters, shared feel


WelcomeCamp 2017
1 day, 200 people, 26 sessions, 40 organisation, 19 sponsors, and 1 awesome BBQ... this is WelcomeCamp 2017: a barcamp designed to unite individuals, start-ups and NGOs to discuss and build solutions to refugee integration, and to forge connections and friendships with others involved in the German welcome culture movement. www.refugeeswelcome.berlin Barcamp… what, like bandcamp, but with booze? Er… NO. For those of you (like me!) who are unfamiliar with the term ‘barcamp’, a

Pass the Crayon Blog Launch
Dear Readers, Welcome to the official Pass the Crayon Blog :) We are very excited to be launching our blog; with it, we hope to raise awareness for the work of Pass the Crayon, and for the refugee community as a whole. We wish for our blog to be a voice for Pass the Crayon; a reflection of our passion for art, our commitment to providing art classes for refugee children, and our engagement and support of the wider refugee welcome culture movement. It is important for us to p