Young people of today are shaping the future. Civic engagement strengthens equal participation and supports integration. In structures of volunteering, however, young people with an immigrant background are underrepresented. The reason for this is not lack of interest, rather there are barriers to entry, which must be removed.
This is the aim of the project "Get up, move yourself!". It provides young people with and without migration background the possibility to gain practical volunteering experience, to take responsibility and to actively create changes in their own direct living environment.
The project offers young people the opportunity to gain new experiences, to develop social and vocational skills, to improve their self-awareness and to perceive themselves as actors of change in their society.
Project Goal
- To facilitate the access of young people from different social and cultural backgrounds to civic engagement, in oder to give them the chance of an equal participation and active involvement in local life.
- To create new and needs-based participation and involvement opportunities that are based on their interests and capabilities. There is an intercultural orientation of the "classical" volunteering scheme.
- To strengthen the self-esteem of young migrants by acknowledging their skills, and making them experience appreciation and recognition, instead of frustration and boredom. The aim is to make them aware that their commitment and their ideas can lead to positive changes in their living environment. Other related goals include the promotion of their social and professional skills, an offer for personal orientation through meaningful leisure activities, and their integration into and identification with the community.
- To promoting intercultural dialogue among young people.
- To improve the image of young migrants in the district, and to reduce prejudice.
How it works
The project reached the target groups through outreach work in public space and through a network of partners such as youth centers, and migrant and mosque associations. The project aims to motivate them for the participation in local life by low-threshold offers such as workshops or leisure trips.
The project has several components:
- The Youth commitment exchange "Mir doch egal, war einmal!" offers mediation and support to volunteer activities. Together with cooperation partners, need-based participatory tools are developed.
- Self-determined youth commitment is promoted. Through the activity "Youth Can Change the City", young people receive financial and concerted support for the implementation of their own project.
- Opportunities for participation in youth political events and for contribution to intercultural and interreligious exchange are offered.
Low-threshold offers and trust building were important methods to reach out to young people and to network with the project partners. Regular meetings and joint leisure educational trips helped strengthening a sense of community within the young people, as well as the fun component of the project and the recognition and appreciation of their commitment.
Results
The project has been very successful and was able to attract a large number of young people with a migration background for social commitment. In the context of the volunteering exchange about 60 young people were taught in projects, 160 involved in 25 self-determined youth teams (e.g. in the fields of environment, education, media, bullying, racism, xenophobia, intercultural coexistence, integration, sport, culture ...) and 40 as part of the intercultural Dialogue.
Approximately 200 young people were reached in single events. In addition, participation in national youth conferences enabled the participation beyond the limits of the district. 25 institutions and associations joined to take part in the project, of which 10 are ethnic associations and migrant organizations.
Due to the project team, the young people learned that they were able to make changes and they will remain aware of their responsibility for themselves and others. The opportunity to participate in shaping their living environment contributed to their involvement in their neighborhood.
Evaluation
The project was evaluated on a regular basis through quarterly meetings with partners and stakeholders. (Sources: participant lists, reports, press reviews, questionnaires / internal surveys, self-evaluation questionnaires of the participants, photo / video documentation, etc.).
The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees labelled "Get up, move yourself!" the "best-practice project" of 2013.
In 2011, the project had already won the active competition of the Alliance for Tolerance and Democracy and had been recognized as an outstanding practice example. In addition, a feasibility study was commissioned by the AWO Aqua gGmbH 2013. This team evaluated the potential of self-directed youth involvement and the impact and experience of the project activity "Youth Changemaker City".
The project won the 2014 prize Social City and the Youth Democracy Award!
Who benefits
The project is aimed at teenagers aged between 13 and 29 years old, in the northern part of the city of Solingen. Each year, 60 (with a part-time project manager) to 120 (with a full-time project manager) young people have been directly supported and 240 to 480 people participate indirectly.
Funding and resources
1. October 2010 - October 2013
- € 150,000 funding by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees
- € 5000 Robert Bosch Foundation
- € 4,500 own capital AWO Aqua gGmbH Solingen
- € 4,000 prize money Alliance for Tolerance and Democracy
(Costs for: 1 project manager, 1 intercultural educator, and property and measure costs)
2. Since January 2013 - Project "Youth Can Change the City"
Annual Budget 37.000 € (including Walbusch Youth Foundation, German Children and Youth Foundation / Telefonica / 02; Solingen)
(Costs for: part time socio-educational project manager and team support, start-up financing, training costs)
About this good practice
- Project dates
- -
- Geographic area
- Germany
- City
- Solingen
- Organisation
- AWO Arbeit & Qualifizierung gGmbH Solingen
- Contact person
- Andrea Krumnacker
- Position
- Project manager
Details
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