Thoughts and Ideas from the Participants of the World Café ...76b267e1... · Thoughts and Ideas from the Participants of the World Café All Together with One Another Old City Hall

Thoughts and Ideas from the Participants of the World Café

All Together with One Another

Old City HallMunich, 11.03.2017

on behalf of

The City of Munich Office for Intercultural Work of the Social Services Department

andREGSAM – Regional Network for Social Work in Munich

World Café Europe e.V. © 2017 3 www.worldcafe.eu

Dialogue concerning the Master Plan for “Involvement in the Social Environment”

The city of Munich sees the integration of refugees as a very important issue. For this reason, a “Master Plan for the Integration of Refugees” is currently being developed for presentation to Munich City Council by the end of 2017. The aim is to identify existing measures to support the integration of refugees, ensure that they are properly coordinated and develop them further. An important factor for successful integration is the chance to be part of society and have your voice heard. This is why one focus of the Master Plan addresses "Involvement in the Social Environment".

With this issue in mind, the Regional City of Munich, the Social Services Department, the Stelle fürinterkulturelle Arbeit, REGSAM - RegionalesNetzwerk für Soziale Arbeit in München and World Café Europe e.V. invited people to the Old City Hall for a “World Café” on 11.3.2017 to bring refugees, citizens and employees from social and cultural institutions on board with the process.

The aim of the dialogue was to achieve a shared understanding of how to make Munich a place of diversity, identifying individual areas for action and developing ideas for how people can work together in the city.

Dialogue in the form of a World Café Format gave everyone the chance to speak and be heard.

Participants sat around circular tables in groups of four. After a certain amount of time, they moved to different tables. At the end of the World Café dialogue, participants were asked to come up with a single word to express what they saw as the most important aspect of any process of integration into Germany and/or Munich. The following words came up most often: “openness”, followed by “making contact”, “together”, “trust”, “courage” and finally “tolerance”.


Words generated by the participants of All Together with One Another dialogue



Insights from participants of the All Together with One Another dialogue

MAKING CONTACT

LANGUAGE

INFORMATION

INVOLVEMENT

What do we mean by integration and a diverse Munich?



“Integration …is a lot harder than you think!”

“Both sides face the same problems and challenges“

“It is only by chance that we are born in a safe country.“

“The German people must learn to let their hearts speak.“

”Making contact is important, but so is work, somewhere to live, political rights, continuity and(legal)Security.“

”Everybody needs to lead a normal life – an emergency situation is only OK for a short while“

“The city hasn't taken the issue as far as I thought.“

“Dialogue between us and people from the world of politics and industry (is important) – they are the ones who can actually do something about the Situation quickly and effectively.“



“You have to keep looking ahead and think positively.“

“A spark of kindness can start a bit of love .Best Wishes for Angela Merkel“

“Give people the chance to make a start.“

“What I've learned today– to be tolerant. To understand one another and see everyone as an individual“

“Talking to people has showed me how we all think the same way in spite of our different backgrounds“

“Refugees are very preoccupied by the situation.“


“Integration as an equitable and mutual process that needs a framework.”

INTEGRATION

STARTS IN

YOUR HEAD

INTEGRATION

NEEDS TIME

AND PATIENCE

Clarification

Security

Supporters &

builders of bridges

Germans, migrants and refugees

Tolerance

Empathy


What we understand by a diverse Munich

“A multi-coloured Munich”

“It's nice to meet people from other cultures –they have a lot to tell us”

A warm welcome

• A big opportunity for Germany to open up, change and develop!• Intercultural exchange – fun and interesting

“Empathy as a key to understanding, openness, humanity…”

Your own images in your head

• Willingness - Openness - Curiosity – Listening – Acceptance – Honesty -Understanding- Tolerance

• Mutual Respect - Open + friendly togetherness- Take the right attitude!

“No fear in Germany”The unknown

• Be open to the unfamiliar and the unknown in spite of fear and feelings of alienation

• Do away with worries about making contact


How we intend to create a diverse Munich

“Integration is a dialogue, not a monologue“

Integration needs to happen from both sides

“There is a lot for both sides to learn”

• Civil courage as opposed to prejudice and fear

Find a common language

& promote an opening up across cultures

• Words, religion, culture…• Sports clubs, cultural organisations, faith groups

Clarification of cultural differences by the media

• TV, radio, newspapers…• Digital media

How do we live here in Germany?

• German people convey the way we live in Germany (men for men and women for women)

• Empower women and girls• Contact between young refugees and young Germans


“Integration is a dialogue, not a monologue”


MAKING CONTACT to promote identification with urban society

“Talk to people as people and not foreigners“Promote contact

• “Contact and conversation with foreigners, getting to know refugees and those who live in Germany is very, very important.”

• Contact with German speakers (after German language courses)• More networking with local people

“Fear stops us from making contact. Making contact conquers fears“

Make contact on an equal footing

• Develop personal contact

• Move away from volunteer projects, address people on an equal footing, accept refugees within ourenvironment and family circle. Make friendships – meet in a private setting (invite people to our homes, make music and cook together…)

“Talking can bring us all together“Enable exchange

• Talk and listen to each other, exchange, communication

“We need more 'natural' meeting places“

Create places to meet

• “We need more comfortable and personal locations where German citizens can meet refugees“


How we intend to promote identification

with urban society through MAKING CONTACT

“Integration means making contact on an equal footing”

Integration means making contact

“Create more open areas for exchange, getting to know each other and hanging out! “

“Room for everyone”

• Organise for spaces to be made available• Media spaces e.g. with film screenings for people from inside and

outside• Integrate stores within the city

Make existing locations available for making contact

Churches, nursery schools and clubs, etc.

• Internal room hire e.g. VHS with options for everyone

Make communal areas in residential buildings available for asylum seekers & neighbours

• Hold courses in residential buildings• Blackboards outside residential buildings to inform neighbourhood

& asylum seekers


“Integration means making contact on an equal footing”


LANGUAGE to promote identification with urban society

“Language as the key to dialogue“ Learn German

• “It is very important for refugees to learn German. (not just in language class)“• “ …if you put refugees in separate classes and don't give them the right to stay (in

Germany), you kill any motivation they might have to learn (the language)!“

“There can be no integration without language or activity“

Language as a requirement for

integration

• “German culture is experienced through the German language.“• “Even if they have not come voluntarily, something that must be done (learning

German, accepting the culture etc.) can be turned into something positive. Make a virtue out of necessity.“


How we intend to promote identification with urban society through LANGUAGE

“Language is the key to culture”

Language lessons

• “Faster access to German language lessons“• Take account of target groups in German lessons (education level,

illiteracy…)• Improve methods employed in language lessons

German lessons with volunteers

• Better teaching material• Further education lessons required• Better ways of informing refugees that the lessons are available

“German can't just be learned, it has to be used too.“

• Find or create opportunities to speak German• Create opportunities to learn German at work and not just in class

Create a language learning infrastructure

“Politicians can't just require people to learn German – they also need to create the infrastructure for making it possible.“


“Language is the key to culture“


INFORMATION to promote identificationwith urban society

“Think inclusion, not integration: exchange, make a contribution, open up“

Refugees

• “Refugees are looking for information about their options: learning, making contact, sport, work…“

“(I have) met lots of wonderful people who are able to diminish and solve problems with their know-how.“

Locals

• Produce information for German people about “Refugees in Munich“ • “…there are no written guidelines for helpers, institutions or clubs about the available

support. These would mean everyone could help more easily.“ • “Better networking and information – What is available to refugees?“


How we intend to promote identification with urban society through INFORMATION

“...not always having to brew your own beer”

Improve networks

• “Make the various players involved in the issue aware of each other to encourage a networked approach to using the resources already available in Munich.“

Create urban platforms

• Encourage stronger links between support networks

Explain financial options

• Publicize regional committee budgets• Simplify application and use/provide support and advice• Financial support for club activities


Promote identification with urban society through information


INVOLVEMENT to promoteidentification with urban society

“Refugees are very willing to integrate “

Exploit potential!

• “Involve the people affected !“

“There is plenty of willingness and idealism and a number of friendships with immigrants“

Options for and with refugees

• “If I want to 'integrate' people, I also have to create options where demands are made on them, where they play a part and not just demand that they adapt.“

• “…Not just options FOR refugees, but actively involve them in e.g. organising events and meetings … “


How we intend to promote identification with urban society through INVOLVEMENT

“We all have to pull together to achieve integration.“

Make the journey together

• Promote sponsorship on an equal footing, encourage friendships. • Mentoring programmes: 'Refugees for Refugees'• Involve church and religious communities

Help people to help themselves

• “Over-organising people damages human dignity.“• “…don't decide for other people what they might need !“

Politicians and & people of Munich helping refugees

• “Politicians can't be allowed to risk losing volunteers through bureaucracy, excessive demands and confused signals.“

• “If politicians pulled together with support organisations and volunteers, we'd get a lot more done. Integration can happen!“


“We all have to pull togetherto achieve integration.”


Actively creating togetherness in Munich


Personal initiative


Making contact


Engagement


Information

Contact:

Dr Uschi Sorg +49 89 233-33445

[email protected]

www.muenchen.de/interkult

The Office for Intercultural Workpromotes integration and involvement forall Munich residents. It works actively tofoster diversity in urban society and anopen intercultural approach in terms ofthe city administration. It supports andcreates links between the cityadministration, clubs and organisations asthey go about their intercultural activities.People from over 180 countries live inMunich. Their different lifestyles creatediversity and a sense of togetherness in thecity.

Contact:Martina Hartmann

Managing Director

+49 89 18 93 58 - [email protected]

www.regsam.net

REGSAM is Munich's extensive social worknetwork. Urban institutions, clubs andindependent sponsors of social work,political organizations, clubs and initiativesas well as the city’s administration andplanning bodies all contribute their expertiseto the REGSAM network. Together theywork to develop answers to social andpolitical challenges in the city of Munich.Developments and local social issues whichare identified by REGSAM form the basis ofsocio-political decisions made by the cityadministration and the political sector. Byidentifying areas which need attention in thecity, REGSAM contributes to social cohesionand social harmony in Munich.


A catalyst for innovationMaking networking a reality ● Providing inspiration ● Encouraging participation

Further information about World Café Europeis only a click away:

World Café Europe on facebookWorld Café Europe on YouTubeWorld Café Europe on FlickrWorld Café Europe on Twitter

Patricia MunroJeffrey Beeson

Concept, moderation and & analysis for the“All Together with One Another”

World Café

World Café Europe e.V.Danklstrasse 3081371 München

+49 89 76 75 39 87 [email protected] [email protected]

www.worldcafe.eu

Video documentation and photos for the event:

Slideshare results presentation http://bit.ly/ErgebnisseGemeinsamMiteinander

YouTube video playlist http://bit.ly/GemeinsamMiteinander

Flickr photos of the World Café http://bit.ly/FotosGemeinsamMiteinander

World Café in 1 minute http://bit.ly/WCEKnowHow

Live reports on Facebook www.facebook.com/worldcafeeurope

Legal notice

Published by

World Café Europe e. V.

Danklstrasse 30

81371 Munich, Germany

Status: July 2017

Documents

Thoughts and Ideas from the Participants of the World Café ...76b267e1... · Thoughts and Ideas from the Participants of the World Café All Together with One Another Old City Hall