Civil courage in everyday life: definition, examples and how to train it

A woman is being harassed on the bus, a person is trying to pick a bike lock or a homeless person on the street seems to be in trouble. Perhaps you have already experienced one of these or a similar situation and wondered how you should react? This is exactly what civil courage is all about.

In this article we’ll show you what the term means, what you should look out for when showing civil courage and why volunteering (e.g. via vostel.de) is also a form of civil courage.

Contents:

1. Definition: What does civil courage mean?
2. How do you show civil courage in everyday life?
   • Examples of civil courage in everyday life
   • You should pay attention to the following when showing civil courage
   • How you can train civil courage
3. Show sustainable civil courage by volunteering via vostel.de

Definition: What does civil courage mean?

Civil courage describes active engagement against injustice, discrimination or violence, even if this potentially involves personal risks. This can happen through direct intervention in acute everyday situations, but also through long-term commitment to social justice and humanitarian values.

Differentiation from other terms

• Helpfulness is the spontaneous will to act in an emergency situation – regardless of whether injustice and danger are involved. Civil courage goes beyond this and represents a conscious attitude to take action in socially difficult situations.

• Solidarity refers to the feeling of belonging together and standing up for one another. Showing solidarity means showing consideration and support without expecting personal gain.

• Selflessness means that you put the well-being and interests of others above your own and work towards achieving them. The focus lies on the selfless motivation of an action.

Despite the differences, civil courage, solidarity, selflessness and helpfulness are related terms that overlap or complement each other depending on the context.

How do you show civil courage in everyday life?

Civil courage can become relevant in everyday situations in which you observe some form of injustice, violence or misconduct. Even if it takes effort, a frank word or courageous intervention can make a decisive difference. Those affected realize that they are not alone and perpetrators are actively set boundaries. It is always important to assess the situation well in advance in order to minimize danger to yourself.

Examples of civil courage in everyday life

The situations in which civil courage is required in everyday life can be very different. Here are a few examples:

• A person on the train is racially insulted or sexually harassed.
• An elderly person wanders through the city, seemingly disoriented.
• Someone steals a person’s bag or rucksack on the street.
• Someone in your office is repeatedly bullied.
• A single child is approached by an older person who appears to be a stranger.
• Bicycle thieves are about to pick a lock.
• You witness domestic violence in your neighborhood.
• You observe a fight.

In each of these situations, you can consider how you can take action to support or protect those affected.

You should pay attention to the following when showing civil courage

When intervening in critical situations, it is always crucial not to put yourself in danger. The Federal Police have compiled six rules of moral courage that you should follow to ensure a safe approach:

• Help without putting yourself in danger: First observe the situation and consider involving other people. Keep your distance from the perpetrators and try not to speak to them if possible so as not to put yourself in danger.

• Ask others to help: Approach individuals and ask them to help in a friendly but firm manner. Nobody can avoid a direct approach. You can then think together about how you want to proceed.

• Observe the situation and memorize the characteristics of the perpetrators: Clothing, height, hair color, language or special characteristics can be particularly important in holding perpetrators accountable later. Make notes on your smartphone, for example. You should only photograph or film the situation if you are sure that you are not putting yourself in danger.

• Organize help via the emergency number 110: Dial the emergency number 110 or ask a bystander to do so. Answer the most important W questions briefly and concisely: Where is the incident? What has happened? Who is affected? How many people are involved?

• Take care of the victim: Ask the person concerned if they are injured or need help in any other way. In the event of injury, first aid can be vital. Therefore, speak directly to other people present to see if they can help.

• Make yourself available as a witness: The police need your help to investigate a possible crime. Support them by making a witness statement.

How you can train civil courage

Civil courage is not something we are born with, but a skill that can be trained. Various organizations offer training courses and workshops that you can attend to help you feel safer in critical situations.

• Gesicht Zeigen!
  In this workshop, you will learn different behaviors and approaches to taking responsibility in specific situations in a safe environment through practical exercises and reflection.

• Zivilcourage für ALLE
  This workshop uses short presentations and playful exercises to teach you the basics of civil courage. Within the group, you will develop various options for action using role plays, film sequences with concrete dangerous situations and mental simulations.

• Zivilcourage Netzwerk Rheinland-Pfalz
  The training is based on everyday examples and the individual experiences of the participants. Together you will develop strategies to prevent escalation and violence and to act with calm and courage. As there are training courses for several age groups, the learning methods are adapted to the respective group.

• Aktion Zivilcourage
  In this course, you will learn to perceive problem situations and correctly assess your own behavior and boundaries to enable you to act safely. Firstly, you will gain an understanding of civil courage and then develop your own communication skills through group and role-playing games.

Show sustainable civil courage by volunteering via vostel.de

You can show civil courage not only in acute situations in everyday life, but you can also take a long-term stand against injustice and discrimination by volunteering. For example, in the fight against poverty, educational justice, environmental protection and many other important social issues.

On vostel.de you will find countless projects from non-profit organizations that you can support in their work. Find exactly the volunteering or social commitment that suits you and get involved in a fairer, more courageous and more sustainable world.

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