For diversity and togetherness - tandem between immigrants and locals
Start with a Friend e.V.
- Migrants & Refugees
- Arts, Music & Culture
- Education & Language Support
- Equal Opportunities
- Mentoring, Sponsoring & Career Coaching
- Sports & Leisure Activities
About the volunteering opportunity
Encounters between people strengthen cohesion in our diverse immigration society. Starting out in a new country is also easier with friends. That's why we've been bringing together newcomers who are starting out in Germany and locals who have been living in your city for some time - since 2014. We call this Tandem. They often become friends.
You decide what you do together. The shared experiences are as diverse as the participants at SwaF. Some tandems share their different experiences, cook together, learn languages together, explore the city, art and culture. Others go to the authorities or meet up with other friends. They come to the SwaF community events together.
Your Tasks
If you would like to work for Tandem, you will become a mediator. As a facilitator, you will organize information evenings and tell people about SwaF Tandem. You will try to recruit new participants for tandems. This means that at the beginning we get to know everyone personally, look for common interests and life circumstances and trust our gut feeling. We send the participants an email with an initial tandem proposal. You will accompany the tandems for the first 6 months. This means you are the contact person for the tandem participants.
What's needed
For this volunteering opportunity, intermediate German skills are required.
You need advanced German language skills for this volunteering opportunity.
To become a mediator, it is important that you are keen to meet new people. If you are curious and empathetic, this will help a lot. You also need enough time to be able to accompany the Tandem participants. You should be able to set aside around 2 - 3 hours a week for volunteering. As communication within the team takes place in German, you need a good knowledge of German. If you also speak other languages, this can be a great help.
Time required
Regularly
Discussed individually
On weekends, during the day, at night
Location
Start with a Friend e.V.
Start with a Friend pairs immigrants and locals into tandems based on their interests and needs. Ideally, this leads to a friendship; in any case, it creates a social network that makes it easier for immigrants to get started in Germany. Start with a Friend supports and advises the pairs after they’ve been matched and organizes events to help the pairs connect with one another. It’s also important to us to create structures that allow people with busy professional and family lives to get involved. The schedule is therefore flexible, and training opportunities are available but optional. So far, Start with a Friend is active in 26 cities across Germany.