Commitment to Fostering a Sense of Community in Hamburg: Join Us as a Tandem Partner
Start with a Friend e.V.
- Migrants & Refugees
- Democracy & Human Rights
- Education & Language Support
- Equal Opportunities
- Mentoring, Sponsoring & Career Coaching
- Sports & Leisure Activities
About the volunteering opportunity
Start with a Friend e.V. (SwaF) is a nonprofit organization with over 20 project locations throughout Germany. We bring together people from diverse backgrounds and walks of life, with and without immigrant experiences.
In a tandem, you meet regularly, share experiences, learn from each other, and discover everyday life, the language, and the culture together. This fosters connections, new perspectives, and often friendships. At the beginning, we get to know everyone personally. After the introductory interview, we’ll match you with a suitable tandem partner: we look for shared interests or similar life circumstances. You organize your meetings yourselves. Our team is there to support you—with contact people, events, and opportunities for exchange.
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT?
In a tandem, you meet regularly, share experiences, learn from each other, and discover everyday life, the language, and the culture together. This fosters connections, new perspectives, and often friendships. At the beginning, we get to know everyone personally. After the introductory interview, we’ll match you with a suitable tandem partner: we look for shared interests or similar life circumstances. You organize your meetings yourselves. Our team is there to support you—with contact people, events, and opportunities for exchange.
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT?
- Personal encounters on equal footing
- Mutual learning
- Joint leisure activities,
conversations, or outings - Flexible scheduling—tailored to
your daily routine - Guidance and support from
our team - Opportunity to participate in Tandem events
and become part of the Tandem
community - Opportunity to receive a certificate of participation
for participating in Tandem or volunteering
Your Tasks
Some tandems share their different experiences, cook together, learn languages together, and explore the city, art, and culture. Others visit government offices or meet up with other friends. Together, they attend SwaF events. It’s important to us that everyone can do what they enjoy.
What's needed
For this volunteering opportunity, basic German skills are required.
- Motivation and an interest in other people.
- Openness, respect, empathy, and curiosity.
- The language requirements are German at the A2 level or higher, or a common language.
Time required
Regularly
Discussed individually
Ideally, you should be able to set aside 1–2 hours per week to meet with your tandem partner.
We’ll support you during the first 6 months. You’ll have a personal contact person, and there are various counseling services and events available to you.
We’ll support you during the first 6 months. You’ll have a personal contact person, and there are various counseling services and events available to you.
Important notice
You can register directly on our portal to get started: https://www.start-with-a-friend.de/tandem/
or send us an email: hamburg@start-with-a-friend.de
or send us an email: hamburg@start-with-a-friend.de
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.