Become a mentor for a person with refugee experience

In order to find one's way in a new country, to reduce resentment and to develop personally, exchange is the be-all and end-all. A tandem consists of one mentor and one mentee, i.e. a person with refugee experience. The mentors come from Hamburg or have lived in Hamburg for some time and support the mentees in finding their way around Hamburg and learning the German language or improving and practicing their language skills.

Our mentors report enthusiastically about making friends outside the usual bubble, finding abstract world events suddenly comprehensible or simply having a really good time with their tandem.

We, the project team, choose the mentee and do everything to build up a valuable and effective tandem relationship. If it doesn't work out, there is nothing to stop you from trying again.

From us, for you, with you - If you like, you can profit from our further offers:

• Workshops and trainings of our network (MentorRing Hamburg) e.g. on anti-racism
• Meetings with other mentors (4x a year)
• Excursions
• Online language café (every two weeks)
• Weekly office hours

Your Tasks

Once a tandem pair has found each other, they meet independently about once a week for one to two hours. The tandem team provides advice and support. What is done during this time varies greatly and does not have to be limited to learning German. The tandem decides for themselves how to spend their time, but here are some examples:

• going for walks together
• discovering the city together
• meeting friends together
• doing sports, cooking, gardening together

What's needed

As a mentor, you ideally enter into a longer-term sponsorship with a person with a history of flight. Therefore, the following things are important to us:

1. Openness towards all people regardless of their origin, religion, sexual identity or gender
2. Sensitivity towards the history of other people
3. You should have time once a week and be reliable - two central factors for a successful sponsorship
4. You should speak German at a good or first language level and know Hamburg and life in Germany well.
5. Willingness to take an active part in the partnership

You should be able to answer the following points with "yes":

• I have time to meet with my mentee once a week.
• I am open and reliable.
• I am in a stable phase of life and have at least one year so that my mentee and I can build a relationship.
• I am willing to take on responsibility.
• I am sensitive in dealing with problems.
• I have already had first experiences with people with a refugee background or I am willing to inform myself about the situation of refugees.
• I am over 18 years old.
• I speak German well to very well and know my way around Germany and Hamburg.

Time required

Insel Hilft e.V. is a non-profit association for voluntary refugee assistance in Wilhelmsburg. In cooperation with numerous initiatives and projects, our volunteers provide fast and uncomplicated support. Whether it's neighbourhood celebrations, assistance with visits to the authorities or intercultural exchange - the association lives a warm welcome culture and is always happy to receive donations, new ideas and helping hands.