EPALE - Sustainable adult education in relation to immigration and asylum by OeAD

SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE EPALE and Erasmus+ Adult Education 2016

Sustainable Adult Education in Relation to Immigration and Asylum A Focus on the Host Society

EPALE â&#x20AC;&#x201C; E-Platform for Adult Learning in Europe

SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE EPALE and Erasmus+ Adult Education 2016

Sustainable Adult Education in Relation to Immigration and Asylum A Focus on the Host Society

CONTENT

Editorial, Team EPALE Österreich

6 Introduction, Regina Rosc

CONTRIBUTIONS 12

Integration Points for Refugees in North-Rhine Westphalia

Hasan Klauser

»Speaking at Eye Level«

Muhammad Kasem

Can Solidarity and Tolerance Be Taught?

Herbert Langthaler

About the Possibility of Being Able to Teach Tolerance and Solidarity

Joachim Gruber and Polonca Kosi Klemenšak

Integration Policy and Voluntary Work Following the Example of the ›StartWien – das Jugendcollege‹ Project and the Work of Interface Wien

Maria Steindl and Margit Wolf

Region Västra Götaland’s Regional Development Initiatives for Asylum Seekers and New Arrivals Therese Ydrén

Critical Adult Education with Migrants: Challenges and Perspectives Rubia Salgado

Regional Cooperation and Integration: Volunteers, NGOs, Authorities and Economy – (How) Does That Work? Rolf Ackermann

Graz:Spendenkonvoi – Delivering Humanity to Refugees

Marion Bock

Connecting Language(s) – Language Work with Displaced People

Thomas Fritz

Learning and Teaching a Foreign Language to Migrants or Refugees for Professional Purposes

Michel Lefranc

Funding Opportunities in the Erasmus+ Adult Education Programme

Karin Hirschmüller and Madalena Bragança Fontes-Sailler

EPALE 60

EPALE – What Is in It for You?

4 | © OeAD-GmbH/APA-Fotoservice/Hörmandinger

Editorial – Team EPALE

The European Dimension of Adult Education

In adult education, the mutual exchange within Europe increasingly determines the everyday working life; digitalisation and internationalisation create new networking possibilities. Especially with regard to the migration developments of the past years, adult education is required to react particularly to new challenges and opportunities with European networks. In 2016, EPALE Austria contributed to the European dimension in adult education, in the second year of the series of events »Seeing the bigger picture«: EPALE promoted the high-quality work in adult education, among other things, with an EPALE/Erasmus+ module in the bifeb seminar »Evaluation of projects« (November 2016) and enabled the exchange of best practices at regional level at an event in Dornbirn, Austria (December 2016). Furthermore, using webinars, information was provided about the possibilities of the Erasmus+ programme in the area of adult education. On 24 November 2016, an event on the subject was organised in cooperation of EPALE and Erasmus+ Adult Education. The event took place at magdas Hotel, a socio-economic enterprise initiated by the Caritas association, where people from 14 nations with most different life stories work and which offered an excellent setting for the event. The present publication is dedicated to the conference »Sustainable adult education in relation to immigration and asylum: A focus on the host society«.

EPALE Austria would like to thank everybody contributing to the success of the event and the present publication. © OeAD-GmbH/APA-Fotoservice/Hörmandinger

All presentations of the conference, the short film »I regret nothing« (https://vimeo.com/154156798, FH Joanneum, Degree Programme Information Design), as well as the discussions within the so-called »idea pools« can be retrieved from the specifically set up »Communities of Practice« (COP) on the European adult education platform EPALE. These COP offer the possibility to continue the discussions initiated at the conference online. An interesting read wishes the team of EPALE Austria. Carin Dániel Ramírez-Schiller Eva Baloch-Kaloianov Katrin Handler Andreas Koreimann

INTRODUCTORY WORDS

ÂŠ OeAD-GmbH/ APA-Fotoservice/HĂśrmandinger

on the conference proceedings based on the opening words of the event

Regina Rosc Austrian Federal Ministry of Education Regina Rosc studied German and Romance philology at the University of Graz. After teaching in Paris and Vienna as well as doing journalistic work, she has been a staff member of the department for adult education at the Federal Ministry of Education since 1987. She is responsible for the fields of basic education, migration and equalisation. Rosc is the initiator of the portal erwachsenenbildung.at and of the online magazine erwachsenenbildung.at Contact regina.rosc@bmb.gv.at www.erwachsenenbildung.at

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Sustainable Adult Education in Relation to Immigration and Asylum Regina Rosc

International experts followed the invitation to the event »Sustainable adult education in relation to immigration and asylum« and wrote fascinating articles for the present publication. The subjects of immigration and asylum are highly topical. In this connection, the objective of the event was the important and constructive access to deal with the receiving society. The articles based on the presentations and workshops deal with different aspects of immigration and asylum. As an introduction to the read, adult education measures are to be pointed out, which from the point of view of the Austrian Ministry of Education (BMB) are of great significance, and are – in advance – about a lot more than learning German: A widespread, populist standpoint says that, first and foremost, migrants and all displaced people must learn »correct« German. Only good language skills enable best-possible integration, which is the individual obligation of immigrants. There is no reflection about what this means for the affected persons. (Which politician, which journalist has ever learned Dari or Farsi – and that at least up to level B1 and as quickly as possible?!) Perfect German language skills are not a guarantee for a job, social recognition and participation either. Respective educational offers are without a doubt important, however, it is even more important to direct the view to societal

structures, which produce inequality, which build access barriers and which have a discriminating effect. The focus should not be on the integration of migrants and displaced people into the majority population, but on equal opportunities for all people, regardless of their ethnic and social origin.

Which contribution does Austrian adult education make to increase equal opportunities, eliminate barriers, and what about the aspect of sustainability? Initiative for Adult Education The programme »Initiative Adult Education« (Initiative Erwach senenbildung), promoted by the Austrian federal government and the provincial governments, has been running since January 2012. It enables second chance attempts on fundamental educational attainments, including basic education for free and is above all aiming at disadvantaged persons. Approx. 70 % of the participants have a migrant background. A third programme period is currently being prepared. Education for Young Refugees A further funding programme of the BMB – »Education for Young Refugees« (Bildung für junge Flüchtlinge) – addresses young asylum seekers; here, too, the programme focuses on catching up on basic education.

One promotion criterion is that institutions of adult education, specific NGOs addressing people with migration experience and science must form a project network. The cooperative network provided and still provides substantial contributions in projects for sustainable adult education: >

Projects deal with »multilingualism« in the context of migration; results are included into the basic educational work and implemented.

The educational participation of women with a migrant background in rural regions is strengthened by approaches of community education. The »free radios« act as an interface between private and public life, female participants develop regional language learning offers and radio broadcasts.

Educational wishes of 2nd generation migrants are researched, generating recommendations and options for action for adult education.

Simplified instruments for vocational orientation for people with migration experience are present; early career planning increases the motivation to learn the German language, an open-source learning platform is available for the target groups.

Taking stock and analysis of the role of NGOs are performed, supported by migrants. Their integrative capacity at the municipal level and their potentials are surveyed. Based thereon, a profile for education experts and respective training are elaborated. This training authorises representatives of these NGOs to act as intercultural mediators at the municipal level.

Within the scope of the Erasmus+ Education programme, too, numerous projects are promoted, which provide important contributions on the subjects of immigration and asylum.

Rubia Salgado, Thomas Fritz and Regina Rosc (l. t. r.) © OeAD-GmbH/APA-Fotoservice/Hörmandinger

The sustainability of both programmes is reflected in principles essential for the BMB – just to name a few: >

The transfer of competences expanding the participants’ ability to act.

The interests and resources of the participants are the starting points for the offers.

Autonomy and self-efficacy of the participants are promoted.

The learning process takes place on an equal footing and is a dialogue among equals between teachers and learners.

Political education, anti-discrimination and anti-racism are cross-cutting issues in all learning areas

Beside educational offers, the BMB has been promoting development and research projects within the scope of the European Social Fund (ESF) for years. In multi-year project networks, subjects of adult education in the migration society were and are being dealt with.

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Quite a lot is happening in adult education, there are innovative approaches, promising project results and measures enabling access to education, continuing education and the labour market. Still, there is a lot left to be done to master the challenges of a migration society. In conclusion, one goal that is very significant for practiced diversity and thus for sustainable adult education is to be emphasized: the adult education institutions must open up, reflect exclusion mechanisms, initiate and implement organisational changes and changes in contents. It is particularly important that people with migration experience are not only addressed as participants, as the so-called target group, but that they are accepted as actors, as trainers, as multipliers, as programme managers, as managers at all organisational levels of the institutions. With their experience, their potential, their multilingualism, they contribute to the institutions opening up. The »Guidelines for Adult Education in the Migration Society« (Leitlinien für die Erwachsenenbildung in der Migrationsgesellschaft) offer orientation and a framework for change processes towards opening of institutions of adult education. These guidelines have been uploaded by the Federal Institute for Adult Education (Bundesinstitut für Erwachsenenbildung) at https://migrationsgesellschaft.wordpress.com (in German).

What should the near future of sustainable adult education in the context of immigration and asylum look like? >

Adult education reflects the multifaceted societal situation: persons of different origin are represented in all areas and at all levels of the education systems.

Educational offers are perceived by everybody; the differentiation between persons with or without migration background is obsolete.

Multilingualism is a central element in the measure, also in areas where language represents an access barrier.

Discourses about migration, discrimination and racism are held at all levels of adult learning organisations, in all educational areas.

The contributions and workshops of the conference were a further step in this direction, resulted in fascinating and constructive discussions, and are reflected in the present publication.

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CONTRIBUTIONS

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Integration Points for Refugees in North-Rhine Westphalia

Pioneers for integration into the labour and vocational education market

Hasan Klauser Federal Employment Agency

Hasan Klauser is Division Manager at the Employment Agency in Düsseldorf as well as a consultant at the Regional Directorate NRW of the Federal Employment Agency, Düsseldorf. His key responsibilities at the Employment Agency in Düsseldorf are, among others, the Project Group »Displaced People« (»Geflüchtete Menschen«), which comprises cooperations with state ministries, projects of in-depth vocational orientation and projects for migrants. His training included studies in psychology at the University of Bonn as well as apprenticeship qualification as sales assistant (Mannesmann AG in Düsseldorf and Berlin). Contact hasan.klauser@arbeitsagentur.de www.arbeitsagentur.de

12 | C O N T R I B U T I O N S

Since 2015, the Federal State of North-Rhine Westphalia (NRW) has received more than 250,000 people, who, among other things, left their home countries fleeing from war and terror. A considerable portion of these people will stay in NRW at least for a longer period of time, if not permanently. This represents a big challenge, but also offers opportunities for the business location and the labour market in NorthRhine Westphalia1. It is not easy for displaced people to gain a foothold on the labour or vocational education market. They must learn how to get along in a foreign country with an unfamiliar everyday life, with new requirements and the German administrative structure, which they are just as unfamiliar with. In addition, they are faced with the biggest obstacles for integration: lack of language skills and deficits in qualification. The first important step for NRW was taken by the »Federal Employment Agency« (BA – Bundesagentur für Arbeit) with the state-wide introduction of so-called Integration Points. These are a new offer for a new group of clients. With the introduction of these institutions, NRW was a pioneer on a national scale. The Integration Points are organised according to the »One-Stop-Government« model: different information and service offers of the public administration are combined under one roof, distances and processing times are thereby considerably shortened, and the possibility of coordination among authorities for each individual case is facilitated significantly. The objective is to efficiently advance the employment of displaced people as a key for integration with close cooperation. Other federal states have meanwhile been following the example of NRW. By addressing refugees with a high probability to stay early on, the local employment agencies and jobcentres pave the way for a successful career start. In that, the Integration Points as the point of contact for assistance and guidance of displaced

people undertake a pilot function: in close coordination, specialists of employment agency, jobcentre and municipality (among others, aliens authority, social services department, youth welfare service) support the displaced people on their way towards work and apprenticeship and, for example, initiate language and integration courses on site early on. Quickly entering promotional programmes is of decisive significance. The Integration Points enable institutions and other locally involved organisations – e. g. welfare associations or voluntary organisations – to combine and coordinate their offers and measures at a central location, where they and the displaced people inevitably engage in dialogue. Therewith, they pave the way for successful, active and effective integration of each individual displaced person. An important factor for the success of the Integration Points is the personal competences and experience the employees have to offer. Many of them have special qualifications and experience, which enable them to adapt well to the concerns of the displaced people. Their empathy and understanding enable them to jointly find individual integration paths suitable for those seeking advice and aid. For displaced people, the Central European administrative system is an obstacle difficult to overcome. The Integration Point concept is also aiming at this obstacle for successful integration. As a uniform point of contact, it offers displaced people orientation in the structured administrative and social system of the Federal Republic. For the clients, the Integration Point is the one point of contact with recognition value and short distances, where they receive coordinated advice and support from specialised and qualified experts. This also includes, among other things, the recognition of credibly produced certificates and proof of qualification. The core institutions of every Integration Point also include the aliens authority. Closely cooperating with the local aliens authority, the employment experts of the BA can quickly and tangibly provide

Integration Point © Federal Employment Agency Düsseldorf

displaced people with transparency about their respective possibilities for access to the vocational education and labour market. The residency status plays a central role in the decision about labour market measures and the allocation to a legal sphere (Social Security Code2 II or III) of a client. In principle, all refugees, independent of their country of origin or the allocation to a German legal sphere, which results from the respective residency status of the displaced people in Germany, can make use of the service offers of the employment agencies and jobcentres. Thus, the employees of the Integration Points initiatively address displaced people, whose lawful and permanent stay is to be expected and for whom thus a general labour market access will exist in the foreseeable future. Currently, these are primarily refugees from Syria, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq and Somalia. The crucial basis for sustainable occupational and societal integration is sufficient language skills. The integration courses offered by the »Federal Agency of Migration and Refugees« (BAMF – Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge), which usually take seven to

CONTRIBUTIONS

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Poster for refugee accommodations © Employment Agency Düsseldorf

Offers of the Federal Government, the Federal State and the BA take effect during the asylum procedure already © Federal Employment Agency

eight months, ensure systematic language acquisition and aim at an advanced use of language. This enables access to the German vocational education and labour market, like dual vocational training, university or direct entry into the labour market. It was important for the draft of the funding programmes that individual measures are coordinated and can jointly result in a support chain. In that, it must be observed that taking up work as an alternative to the respective measures takes priority in most cases. The programmes allow individual adaptation to the needs and concerns of displaced people. In order to enable a very fast transition into the labour market, employment agencies and jobcentres offer combined measures of integration courses and labour market policy support instruments to suitable asylum seekers, as well as recognised refugees. The interlinking generally is such that there are no delays in the regular duration of the language courses. For example, language courses can be attended in the morning, while the afternoon is used for vocational qualification with a training provider or an employer.

14 | C O N T R I B U T I O N S

The consensus among the actors in the Federal Republic of Germany is that the basis for successful societal inclusion of displaced people is the integration into the labour market. Both forms of integration can only be designed successfully with community cooperation – integration is a community task. Based on this understanding, stable networks of labour administration, municipalities, economy, welfare associations and trade unions have been established at the local and regional level. In part, previously existing and long-term structures could be revitalised, which considerably accelerated the expansion of the networks. Employment agencies and jobcentres act as facilitators of these strategic partnerships and the further development of the integration process all over the country. Due to the collaboration of corporate networks, chambers and residency rights networks. Not only has the contact of the work administration to displaced people intensified and above all become more dense. But also the cooperation with local companies, whose commitment is key to the inclusion of refugees into the labour

and vocational education market, clearly benefitted from these networks and will be further expanded in the future. Regardless of the intensive commitment of all actors, for many displaced people it will be a long way to future-proof work and societal integration. The realistic view is of central importance for the planning of labour market policy programmes. Six to twelve months of integration courses, six to 18 months of preparation for vocational training, and up to 42 months of vocational training: for immigrants to gain a foothold in Germany, five years, beginning from the start of the integration course, will rather be the rule than the exception. And even then, for those with lower qualifications, equating to at least 30 percent of the 35 to 65 year olds will, at least in the medium term, only be considered for jobs at the requirement level of auxiliary staff, i. e. typical jobs for semiskilled and unskilled workers. And those who possess a higher formal degree from home and whose qualification is sought after in Germany, too, will need some time to gain a permanent foothold on the labour market. When all partners involved are able to actively support the people in their efforts to arrive on the German labour and vocational education market, when it is achieved to individually assist these people and to support them in establishing themselves in a new professional life with the talents and competences they bring along, then ultimately all those involved will benefit.

1 With around 17.9 million inhabitants, North-Rhine Westphalia is the most

populous German federal state. 29 of the 77 German major cities are located in its territory. 2 The German Social Security Code (SGB – Sozialgesetzbuch) includes the regula-

tions on social law. SGB II, for example, includes the support (incl. financial support) of employable persons and their immediate family, insofar as these have no (sufficient) work income. SGB III, on the other hand, concerns services of the Federal Employment Agency (BA – Bundesagentur für Arbeit), like employment service and benefits in case of unemployment.

CONTRIBUTIONS

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»Speaking at Eye Level«

EPALE Interview with Muhammad Kasem, Founder of the Facebook Portal »Austria in Arabic«

Mr. Kasem, how did you come up with the idea of launching a Facebook platform?

Muhammad Kasem ZeMiT

Muhammad Kasem has a degree in business administration (MBA), was born in Syria and has been in Austria for two years. He works as a consultant for ZeMiT, AST – Counselling Center for Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for Tyrol and Vorarlberg. The website founded by him, »Austria in Arabic«, has over 35,000 followers and provides integration-relevant information about Austria in Arabic. Contact muhammad.kasem@zemit.at www.facebook.com/Austriainarabic ‫ النمسا‬Austria

16 | C O N T R I B U T I O N S

Like many others, I was also forced to leave my home country of Syria. When I came to Austria, I was all alone and didn’t know anyone. I couldn’t speak the language and had no idea how the system in Austria works. Once I asked my co-residents, who had come to Austria before me, about a certain issue and received many different responses. I realised that no one understood the system. People based their opinion on false information and rumours. I asked who was responsible for these matters and went directly to the responsible government agency where I received totally different information. I had the advantage of knowing English. As everyone knows, asylum seekers are not allowed to work during the asylum procedure, and so working was out of question for me. However, I always need something to do and, therefore, decided to help other refugees. I accompanied many co-residents in the refugee home on appointments with government authorities, doctors, etc. and interpreted for them. I only spoke English at that time. Once, I accompanied a fellow refugee to an appointment at the Red Cross as he wanted to submit an application for family reunification. This was when I had the idea I had the idea to sign up as an interpreter with the Red Cross on a voluntary basis. After a few appointments, I had collected all the relevant information on the topic of »family reunification« and posted it in order to reach more people and help others beyond my immediate circle of acquaintances.

Screenshot Facebook © www.facebook.com/Austriainarabic/?pnref=lhc, 30. November 2016

find apartments and helpful organisations. Further information on »Where is what?«, the ÖBB (Austrian federal railways) and Sparschiene (discount rail), flea markets, study opportunities, citizenship, asylum procedures, Austrian administration, the federal provinces, the political situation, family reunification, apprenticeships and professions, recognition of qualifications acquired abroad, integration tips, etc. is available as well. The platform also provides further contacts if we as the website operators do not know the answer to a specific question and it explains how to handle certain procedures. It is also about the perspective we can provide: We know exactly what refugees want. We put ourselves in their position.

I was confronted with many challenges when I first came to Austria two and a half years ago. I had to find new solutions every day. Then I thought: »OK, I solved these problems, but there are many others like me who are constantly struggling with these issues.«

You now have over 35,000 followers; how do you manage that?

This is why I founded the Facebook portal »Austria in Arabic«, (www.facebook.com/Austriainarabic), which provides helpful information for everyday problems to Arabic-speaking refugees. The page has 35,000 followers. In the beginning, I struggled to understand German topics and had to re-read information in English and then translate it into Arabic in order to be sure. This really helped me learn the language quickly.

I can no longer manage it on my own as the page grew so quickly after I started it. I received many queries and news every day. I needed help. I asked if anyone wanted to join me, and Sobhi Aksh sent me a message saying he wanted to be part of it. I initially tested him and did not make him admin of the page immediately because I wanted to make sure that no false information was displayed.

My favourite website was »HELP.gv.at«, and I wrote about some topics from my own experience. At a certain point, I was no longer able to cope with the many queries I received. Refugee counselling has meanwhile become my main job in Tyrol where I live with my family.

I hoped to find other volunteers or at least one person per federal province so we could display all new information for all Austrian federal provinces on an on-going basis. However, thus far we have not added any more administrators since the quality of information is also very important to us.

What is available on your platform? Among other things, the platform explains how to quickly learn German. I created an entire archive on attending free German language courses during the on-going asylum procedure or where to

I live in Tyrol, and Sobhi Aksh is in Vienna. We worked together for a year without ever meeting in person. We brainstormed over the phone. We also produce videos on various topics since it is easier to explain issues through a video than in writing.

CONTRIBUTIONS

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Discussion

Muhammad Kasem

Sobhi contributed informative videos and represented us at several events in Vienna.

labour-market matters. And I know both sides. I know what people here are thinking based on my work with Austrian colleagues. I am also employed with »Tiroler Soziale Dienste« (Tyrolian Social Services) where I work in the client management department. We are a subsidiary of the province of Tyrol and provide primary care. I barely have time for »Austria in Arabic« (www.facebook.com/Austriainarabic) anymore on account of these two jobs.

In the autumn of 2015, we participated in the »welcoming culture« in Vienna and produced a video that reached 3 million people.

And refugee counselling has meanwhile become your main profession … I got to know many people by accompanying refugees to government agencies authorities and was quite involved in the social sector. My face became well-known, and I was immediately able to find a job, and then a second job based on my skills and contacts once I had received my residence permit. I gained experience with clients on a daily basis through my work at the Center for Migrants in Tyrol (ZeMiT – Zentrum für MigrantInnen in Tirol), which offers multilingual consultation on social and

18 | C O N T R I B U T I O N S

At ZeMiT, I am responsible for the area »recognition of qualifications acquired abroad«. Some refugees are highly educated and, for example, worked as a doctor in their home country. However, they have no idea how to practise their profession in Austria. In fact, the topic of recognition of foreign qualifications is quite complicated. For example, a lawyer from Syria cannot just simply practice his profession here. He has to learn different laws and, therefore, needs perspective: either a new course of studies, which is not easy, or work in a different field. I myself am an example of this as I have a master’s degree in business administration and now work as a consultant!

What is the response to contributions on your platform?

Which topic are you currently focused on?

Our first report was the Traiskirchen Video (filmed in the initial reception centre in Traiskirchen, Austria). It has already been viewed more than 50,000 times, and many have also seen the interview with the current state secretary Muna Duzdar in Arabic, which addresses the issue of »restricted asylum« (Asyl auf Zeit).

I am now working on a project that facilitates meetings among Austrians and refugees from Arabic speaking countries so that both sides can get to know each other. We address behaviour in everyday situations and certain social aspects (e. g. greeting, informal or formal address, making appointments, hospitality, humour, etc.). Misunderstandings due to cultural differences and a different way of thinking and acting are often the reasons for mutual rejection and resentment towards so-called »foreigners«.

We also interviewed supporters of the FPÖ (Freedom Party of Austria) and asked them why they oppose refugees. Their answers varied greatly.

Short video clips address various aspects of social interaction and daily communication in a humoristic and stimulating manner.

What are concerns of those who visit your platform? Almost every refugee is traumatised and not yet able to integrate themselves in society. A gap exists between refugees and society, and the individual refugee is incapable of filling this gap. We work with people to fill the gap. We act as a bridge between both sides. On Facebook, I write about what Austrians expect from refugees, and I ask refugees what message I should deliver when I am invited to events where I speak for refugees. For example, I was also a lecturer at the European Media Summit in Lech in December of 2015. Many good initiatives already exist, but for various reasons, they, unfortunately, do not reach the target group. It is our goal to inform refugees about these initiatives. We reach more people because we know exactly what refugees need, and we address them on an equal footing. This is why I founded a Facebook page instead of a website since I know that most refugees own a mobile phone, but not a computer.

The idea for this project was formed within the context of my own personal experiences as a Syrian refugee and based on subsequent work experiences. Our video clips pursue following goals: >

Both cultural circles should experience how the »others« commonly think and act in a general sense.

Conveying to refugees how they can and should act, and ensuring that this information is not presented in discriminatory manner, as a command or an authoritarian structure.

Giving Austrians the opportunity to get to know other cultures.

Creating more understanding for the »others«, since what is a matter of course for me may be different for someone else.

Many refugees want to get involved in the society that has received them; they want to give something back and shape society. This requires good communication skills. In fact, as a refugee I experienced that this requires more than just good language skills: Social conventions and common social customs are not written down anywhere – I had to painstakingly acquire these skills through

CONTRIBUTIONS

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experience. For example, I had to learn that, in Austria, people actually make eye contact when they greet each other â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which is contrary to Syrian customs. I also had to learn about the importance of punctuality, taboo topics (What can I ask? What is regarded as impertinent? A private issue in Austria may not be private in Syria and vice versa â&#x20AC;Ś and so on.) In Austria, punctuality is important. In Syria, being 15 minutes late is not a big deal. This is only a small example, and there are thousands more. Austrians expect refugees to quickly integrate, but no one shows them how to do it. This is the task that I want to take on. The project team now consists of two former refugees and four locals from Tyrol. I hope that even more volunteers will join our cause and contribute to the project or provide financial support so we can realise this project.

Eva Baloch-Kaloianov, EPALE Austria, conducted the interview with Muhammad Kasem.

20 | C O N T R I B U T I O N S

Since its foundation 25 years ago, asylkoordination österreich (Asylum Coordination Austria – www.asyl.at) has been working in the area of school education and adult education. On the one hand, to give Austrians an understanding of the situation of displaced people as well as of asylum seekers in Austria, on the other hand, to make mechanisms of racist constructions as well as mechanisms of prejudices and discrimination recognisable and understandable with targeted anti-racist educational work. Anti-racist educational work wants to go beyond tolerance or integration pedagogy and is dealing with institutional racism (by which, among others, refugees are highly affected), underlying power relations as well as everyday forms of structural racisms. In our work, we use several training formats, which are to be briefly discussed in the following.

Can Solidarity and Tolerance Be Taught?

Herbert Langthaler asylkoordination österreich

Argumentation training against barroom slogans (Stammtischparolen) This training format was developed by the German adult educator Klaus Peter Hufer and introduced in Austria by the Austrian Society for Political Education (Österreichische Gesellschaft für politische Bildung) in 2002. The »Argumentation training against barroom slogans« is neither rhetorical training, nor is it about quick-wittedness, but a format, which is primarily based on experience of the participants and works with their personal resources. Barroom slogans (BS), these »prejudices expressed in words« (Hufer), catch us often unprepared in a circle of people, whom we value (regulars’ table, family, colleagues) or in the public sphere. Confronted with such slogans, many people are thrown into some state of shock or start endless and futile debates with persons, whose aim mostly is not discussing problems, but resentments. Mostly, dealing with one’s own emotions (anger, fear, …) is a problem, too. This »failure« is mostly repressed and the same

Herbert Langthaler is a social anthropologist and journalist. For more than 20 years, he has been working in the area of refugee aid as member of the board and employee of asylkoordination österreich and as editor-in-chief of the specialist publication asyl aktuell. Since 1999, he has been working as a trainer in various programmes of anti-racist educational work. Contact langthaler@asyl.at www.asyl.at

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where the participants play the role of refugees, but also of officials or refugee counsellors. For »Stations of a flight« (developed by UNHCR), we work with co-trainers, who themselves experienced displacement and can authentically report about their experience. This combination of self-experience (role change) and very immediate reports by »those affected« (encounter pedagogy) has proven extremely effective.

Idea- and Networkingpool 1 »Political Education« with Herbert Langthaler © OeAD-GmbH/APA-Fotoservice/Hörmandinger

»Asylum as a legal process« has proven itself as a method to transfer relative complex legal interrelations and bureaucratic processes. The experimental game was developed by asylkoordination österreich and repeatedly adapted to the changing legal requirements over the past 24 years.

pattern is repeated on the next occasion – what remains is a feeling of helplessness.

Anti-racism workshops »What does racism do to us?«

In a one- to one and a half-day »Argumentation training against barroom slogans«, initially, quite a lot of time is spent to find out, what the phenomenon BS consists of and what makes it so difficult to react to such slogans. Eventually, concrete slogans (»THEY take away our jobs«, »THEY molest OUR women«, etc.) are collected. In the second part of the training, strategies against barroom slogans are collected in the form of role-play (at the regulars’ table, three against three) and tested in further »regulars’ rounds«. At the end, there are an intense experience and a catalogue of strategies.

The basic principles of this workshop are primarily anti-racist training formats, which in the late 1990’s and 2000’s were developed as a reaction to the rampant (above all culturalistic) new racism and the strengthening of right-wing nationalist authoritarian parties. In particular, the experience and work with the various training programmes of the US-American human rights organisation ADL (Anti-Defamation League) were very fruitful. At the invitation of ADL, I received training to become a »A World of Difference« trainer together with seven colleagues in the USA in 2000.

Interspersed into the training are theoretical principles, like the theory of cognitive dissonance, development and function of prejudices, or theories on authoritarianism and aggression.

Important was also the exchange with Susanne Ulrich. Thus, for example, we became familiar with the programme (»Respect (+) Tolerance«; »Achtung (+) Toleranz«), which had been developed by Susanne Ulrich at the Centrum for Applied Policy Research (C·A·P – Centrum für angewandte Politikforschung) in Munich 1997–2000. Another training format, which we became familiar with through the agency of Susanne Ulrich, »Betzavta«, is a programme for democracy, tolerance and human rights education of the ADAM Institute for Democracy and Peace in Jerusalem.

»Stations of a flight« and »Asylum as a legal process« »Stations of a flight« (»Stationen einer Flucht«) and »Asylum as a legal process« (»Rechtsweg Asyl«) are two experimental games,

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In the end, we also used and use elements from the training manual »Component for non-racist educational work« (»Baustein zur nicht-rassistischen Bildungsarbeit») of the Federation of German Trade Unions. Over the years, we elaborated several workshops from three-hour interventions up to multi-day training sessions for multipliers from various modules and exercises.

A few fundamental questions on the further development of respective educational offers are of concern to us:

Important concepts and theories included into the anti-racist workshops are: various racism theories, critical whiteness theory, intersectionality, discussions about interculturality and intercultural opening, etc. Particularly important is the critical questioning of concepts like »identity« and »culture« (I no longer speak of »culture«, but of »contexts of origin«) or »integration«.

Who do we reach anyway?

Which contents must be prepared for which target group?

What can we achieve with our interventions?

How do we reach people with a »different« worldview?

However, over the past years, we have become increasingly aware that with these, in part, 20-year-old training concepts, we no longer address the problems and experiences of the post-migrant1 society of 2016. We must react to social and demographic change, but also to new manifestations of racism. Therefore, next year, we will redesign our anti-racism trainings in cooperation with colleagues of other institutions.

Presentations on migration Presentations on migration like »Migration zone Europe« (»Wanderungsraum Europa«) or fundamental information about the Austrian asylum regime supplement the offer for adult education of asylkoordination österreich.

1 »Post-migrant« does not mean that there is no migration anymore. However, due

to migration, there were social and political transformations, conflicts and identity formation processes over the past fifty years, which also resulted in new, altered manifestations of racism.

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About the Possibility of Being Able to Teach Tolerance and Solidarity

Let’s take the opportunity to point out that everyone is subject to this learning process in their early childhood phase and must inevitably undergo this learning process, in order to be able to live and survive in a social fabric in the long run. The uncritical acceptance of the societal value system by the child hardly leaves a freedom of choice in this phase of life.

Joachim Gruber Bildungshaus Schloss Retzhof

Can tolerance and solidarity be taught? This was the question to which we were asked to contribute a few thoughts. First of all, the question can be answered with a brief »Yes!«. The early childhood socialisation process, among other things, essentially aims at teaching these abilities and making them easy to learn. As is generally known, infants are not congenitally tolerant and show solidarity. This ability and skill must only be learnt in an often painstaking education and socialisation process. All parents probably know all about that.

Polonca Kosi Klemenšak Bildungshaus Schloss Retzhof

Joachim Gruber obtained his doctorate in the area of pedagogy and educational science with focus on adult education at the University of Graz. He is lecturer at the University of Graz in the areas of management and quality management in continuing education. Since 1999, he has been Director of the Education Centre of the Province of Styria, Retzhof Castle.

Polonca Kosi Klemenšak studied German language and literature at the Faculty of Pedagogy in Maribor as well as Adult Education at the University of Klagenfurt. Since 2006, she has been responsible for the pedagogical programme, EU projects as well as other cross-border measures at the Education Centre of the Province of Styria, Retzhof Castle. The Slovene, who commutes across the border every day, is, beside her mother tongue, also fluent in German and English.

Contact joachim.gruber@stmk.gv.at | www.retzhof.at

Contact polonca.kosi-klemensak@stmk.gv.at | www.retzhof.at

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Retzhof

Polonca Kosi Klemenšak

With increasing age of the individual and his/her respective critical faculties and freedom of choice, the question assumes a slightly different dimension. Resulting questions can be: »Tolerance and solidarity – towards whom and what?«, »Which societal standards and values am I subject to as an individual and as part of a society and how are tolerance and solidarity defined in this society?«, »Which understanding do I personally acquire and do I internalise it in part or completely? Where and when do I ultimately set my individual limits?«.

Turning to migration issues or the so-called refugee crisis, which truthfully is also a crisis of the conscience and clarity about one's standards and value concepts, the question about the possibility of unlearning and relearning already learned and brought along standard and value systems from other cultures and models of society arises.

Worth considering in this connection is also the fact that tolerance and solidarity can also be exercised towards persons and social systems, who/which themselves do not necessarily have to correspond to the principles of a liberal and open society in the style of a Central European, enlightened and possibly relatively prosperous society. Tolerance and solidarity are not good per se. Thus, it must also be clarified in advance, what it means in the respective societal context.

According to the assessment of the German sociologist and social philosopher Oskar Negt, a democracy is the only form of govern ment, which actually has to be learned, since one is subject to everyone else. Can democratic thinking and acting and values like tolerance and solidarity, which are closely related therewith and are required in a democratic understanding, be taught and learned? We think so. In that, the question arises, whether and to what extent an exchange of information, knowledge and experience as well as the

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design of pedagogical transfer models (question regarding methods) can make their expedient contribution to such a teaching and learning process within the scope of EU programmes? This, too, we want to answer with a positive statement and perspective with regard to its effectiveness: the mutual exchange and discussing and weighing on site, often also of controversial positions, seem indispensable to us for subsequent concepts and problem solving attempts. Directly and personally getting to know persons and organisations with their often very subtle mechanisms, which ultimately make them successful best-practice examples, cannot be replaced by specialist literature and digital media. Thus, can tolerance and solidarity, in general, be taught and learned? As a matter of principle, yes. Despite all conceptual and methodical subtleties and hopes, there must always be the reminder, however, that every successful teaching and learning process assumes a functioning relationship of dialogue between teacher (also with technologically edited offers) and learner. The individual has the choice and is ultimately free to determine him-/ herself, whether this process is successful and the offer is accepted or not. In conclusion, we would like to initiate the thought of whether the teaching and learning aim »tolerance« was not better replaced by that of »mutual acceptance«.

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Integration Policy and Voluntary Work Following the Example of the ›StartWien – das Jugendcollege‹ Project and the Work of Interface Wien

Photos: © OeAD-GmbH/ APA-Fotoservice/Hörmandinger

Since 1 July 2016, the StartWien – youth college project (StartWien – das Jugendcollege) has been offering 1000 places on educational courses that are available for teenagers and young adults aged between 15 and 21. The project receives half of its funding from the European Social Fund and the other half from Public Employment Service Vienna (Arbeitsmarktservice Wien), the Vienna Social Fund (Fonds Soziales Wien) and Municipal Department 17 (Magistratsabteilung 17). The StartWien youth college is aimed at asylum seekers, those entitled to asylum and young people who have been granted subsidiary protection between the ages of 15 and 21.

The special feature of StartWien youth college, which has been at full capacity since October 2016, is that asylum seekers, those entitled to asylum and young people who have been granted subsidiary protection are taught in classes together, with the aim of ensuring that these young people, for whom school is no longer compulsory, are prepared for further education and training or entering the world of work within the scope of a modular system.

Maria Steindl

Margit Wolf

VHS Wien

Interface Wien GmbH

Maria Steindl, social and cultural anthropologist, is responsible for the overall management of the StartWien – Das Jugendcollege project (with VHS Wien as the lead partner), having previously been managing director of Interkulturelles Zentrum and a trainer in intercultural skills, anti-discrimination and diversity management.

Having studied history and social studies as well as philosophy, psychology and education (degree in teaching), the learning and career paths taken by Margit Wolf, managing director of non-profit organisation Interface Wien GmbH, have allowed her to gather an abundance of knowledge and experience in voluntary work and work with refugees and integration. She has also set up, organised and managed voluntary projects with a wide range of target groups and indeed continues to do so.

Contact maria.steindl@vhs.at | www.vhs.at

Contact m.wolf@interface-wien.at | www.interface-wien.at

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The StartWien youth college network The StartWien youth college network is based at two different sites in Vienna, and is made up of nine partners: Vienna Adult Education Centres (Wiener Volkshochschulen GmbH) who are in charge of the overall coordination, Association for the Creation of Open Culture and Workshop Houses (WUK), Caritas of the Archdiocese of Vienna for emergency aid (Caritas der Erzdiözese Wien – Hilfe in Not), the Integration House Project Association (Verein Projekt Integrationshaus), Interface Wien, abz*austria, equalizent, the Vielmehr für Alle! Austrian education initiative (PROSA) and the BPI Vocational Training Institute of the Austrian Young Worker Movement (ÖJAB), which is responsible for workshop training. Students who are enrolled in the StartWien youth college have the opportunity to complete a number of days of practical work experience alongside the training and guidance they are offered. In addition, there are some special sessions on offer, such as gender and diversity training arranged by abz*austria and inclusion training set up by equalizent.

eight weeks to allow for teaching to be flexibly customised to suit the individual. The StartWien youth college is intended to act as a stepping stone to further schooling, vocational training or longterm employment.

Clearing and admission Admission to the StartWien youth college is possible via two routes. Recognised refugees and young people who have been granted subsidiary protection are put forward for the clearing phase by their support worker at Public Employment Service Vienna. People going through the asylum process who are registered for primary care, including young people in private accommo dation, are referred to the StartWien youth college by the Vienna Social Fund and Municipal Department 17. During the two-day ›clearing phase‹, students’ level of education (Maths, English and ICT) is ascertained along with their language level and they also have a consultation with social workers. These social workers then come together with the trainers to decide who will be accepted into the StartWien youth college.

Courses at the StartWien youth college The courses offered at the StartWien youth college include the Basic Education (Maths, English and ICT) and German core modules and special modules, which can be combined depending on a student’s level and prior knowledge as well as their educational and professional goals (e. g. high school leaving qualification, peer interpreting and workshop). Other options including social integration activities, educational counselling, career guidance and support programmes are also open to students alongside the modules. The average student will attend the StartWien youth college for nine months, with timetables always being structured in blocks of

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The aim is for the student intake to be 40 % female and 60 % male, but this proves difficult given that the target group is made up predominantly of young men. The most common country of origin amongst the students to date has been Afghanistan, followed by Syria in second place.

Career guidance and advice Advisors at the StartWien youth college work with every single student on a one-to-one basis to determine what their next step will be once they leave the college. If required, there is also the option for the young people to receive support for up to anoth-

er three months if they progress to another mainstream system. As mentioned above, the aim of the StartWien youth college is to provide a stepping stone to allow young people to enter a different mainstream system, ensuring they are well prepared to move on to a transition class, apprenticeship or a job, for example. The majority of these young people – around 800 – fall within level A1 to A2 (CEFR, Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) for their language skills. Approximately 100 young people have literacy needs and require initial basic education. There are about 50 students whose language level is already at B1; in these cases there is a greater focus on career guidance.

Other partners Through the partnership with the ESRA Psychosocial Centre, which is made possible with the support of the Vienna Chamber of Labour, employees are provided with further training, while young people can receive psychiatric and psychological care from the centre. The partnership with the Vienna Municipal Education Authority, which has been in place since the middle of October 2016, allows students to progress to ›transition classes‹ in general colleges, night schools and vocational secondary schools and colleges. A number of companies, including the REWE Group, offer apprenticeships for young people. For example, the Donaudampfschiffahrtsgesellschaft (Danube Steam Shipping Company) also has two spaces it would like to fill with apprentices. Another important collaboration is the involvement with youth centres in Vienna, which provide facilities for young people locally.

What do the young people want? What is their motivation? At the very start, rules were established with the young people in form of a ›cloud‹. They were asked what they wanted or didn’t want at school. One example of what they didn’t want was boredom. Other things they didn’t want to see included violence, ra cism and exclusion, which were also joined by mobile phones. Punctuality is one example of what the young people wanted to work on – naturally this is something that needs regular reminders in everyday life.

The involvement of volunteers through Interface Wien Social integration activities run by volunteer workers are arranged alongside the core modules at the StartWien youth college. Within the college’s network, it is Interface Wien that is responsible for the voluntary work, coordinating all contact relating to work with volunteers, interns, parents and the community. Interface Wien is a non-profit limited liability company run by the City of Vienna authorities, providing educational and consultancy services that are used by around 1300 immigrants every day. The organisation aims to promote the full social integration of children, young people and adults from migrant backgrounds by means of their educational and consultancy services, which are funded by the European Social Fund, the Austrian Federal Ministry for Education, the Austrian Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs, City of Vienna Municipal Department 17 – Integration and Diversity, and the Vienna Social Fund. Specifically, the educational services include basic education courses under the federal state adult education initiative for young people, women and men, German courses with extra

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social integration activities, and native language educational events for adults, aimed at parents in particular, as part of the StartWien programme for immigrants. The work on the consultancy side is mainly taken care of by the Start Support department for the benefit of those entitled to asylum and people who have been granted subsidiary protection. Interface Wien employs 143 employees (as of November 2016), who speak 34 languages.

Voluntary work by Interface Wien in the context of municipal politics

stage, the involvement of volunteers in this project featured in the service catalogue and there is a dedicated volunteer coordinator involved in the actual implementation of the project. It is extremely important to ensure that voluntary roles do not pose a threat to jobs – this is also a principle of the municipal policy in Vienna. As a non-profit limited liability company run by the city authorities, Interface Wien ensures that in addition to the specialist trainer, volunteers are at hand to support services that are already in place, such as German courses.

How can volunteers get involved with Interface Wien?

The response to the arrival of refugees in 2015 was support being provided by municipal politics to the voluntary network, which was also expanded. The Vienna Social Fund and Municipal Department 17 – Integration and Diversity took a leading role in this area. For example, the website www.where2help.wien was launched in October 2016. Individuals and organisations wishing to volunteer or looking for volunteers can register to this website run by the Vienna Social Fund.

There are currently 50 volunteers working at Interface Wien, who come to Vienna via a range of different volunteer platforms due to the city’s extensive network for voluntary work.

Another resource offered by the City of Vienna for volunteers comes in form of the ›freiwillig:info‹ (volunteer:info) information module (www.wien.gv.at/menschen/integration/neuzugewandert/info-module-freiwillige.html). These are aimed at volunteers who work in refugee aid and integration and are offered on a quarterly basis by by Municipal Department 17 – Integration and Diversity. These modules provide basic information about the structure and work done by the city authorities in terms of refugee aid and integration work as well as key information on the right of asylum and details of the countries of origin and religions of refugees.

In 2014, as part of a process involving employees, a guide was created by Interface Wien with the help of experts in voluntary work to ensure smooth cooperation between employees, customers and volunteers.

The basic approach of the City of Vienna can also be seen in the example of StartWien – Das Jugendcollege. At the call for tender

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These volunteers are native to Austria or immigrants. It is often the case that volunteer interpreters in particular came to Austria as refugees themselves. Many of the volunteers are between 20 and 30 or 50 and 60 years old.

Volunteers help those taking part in German courses, including children, young people, men and women to learn the language. For example, they might help young people to study for the Austrian German Language Diploma test or meet with refugee women to practice German conversation, sometimes even outside of classes. These meetings often give rise to comments like: »Now I can finally get to know people in person, away from how they are portrayed in the media. That can only be a good thing.«

This shows another key aspect of volunteers working in refugee aid and integration: face-to-face meetings help to overcome any potential prejudices on both sides, as a mutual trust is built up, making these meetings invaluable when it comes to everyone living together in one city. In 2015, Interface Wien took voluntary work in a new direction in the form of company mentoring projects. This approach was first put into practice in collaboration with Robert Bosch AG. Robert Bosch AG promotes voluntary work with refugees and integration amongst its employees and Interface Wien joined forces with Asylum Coordination Austria to offer training to two contact people who would then be able to pass on the training to mentors within the company. The ›Mentors for young refugees‹ project was then introduced to the 900 employees working at Robert Bosch AG at the time, offering them the chance to take part in mentor training workshops if they were interested. They could then decide whether or not they would like to become a mentor. The ›Get Together Event‹ brought the mentors together with the children they would be mentoring, who were accompanied by the Robert Bosch AG trainers and social workers from Interface Wien. This project has been running for almost a year now and a second cycle is in the pipeline, with 30 mentor partnerships already having been set up. Many of the young people who have taken part in the project have been awarded an apprenticeship position or are in education within the mainstream school system. After all, lots of the mentors have networks, which is what the young people are lacking, and they are in a position to help them get settled in Austria. This brings us full circle – back to where we started, so to speak: »What is really special … is that … asylum seekers, those entitled to asylum and young people who have been granted subsidiary protection … are prepared for further education and training or their first jobs …«.

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Therese Ydrén

Region Västra Götaland’s Regional Development Initiatives for Asylum Seekers and New Arrivals

Department of Regional Development, Region Västra Götaland, Sweden

Therese Ydrén is working with regional development at Region Västra Götaland in Sweden since 2007 with focus on integration, skills/ labour market inclusion and international coordination. She has many years of experience working with international cooperation, starting her working life in Brussels at the Swedish permanent representation to the European Union. After that she worked as research grants officer at University West in Trollhättan and as researchers network coordinator in the field of working life research at a national research institute. Therese Ydrén has studied political science, law and French language at universities in Sweden and at Institut d’Études Politiques de Lille in France. Contact therese.ydren@vgregion.se www.vgregion.se www.supportgroup.se www.doublecup.se

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With its robust labour market and well-resourced public sector, Västra Götaland is well positioned to take on the challenge of immigration. Successful integration into Swedish society requires close collaboration between various stakeholders in the community. This text reflects Region Västra Götaland’s position on asylum seekers and new arrivals from a regional development perspective.

Facts and figures on Sweden, Västra Götaland and integration 2014–2016 >

Region in the western part of Sweden, 1.7 M inhabitants, 130 nationalities (Sweden 9.9 M)

Asylum seekers per year in Sweden: 2014: 81,301 | 2015: 162,877 | 2016 (Sept): 22,330

In 2015, Sweden granted 350 asylum applications per 100,000 inhabitants – compared to 180 per 100,000 inhabitants in Germany, which received the most asylum seekers in the EU in regard to total numbers.

Starting points for regional development initiatives for asylum seekers and new arrivals The number of refugees entering the country has risen significantly over the past year. Receiving refugees is above all a humanitarian endeavour although Region Västra Götaland also regards refugees and new arrivals as assets to society and potential employees within its companies. A good and effective immigration practice for refugees is vitally important to the future development of Västra Götaland. The driving force and entrepreneurial capability of immigrants to Sweden as well as sought-after expertise and skills are necessary resources in order to ensure that the region remains attractive and competitive. Region Västra Götaland’s regional development remit includes coordinating the implementation of the regional development strategy. The goal is to bring about an inclusive society and conditions that are essential for the growth and development of individuals, organisations and companies. High-quality healthcare, education, training, cultural activities and access to the labour market are fundamental aspects for involvement in community life, assuming personal responsibility and developing a sense of belonging. The implementation of key initiatives designed to speed up the path to self-sufficiency reduces the need for income support and alleviates the feeling of exclusion.

The task and role of Region Västra Götaland from a regional development perspective As a politically governed entity, Region Västra Götaland has been commissioned to coordinate the regional development programme. The regional government is also the largest employer in the country with 53,000 employees.

Collaboration across sectors – ranging from industry to education, public agencies, municipal authorities and civil society – is crucial in order for new arrivals to establish themselves in the region. At present, the Migration Agency is responsible for asylum seekers whilst the Public Employment Service and municipal authorities are responsible for assisting new arrivals with residence permits. Civil society plays a key role in the integration, involvement and humanitarian reception of refugees. With effect from 2017, the county administrative boards will have the government-assigned task of coordinating and organising early initiatives for asylum seekers including language training and organised employment. Based on its regional development remit, Region Västra Götaland, in cooperation with local authorities, plays an important role in regard to receiving refugees. Long-term strategic work and carefully defined activities reinforce and complement each other and also provide favourable conditions for maintaining a high degree of efficiency in Region Västra Götaland’s work.

Regional activities for asylum seekers and new arrivals The waiting time for reviewing applications of asylum seekers is increasing as more and more refugees are entering Sweden. In the interim, asylum seekers are left in no-man’s land with very limited opportunities to actively participate in community life. To reduce the risk of widening the exclusion gap, Region Västra Götaland is also focusing on refugees who are in the asylum-seeking phase. The aim is to make this waiting time meaningful and improve the conditions for asylum seekers and new arrivals who are in the process of establishing themselves in Swedish society, which allows asylum seekers to live independently and reduces the risk of exclusion. With this in mind, Region Västra Götaland has opted to focus its resources on the following areas: >

Provision of language training during the asylum-seeking phase

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Participation in cultural life, leisure activities and sports

Access to civil society and networks

Facilitating mobility through special public transport arrangements

Promotion of intercultural dialogue

Opportunities to secure a work experience placement, job or become self-employed

Promoting matching for occupations in which there is a shortage of qualified and experienced workers by means of the validation process

Formulating plans to facilitate job creation for new arrivals within the organisation of Region Västra Götaland

Involvement in the Public Employment Service »fast-track« scheme to help new arrivals establish themselves

Stimulating entrepreneurship and enterprise

psychosocial support through needs-based activities and makes the waiting time meaningful. Support Group Network was established in August 2014 at Restad Gård in Vänersborg, the largest Swedish reception site for asylum seekers, hosting approximately 1,300 refugees. The model has now spread to 13 other cities and 16 camps in Sweden. Support Group Network has become an umbrella for associations, groups and individuals who want to empower and assist asylum seekers, refugees, migrants in Sweden and abroad by promoting independent initiatives and establishing local support groups in their temporary or permanent living areas. Another voluntary initiative established by the local business council in the City of Trollhättan, located twenty kilometres from Restad Gård, facilitates meetings between migrants and companies. »DoubleCup« is based on the simple concept of meeting over a cup of coffee. Candidates (asylum seekers and newcomers) are invited to meet with a business person – a welcome partner – at the workplace. The meeting is facilitated by an IT-tool. The Support Group and the Public Employment Service locate candidates for the programme.

Examples of voluntary initiatives in Västra Götaland focusing on refugees in the asylum-seeking phase Region Västra Götaland initiates, develops and co-finances projects to strengthen integration. Region Västra Götaland’s remit includes the acknowledgement and sharing of good practices initiated by stakeholders in Västra Götaland. Cooperation with civil society and acknowledgment of voluntary initiatives is important. Several proven voluntary initiatives in Västra Götaland have played an important role in making the waiting period meaningful while strengthening the integration of refugees. One such initiative is the »Support Group Network«, a network consisting of refugees who work together with Swedish society to assist other refugees, asylum seekers and migrants during long waiting periods in which decisions are made on migration cases. The group gives

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Film about Restad Support Group and DoubleCup produced by Region Västra Götaland: > www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qHWXQhLHW4

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Critical Adult Education with Migrants: Challenges and Perspectives Rubia Salgado

das kollektiv. kritische bildungs-, beratungs- und kulturarbeit von und für migrantinnen

Rubia Salgado works as an adult education teacher and author in self organised contexts. The emphasis of her work lies in the field of critical educational work in the migration society. She works in research and development projects in the area of adult education for female migrants, as a teacher in adult education (German as a second language, literacy) and in the training and continuing education of teachers. She is a co-founder and long-term employee of the self-organisation »maiz«. Since 2015, she has also been working in the new association »das kollektiv. kritische bildungs-, beratungs- und kulturarbeit von und für migrantinnen« (The collective. Critical educational, counselling and cultural work of and for female migrants) in Linz. Contact rubia@das-kollektiv.at www.das-kollektiv.at

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Memories of the Management, of the Death, of the Rest.

I remember that 16 years ago, shortly after the formation of the »black-andblue« government, Pierre Bourdieu sent a video message to Austria. I remember that 16 years ago, the Lisbon Strategy was drafted. It dealt with the strategic goal of a competitive, dynamic, knowledge-based EU market. I remember that 26 years ago, George W. Bush declared the new world order.

I remember that neoliberalism is called a conservative revolution. I remember that criticism of neoliberalism does not necessarily include criticism of capitalism.

I remember that education cannot be considered disconnected from social circumstances. I remember that 42 years ago, Paulo Freire wrote that education was always political. It can strengthen the status quo, or scrutinise it. I remember that six years ago, the Lisbon Strategy was designated as failed in an evaluation. I remember that the successor strategy »Europe 2020«, among other things, is dealing with the improvement and flexibilisation of the legal framework for employment.

I remember that part-time work is a widespread phenomenon. I remember that 16 years ago, a quarter of the women employed in Austria was employed part-time. I remember that 6 years ago, 32 % of the women in Austria were employed parttime. I remember that one year ago, a record was reached in Austria: the part-time employment rate for women was 48 %. I remember that female migrants compared to female Austrians are more than twice as often at risk of poverty.

I remember Bourdieu’s recommendation on the occasion of the formation of the »black-and-blue« government in 2000, not to look for instruction, but to learn lessons.

I remember that one year ago, a disabled man, who was involved with an organisation for the rights of disabled persons, argueingly accused me that I would only write about migrants and refugees.

I remember that in the evaluation of the Lisbon Strategy 6 years ago, it was noted that, in order to design the EU as an attractive space for investments and work, the member states, among other things, are to make a contribution: active competition policy and reduction of subsidies.

I remember my discomfort.

I remember that in 2015, intellectuals claimed that dedicated social policy was the only alternative for Europe.

I remember that the democracy is in a crisis.

I remember the austerity policy of the EU.

I remember asylum policy. I remember Greece. I remember the designation »de facto refugees«; back then Franz Löschnak was Minister of the Interior in Austria, and it was 24 years ago. I remember that one year ago, the Austrian federal government had a border fence erected.

I remember Spain. I remember apathetics.

I remember having said to him that he was right. I remember the necessity for cooperation between politically acting groups.

I remember that since the video message of Bourdieu was sent, approx. 30,000 people died in the Mediterranean Sea. I remember having to write »approx.«, because there are no exact numbers, which is a boundless scandal. I remember that the austerity policy of the EU causes social destitution.

I remember social movements. I remember that, despite the mantra of the lack of alternatives to neoliberalism, there is knowledge about the possibility of change of the prevailing, violent, murderous order.

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I remember that adversity is distributed very differently on a global scale. I remember that a majority of the people living in poverty resides in countries, which used to be European colonies.

I remember the economisation of education. I remember voices saying that education must transform according to the social transformations. I remember globalisation, knowledge society, employability, competitiveness, human capital and other key terms. I remember that education cannot be considered disconnected from social circumstances.

I remember that education can open up democratic opportunities for action, but not create conditions for action.

I remember the principle of reciprocity: all learners are always also teachers and all teachers are always also learners.

I remember that the consideration of the inadequacy of education with regard to the objective of transformation of the society, however, does not mean that education would not exercise a function in this process.

I remember that since I read a text of Frigga Haug 10 years ago, I ask myself the question again and again: what do I learn from the learners?

I remember that emancipatory and critical educational work does not exhaust itself in the unveiling of reality. It results in the organisation of a practice of change. It also poses a challenge for structural changes. I remember the so-called ›pedagogy for foreigners‹ (Ausländerpädagogik) and intercultural pedagogy.

I remember that the commercial interests of the economy take the highest priority, even when this takes place under the guise of support of social cohesion and environmental protection, as it is phrased in the Lisbon Strategy of 2000 or in its current new edition.

I remember that some female pedagogues expounded the »culturalisation tendencies« of intercultural pedagogy.

I remember the understanding of education as a means to transform social circumstances.

I remember pedagogical reflexivity.

I remember that the intercultural approach diverts the attention from structural problems to external, cultural determinants.

I remember that this one is the most difficult question, when I don’t want to get a confirmation of my prior knowledge as an answer. I remember that the construction of a »we« represents a differentiation from a »not we«. I remember unequal power relations. I remember that celebrating »colourfulness« does not represent the objective, but a problem for critical educational work.

I remember asking again and again: What is considered knowledge? When? Where? Why? I remember counter-hegemonic knowledge production.

I remember the boundaries of my Western knowledge. I remember violent processes of the derecognition of knowledge. I remember dequalification. I remember that 3 years ago, in the work programme of the current Austrian federal government, learning of the German language was described as the foundation for integration. I remember that improved performance in the »competition for the better brains« is the guiding purpose of a creation of integration structures announced by the federal government. I remember that the demand for implementation of a selective migration policy, for control of migration in favour of the Austrian economic interests, was and is made by a wide range of female political actors. I remember that 33 percent of the migrants are employed below their qualification. Of the autochthonous Austrians it is 11.0 percent.

I remember that the prioritisation of the cost-benefit logic in the project for the control of migration and integration results in isolation, in exclusion, in reinforcing the capitalist mechanisms of exploitation, in perpetuation of unequal social circumstances, and above all in the death of thousands of people looking for a life away from poverty and/or violence. I remember that the possibilities to legally enter Austria are infinitesimal. Above all for those in need thereof. I remember ethics. I remember the Strategy Document of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM): migration must be managed, so that its advantages can be maximised and its negative consequences can be minimised. I remember that, in principle, the value and orientation courses for refugees currently ordered by the Austrian federal government are not a novelty in the field of adult education for migrants. I remember that the area of adult education for migrants for the most part appears as a space of hegemonic tailoring.

I remember that the communication of values in terms of a civilising project, which has essential features of colonial pedagogy, does take place in Austria not only since December 2015. The novelty in it restricts itself to the explicit designation of the aims pursued. I remember that one year ago, Thomas Fritz asked the following question in his text »About the value of value courses and the attitude of adult education«: how is adult education to behave in the context of national value systems and a post-colonial educational imperative? I remember that back then, he wrote that the »value manual« of the Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF) is based on the general suspicion that »people from the so-called Islamic world do not have any democratic values. And, if they have social rules, then the wrong ones.« I remember that a current measure of the provincial government in Upper Austria illustrates the consequences of the management approach at the level of integration policy in an exemplary manner.

I remember that the directives of promoted educational measures for refugees in Upper Austria stand in blatant contradiction to the directives of the programme planning document of the Adult Education Initiative. I remember that the programme planning document of the Adult Education Initiative does not specify any restriction of the teaching units, which course participants may take within the scope of basic education courses. I remember that the only provision is restricted to the determination of a maximum number of teaching units per course (400 teaching units). I remember that for the German language and literacy courses implemented within the scope of the support package in Upper Austria, the number of teaching units per course is restricted to 75 units and that a course participant may take a course no more than twice. I remember that this provision specifically means that an adult primary illiterate, too, is to be alphabetised in a foreign language within a maximum of 150 teaching units.

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I remember that numerous studies and teachers point out, that in order to reach literacy of adult primary illiterates in a second or foreign language, significantly more time is to be allowed. I remember that the question of the meaning or the purpose of these regulations necessarily leads us to the subject of the relation between democracy and migration in Austria today.

I remember that this is a democracy of exceptions.

I remember my everyday life as a teacher in basic education with migrants: the management, the death, the rest, the power, and the fight of these people for a better life. The tears and also the joy. Nonetheless. I remember technocracy.

I remember that migration management wants to maximise the advantages of migration and minimise its negative consequences.

I remember that political decisions become mere factual issues.

I remember that the losers, as in the example from Upper Austria, and unfortunately there are many more examples, are mostly women: women with little or no formal educational experience.

I remember the immigrant-friendly culture of welcome.

I remember that, in the perspective of migration and integration management, these women embody the negative consequences of migration, which are to be minimised.

I remember having heard it all before.

I remember that there is no exception in democracy.

I remember an upper limit for refugees.

I remember people-to-people events and sermons for tolerance.

I remember that 16 years ago, Bourdieu said that Austria had been jolted awake and that it had been able to startle all of Europe from sleep.

I remember a subject of an exhibition at »maiz«, 15 years after the video message of Bourdieu: »Does your dog sleep well?« I remember that this question was suggested by refugees, who were accommodated in tents. I remember that 16 years later, I often cannot sleep.

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Regional Cooperation and Integration: Volunteers, NGOs, Authorities and Economy – (How) Does That Work? Rolf Ackermann

Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs, Youth and Sports of Baden-Wuerttemberg

Rolf Ackermann has been working at the Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs, Youth and Sports of Baden-Wuerttemberg in the department »Vocational Education and Continuing Education« since 2007. He coordinates numerous EU projects in the area of Erasmus+ education. Within the scope of the »European Association of Regional and Local Authorities for Lifelong Learning« (EARLALL), he cooperates with more than 20 regions and cities in Europe. Rolf Ackermann is a graduate of the Leadership Academy of the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg. Contact rolf.ackermann@km.kv.bwl.de www.km-bw.de www.peopleandskills-danuberegion.eu www.kultusministerium-bw.de www.earlall.eu

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The economic situation of the Baden-Wuerttemberg region is very good, and above all the continuingly robust development of employment in the federal state allows us to look optimistically to the year of 2017. With an unemployment rate of 3.6 percent, it takes a leading position in Germany. The strong demand for skilled workers offers numerous opportunities for jobseekers. Successful integration into the society and into the first labour market requires greatest effort and investment of all relevant partners.

Federal State of Baden-Wuerttemberg Integration 2015–2016 >

Population: 10.7 million, unemployment rate: 3.6 %, youth unemployment rate 2.7 % (lowest in Germany), approx. 132,000 craft businesses, approx. 102,000 industrial companies

Asylum seekers/year in Baden-Wuerttemberg: 2014: 25,673 | 2015: 97,822 | 2016: approx. 50,000

Threshold apprehension towards authorities, information deficits, but also the missing connection and interconnection of offers necessitate close cooperation of welcome centres, volunteers and mentors and coordination of all relevant partners, if possible. Furthermore, there is the difficulty to deal with the abundance of requirements, when there is too little knowledge of the German language. In the complex polychord of integration and qualification for the labour market, the main pillars continuing education counselling and training as well as new approaches, like an »Education Campus for Refugees« and a pilot: »TALENTS – New talents for companies – Developing the potentials of immigrants and refugees« in ongoing ERASMUS+ KA2 strategic partnership projects, are briefly described here.

In the following projects, the relevant partners of the respective regions (authorities, NGOs, economy, volunteers) are respectively involved as consortium partners.

FairGuidance The project goal of this ERASMUS+ project FairGuidance is the integration of differently disadvantaged groups of persons, like poorly qualified people, migrants, ethnic minorities or long-term unemployed, into continuing education and into the labour market.

Continuing education counselling and training Qualified, free-of-charge offers for continuing education counselling at every stage of life for all citizens are among the most important educational goals in Baden-Wuerttemberg and in all EU regions.

BRIDGE The ERASMUS+ project BRIDGE »Building up Regional Initiatives to Develop GuidancE for lower-skilled adults« focuses on adults, who due to their lower qualification are at risk of loosing their job. Companies with employees in this target group are involved in this project. The results of this three-year project will be: Expansion and strengthening of joint networks of continuing education counselling, cooperations and development of new activities for a better support of joint learning within the EU, development of new accesses for this target group, counselling quality checks from the clients’ point of view. Project partners: Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs, Youth and Sports of Baden-Wuerttemberg (DE), Association of Adult Education Centres of Baden-Wuerttemberg (coordination – DE), Région Bretagne, FONGECIF (FR), Jämtland-Härjedalen (SE), EARLALL Brussels (BE). Silent partners: Västra Götaland, labour market and adult education of the city of Gothenburg (SE), Basque Country, Catalonia (SP). For further information as well as a video: www.earlall.eu

The results are: preparation of a manual focussing on client-oriented counselling, quality standards and diversity, with the objective of continuing qualification of professional counsellors. Hereby, a better offer of continuing education and career counselling with particular focus on equity and variety for disadvantaged, uneducated and poorly qualified adults is to be developed. In addition, an E-learning platform for counsellors of the partner countries Germany, Romania, Bulgaria as well as for other EU countries is being established. Project partners: Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs, Youth and Sports of Baden-Wuerttemberg (DE), ttg team training GmbH, Tübingen (coordinator, DE), Diakonisches Werk Württemberg (DE), Adult Education Centre Freiburg (DE), AJOFM GALATI, AMFSS GALATI, AIDRom (RO), University of Ruse Angel Kanchev, TO-Ruse (BG). For further information: www.fairguidance-project.eu

TALENTS: Migration and refugees The 3-year project TALENTS – New talents for companies – Developing the potentials of immigrants and refugees, which started in October 2016, has the following tasks and results: analysis of existing offers of continuing education counselling, curricula, including workplace-connected language courses. A test phase and evaluation of new language modules in various vocational fields (hotel industry, restaurant trade, health services, nursing, among others) in the participating regions. The development of EU hand-outs and instruments for projects of continuing education, which enable fast access to the labour

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market. The design of a »TALENTS« app for better communication between clients and counsellors on the one hand and companies on the other. Project partners: Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs, Youth and Sports of Baden-Wuerttemberg (DE), Association of Adult Education Centres of Baden-Wuerttemberg (coordination, DE), several adult education centres in Stuttgart, Ulm, Offenburg, Constance-Singen, Upper Swabia, DE, among others. The city of Gothenburg (SE), Cuben Utbildning AB (SE), Oslo Voksenopplaering Rosenhof (N0), the Styrian Association for Education and Economics in Graz (AT), University of Florence (IT), EARLALL Brussels (BE). Silent Partner: Västra Götaland (SE) For further information as well as a TV report: www.earlall.eu

Education Campus for Refugees in Stuttgart Initial situation Inclusion through work is one of the cornerstones of the refugee policy. Therefore, it is decisive to train especially young people in a qualified fashion and to give them a good chance on the labour market with education, qualification and training. Here, the Stuttgarter Bürgerstiftung (civic foundation) »Refugees and Training« brought all decisive stakeholders from the entire area together for a »round table«. The following organisations and companies are now involved with the supporting association: Robert Bosch Foundation, Aliens Authority, Steinbeisschule school, Robert Bosch GmbH, State Education Authority, Chamber of Industry and Commerce for the Stuttgart region, Daimler AG, Youth Welfare Office Stuttgart, Welcome Centre Stuttgart, Employment Agency, Employment Promotion/Department WFB, Social Welfare Office Stuttgart, Porsche AG, Jobcentre, Chamber of Trade for the Stuttgart region. In general, there must be a distinction between statutory benefits and entitlements, offers of vocational schools, employment

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agency and jobcentre, the municipality, support measures of the chambers, instruments of employers, and commitment from the civil society. After the first bigger groups of displaced people had arrived in 2015, the following problem analysis resulted: >

The necessary flow of information, also due to constant changes of the legal requirements and support offers, is not sufficient yet. There is a lack of special educational opportunities in the areas of language, communication, job application training or special occupational studies.

Many companies and businesses are – also motivated by their social commitment – interested in the young refugees as employees, but likewise lament – despite many offers – information deficits and lacking coordination.

Many of the young displaced people have great difficulties in achieving the language level B2 demanded by the companies of the vocational school, and they know too little about a host society. Therefore, they need additional continuous support. In principle: the preparatory year for work and occupation (VAB – Vorbereitungsjahr Arbeit und Beruf) is a type of school at vocational schools in Baden-Wuerttemberg, which serves as an alternative to the year of pre-vocational training (BVJ – Berufsvorbereitungsjahr) type of school. Completion of the VAB corresponds more or less to the level of a secondary school leaving certificate. The preparatory year for work and occupation without German language skills (VABO – Vorbereitungsjahr Arbeit und Beruf ohne Deutschkenntnisse) represents a special form of the VAB at vocational schools in Baden-Wuerttemberg. In VABO classes, predominantly adolescent migrants without German language skills are offered targeted language training. This takes place in separate classes from the pre-qualification year for work and occupation and normally places the main focus on the acquisition of German language skills. A school-leaving qualification is not being aimed at. The school year ends with a German language test, which examines language level B1 as a maximum.

Therefore, in the Education Campus, the main target group consists of the currently around 400 students of the VABO classes. Students from VAB classes are just as welcome as young people with a special need for support. The Education Campus has been set up for three years (2016â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2019) for the time being. Thus, special support is to be rendered for the special target group in the acute situation. Should the structure prove itself and the need remain, then there must be a decision about its further continuance. The Education Campus â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fundamental structure The young people need a central, real place, as for example the Welcome Centre, where they can receive counselling and support independently. This place must offer counselling services in the entire area of qualification and training or have knowledge about it. This is accomplished with counselling institutions like the employment agency and the jobcentre, but also the chambers and the voluntary organisations being on site with human resources. Further support offers like personal counselling, language courses and continuing education and training are likewise available there. The place must be well accessible, with a very low threshold, target-group-oriented and hospitable â&#x20AC;&#x201C; equipped with appropriate opening hours. Furthermore, it needs rooms, where people can meet and learn as well as have access to computers and the Internet. Experience from projects like Jobconnection and the Welcome Centre is being included. The spatial proximity enables the participating institutions easy interconnecting and focussing of the joint work assignment and helps avoid duplication of structures. One decisive point for the success of the Campus is coordination. It develops strategies on how to make the offer visible citywide and locally effective, maintains an ongoing dialogue with providers and clients, and establishes a comprehensive network. Furthermore, it coordinates the offers, determines needs, assigns the development of missing modules, and for that includes further

partners in a targeted fashion. Modules are above all missing in the areas of language, communication, but also sharing of information about vocational fields and the apprenticeship system. For that, however, it is also necessary to offer a new variety of methods coupled with intercultural competence as well as further forms of peer learning. As an exclusive offer, the Education Campus could also be the place, where competences and inclinations of adolescents are determined before they enter vocational schools, in order to thus guarantee a more tailored transfer to further fields of education and training. Sponsored projects Experience from the area of training has demonstrated that adolescents from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds and/or with language deficits have a bigger chance, when they are accompanied in a 1-to-1 relation before and during their training. Therefore, sponsored projects are to be offered directly at the Campus and respective sponsors provided. In that, it is necessary that the projects fulfil quality standards and expectations. Thus, the already existing projects are to be included and, as needed, expanded, further developed or additional options created. This includes the entire variety of the sponsorship idea: from peer-to-peer models and classic mentoring projects up to offers of corporate volunteering. Furthermore, there were thoughts about a central structure for training and continuing education as well as for support and supervision. On the whole, the Education Campus is to become a place to meet, to learn and to exchange for all sponsored projects working in this area. The development into such a place, the expansion and intensification of the offer must be undertaken in coordination with the existing projects. For further information: www.buergerstiftung-stuttgart.de/ neuigkeiten/ausbildungscampus-in-den-startloechern For further enquiries: irene.armbruster@buergerstiftung-stuttgart.de

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Graz:Spendenkonvoi Delivering Humanity to Refugees

»Graz:Spendenkonvoi«: Who we are and what we do

Marion Bock Graz:Spendenkonvoi

After studies of pedagogy and German language and literature studies and a course in international project management (University of Graz), Marion Bock has been working with different NGOs as an employee or coordinator, resp., in national and European projects dealing with the development of qualifications for people disadvantaged in educational matters and the recognition of non-formally acquired knowledge since 1999. Since July 2016, Marion Bock has been an honorary member of the board of Graz:Spendenkonvoi. Contact marion.bock@gmx.at Facebook: www.facebook.com/ groups/1706328169613315/

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Back then, thousands of displaced people came to the north via the Balkans every day. In order to provide these asylum seekers on their way with the bare essentials, relief supplies (mainly clothes, blankets and food) were spontaneously collected via social media and among relatives and friends, cars and a field kitchen were organised, and multi-day trips undertaken to support these people on their way along the Balkan route. Dedicated people of different ages and most different nationalities participated in these trips. After the borders were more and more closed at the end of 2015 and the asylum seekers were stuck in Turkey, on the Greek islands and the Greek mainland, during the Christmas holidays 2015, the first convoy started in the direction of Greece, namely to the Island of Lesbos. The profound sadness about the situation of the people, the frustration about the uncoordinated and little committed approach of many official bodies and many a big aid organisation, as well as the knowledge to be able, in cooperation with other volunteer organisations, to support the asylum seekers physically, but also mentally, even as a small group, resulted in four further trips to Greece being undertaken in the course of 2016. At Easter and Whitsun, several thousand people, who were stranded in Idomeni at the Greek-Macedonian border, were provided with hot food, clothes and hygiene products and many of them supported with personal sympathy, information and individual help. After Idomeni was evacuated on the day of our departure, we went to Thessaloniki in summer, to provide the people in several surrounding camps with hygiene, food and clothes packages. In addition, we had an open-air cinema on board, with which we were able to offer film screenings and music nights at the camps, much to the

Idomeni March 2016

Petra Olympos

delight of many children and adults. During the Christmas holidays 2016, there will be another convoy to Northern Greece.

»Graz:Spendenkonvoi«: How we act

Furthermore, members and friends of the »Graz:Spendenkonvoi« are also highly active at regional level. Thus, there are constantly different local initiatives to help people, looking for a new home in Styria, arrive and gain a foothold. Visits to remote refugee quarters and sports activities are organised on a regular basis, just as accompanying the refugees to appointments with the authorities and at the doctor’s, helping them with the search for a flat and a job, and acquiring understandable and correct information on the subjects of asylum, integration/inclusion and living in Austria. The bandwidth of subjects is enormous, and those affected frequently face big temporal, organisational and emotional challenges. Since July 2016, »Graz:Spendenkonvoi« has been a registered association with 50 official association members and around 1,400 members on Facebook. The structure as an association primarily serves better legal certainty for the active volunteers, but also for supporters providing money and donations in kind.

Despite the formal structure of a registered association, not a lot has changed in the way the committed persons work – anybody can contribute ideas, the independent implementation of which is desired. This open access enables a variety of activities, based on the respective resources and possibilities of the individual, but also with a strong focus on the individual need for support of our new fellow citizens. In that, the cooperation with other NGOs is important to us, in order to be able to use synergies, to get relevant information faster and to be able to expand the range of support services. Social media represents an essential aid for these, often international, cooperations, without which the fast, uncomplicated and widespread networking would hardly be possible. With authorities, too, there is successful cooperation again and again, which often happens due to personal contact, but also due to the expertise and the level of recognition of the »Graz:Spendenkonvoi« or is facilitated by these aspects, respectively. The same

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also applies to the cooperation with economic enterprises – personal contact is mostly the door opener for corporate sponsoring or more openness for labour market integration.

»Graz:Spendenkonvoi«: What drives us The motives of those active with the »Graz:Spendenkonvoi« are different: personal dismay due to their own biography, practiced social values, the need for meaningful political commitment, etc. What unites us is the image of an open society, which takes care of those people with their physical, mental and social existence under threat.

»Graz:Spendenkonvoi«: What we learn from the daily challenges As volunteers without formalised access to information and contact persons, we quite often face unexpected challenges, which result from the individual situation of the persons accompanied by us. We are looking for answers to questions like »Is the entitlement

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to family allowance contingent on the asylum status of the child or the mother?«, »How must an asylum seeker be insured during a traineeship?« or »How do we find a flat for a family with a child suffering from a heart condition, although the family still is in primary care?« – and again and again have the astonishing experience of possessing more information than many full-time members of staff or employees with authorities, offices and at the companies. All the more regrettable it is, that the efforts of the many volunteers, who are active with a lot of energy, time, heart and soul and creativity on a daily basis, to – in the interest of the new, but also the long-established citizens – support the many steps on the path of inclusion into our society, are hardly mentioned in the media anymore … The ongoing necessity of dealing with individual problems culminates in a constant process of informal learning and thereby contributes to an enormous accumulation of knowledge and competence in many people, who are voluntarily active in the area of inclusion of asylum seekers and persons entitled to asylum and a subsidiary protection status. But also the personal interaction with the new citizens, the getting to know other cultures, languages, life plans and the like constantly expands our horizon. In order to be able to use this concentrated knowhow even better, the »Graz:Spendenkonvoi«, together with other organisations in Styria, is planning to set up an online platform, on which associations, initiatives, authorities, projects and other relevant contacts and information are presented. This network is to provide committed volunteers, but also those affected themselves (and maybe also employees at other NGOs, authorities, offices and companies) with easier access to important information and contact points.

»Graz:Spendenkonvoi«: What we wish for It is our vision that, at some point, a large part of those tasks we are dealing with will no longer be necessary, because these support

services are either – and in the respective quality – performed by the bodies and organisations assigned therewith, or are not necessary at all anymore, because the aim of the integration/inclusion process is not to set up, but to eliminate barriers. This is our vision. For the current work rendered by the volunteers of »Graz:Spendenkonvoi«, but also of other initiatives and organisations, we wish for more publicity and support in politics and administration, one thing is clear: without this continuous effort of many individuals the inclusion of those people, who had to leave their home fleeing from war and destruction and hoping to find a new home with us, will be a lot less frequently successful!

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Connecting Language(s) – Language Work with Displaced People

Flight is that kind of migration, which is characterised by particularly tough conditions: the so-called country of origin is neither left voluntarily, nor is the so-called arrival country the long-sought destination. The language spoken there is not the one the people have always been wanting to learn. Flight is for the most part characterised by long, exhausting and life-threatening journeys. Not only does flight result in the loss of familiar surroundings and networks that provide stability, but also in the final or threatened loss of loved ones. Quite often, flight also means arrival in a society, which for make-believe fear retreats to xenophobia and defence. The education of children and adolescents is interrupted, and can be continued only rarely, and if so, only with incredible effort and delay.

Thomas Fritz lernraum.wien

Thomas Fritz is head of lernraum. wien, Institute for Multilingualism, Integration and Education at the Adult Education Centre in Vienna. He has been working as a teacher, trainer and continuing education teacher, lecturer and project manager in adult education for a long time. Thematic focus: multilingualism, basic education, super-diversity and continuing education. Contact thomas.fritz@vhs.at www.vhs.at/lernraumwien

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Loss of language When people flee from violence, war, and the destruction of their living environment, then discussions about upper limits and border fences prevailing in the socalled arrival country intensify existing traumas: this happens in combination with the loss of one’s language and the impossibility to communicate the way one had been used to. Loss of language is always accompanied by the constraint and the necessity to learn the new national language. For a few years now, it could be observed here, that in many discussions, German has been equated with language as such, so that everything not corresponding to the normality of German is automatically estranged and alienated. Learning German becomes an obligation, when it should, be an opportunity. Learning German is a burden, above all when people actually want and have to think of something entirely different. Learning German can mean the loss of other languages, as a Bosnian war refugee appropriately described it a few years ago. He sees German as »[a] foreign world, a distant galaxy in the head, this German language, where everything is the other way around, that’s what they often

said« (Busch and Busch 2008, p. 25). To him, the various languages he speaks »live« in pockets in his brain, and German is put in the same pocket as English, so the more German is put into this pocket, the more English disappears. »You could say they belong into the same pocket in my head. And there was not enough space for both. The more German words I learned, the less English ones I kept in my head. Or better, I have more difficulties when I need to use the English.« (ibid) This example shows very well, what a huge challenge learning a language can be – and the gradual loss of English with the advance of German.

Voluntary language work Please allow me a few thoughts on voluntary language work. Most of the time, volunteers are above all very committed, however, quite often they have never in their life taught languages, sometimes they have a primary school teaching background and are not used to working with adults, but with children. Quite often, the possibility to work with professional language teachers does not exist, there is a lack of funds, of structures or simply of professional teachers. This, however, may also present a great opportunity, namely not to teach language and grammar, but to use language as what it is: a means for communication. I am firmly convinced that natural communication, speaking and above all listening is a much more effective way to approach a language than teaching abstract grammar rules. Language in its natural, communicative, authentic form is what the refugees need. They likewise need language as an expression of empathy and social cohesion, and that is exactly what language lessons often cannot provide. The professionals focus on goals, as for example

the stages of the European Framework of Languages, on a supposedly necessary progression in grammar and frequently on the completely irrelevant contents of textbooks. All this cannot lead to an ability to act in the new language, but merely to an accumulation of metalinguistic knowledge. Furthermore, the role those volunteers are playing is frequently characterised by what I like to call »an equal footing«. I.e. not an attitude, which has paternalistic features and makes the volunteers foster parents, teachers or »dei ex machine«, omnipresent and omnipotent super creatures. Briefly summarised, we can say: volunteers are to do, what they do best: be communication partners and contact persons. One more thought on volunteering: volunteering needs structure, which supports those committed persons, since they easily get into situations, which overwhelm them, too. It may be simple things like transferring money from Sweden to Austria, which neither works via a bank, because the people don’t have accounts, nor via institutions like Western Union, because this is too expensive. Thus, the money must be delivered in person. Both sides need security, and that can lead to the volunteer having to show his/ her passport to the bearer of the money, which represents a very unsettling situation. (This and the following are true stories). On the other hand, trauma symptoms can suddenly occur, or the people supported start talking about suicide – and who of us would not be overwhelmed by that? Therefore, support structures are an absolute necessity, for the volunteers as well as for the displaced people.

Mutual language exchange In conclusion, a few thoughts on language work (i.e. rather communication) and multilingualism: I mentioned above that learning German can often also result in a loss of language. In traditional

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German lessons, teaching is undertaken in German. In »normal« communication, we use any available linguistic means to talk to each other, exchange our stories or solve problems together. And it is this natural communication, which seems to be essential. Just like the principle of reciprocity from language lessons, as I would like to understand it. Though I can also learn new languages, show curiosity or repeat words with a lot of »mistakes« and combine them into simple sentences as a language teacher, I can do that much better as a communication partner. To me, this reciprocity seems essential, above all in the work with refugees, since in situations, where they explain something, maybe also correct and help, they are in a different situation than in many moments of their current life. They help, they are the experts, the teachers, they have a little power in the communicative situation – and this is what should or rather have to give them.

1 Busch, Brigitta and Busch, Thomas (2008): Von Menschen, Orten und Sprachen.

Multilingual leben in Österreich. Klagenfurt/Celovec: Drava

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Much work has already been done in this field over the years. In 1968, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe issued a resolution on the teaching of languages to migrant workers. In the 1970s, language training modules were developed in the London suburbs for Indian workers employed in industry, hence the name »Industrial English«. However, the professional purpose was largely overlooked until fairly recently. The issue began to attract interest during the first decade of the 21st century. This article focusses on three major measures to help refugees/migrants accelerate their entrance into the professional world: 1. Past and ongoing research at the European Centre for Modern Languages of the Council of Europe 2. Practical work for refugees/migrants in Göteborg 3. A game based on the principle that everyone is a resource on account of their native language, which should greatly help with the integration of refugees/ migrants.

1. Past and ongoing research at the European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML) Graz »Developing migrant language competences at work« (2012–2015) This first project of the Council of Europe (carried out by the ECML) laid the groundwork for innovative teaching and learning in the field of language learning. Outputs include a website that enables professionals in different European countries to share and develop their practice. The website also contains a toolkit for practical workplace language teaching resources, which provides immediate benefits for professionals.

Learning and Teaching a Foreign Language to Migrants or Refugees for Professional Purposes

Michel Lefranc Consultant Michel Lefranc: Former general delegate for the Alliances françaises (teaching French to foreigners) in Belgium and former director of the European Centre for Modern Language (ECML) of the Council of Europe. Co-organiser of an annual conference on languages in Paris in connection with the European Commission and the Council of Europe. Michel Lefranc speaks French, English, German and Norwegian. Contact micky.lefranc@orange.fr

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»Language for work: Tools for professional development« (2016–2019) The purpose of the second project of the Council of Europe was to promote professional development in the field of work-related L2 learning for adult migrants and ethnic minorities. The project creates tools and resources to support the professional development of teachers, educators for teachers and other practitioners in this field. The project aims to create four products: >

›Quick guide‹ tool in at least five European languages

Expandable compendium of approaches to support workplace language learning

Framework to support professional development, outlining practitioner roles and competences relating to various approaches in order to support work-related language learning

Cuben is not a vocational school in the proper sense of the word. One could say, it is both a language and vocational school with some 1600 students. It has normal language courses and specialises in courses geared towards the labour market. The school employs 40 teachers and 4 coaches and is financially supported by the city of Göteborg. Cuben organises the entire process for refugees/migrants from language courses, specialised courses with coaches, collecting proper material for professional purposes to negotiating with the professional world and proposing traineeships, etc. In this respect, it has adopted a whole school approach. The main professional fields covered are hotels with miscellaneous job offers, but also construction, health, business, shop logistics …

Resource bank (including training materials, case studies, etc.)

These products will be made available online via the Language for Work Network website (http://languageforwork.ecml.at).

2. The special example of HOTEL TALENTS within the city of Göteborg, Sweden Four major actors are involved in this example, which produces a formidable incentive for the social, professional and linguistic integration of migrants/refugees.

The majority of students in adult education are migrants or refugees aged 20–60. These students are foreigners from many different countries, and not all of them are refugees. Most of those who attend specialised traineeship classes are lower-skilled workers. Some have a university degree and want to climb the professional ladder by gaining initial work experience through Cuben. A dedicated tutor/coach is assigned to each student in the specialised job classes. At the same time, students work as independently as possible, which helps them find their way into Swedish society more quickly.

1. The city of Göteborg 2. The school of Cuben (www.cubenutbildning.se/) 3. Potential employers (often hotels that offer all sorts of jobs) 4. Migrants and refugees We will focus on the major actor and the major driving force of this process: The school of Cuben which provides language courses, organises connections, preparatory work and follow-up on migrants/refugees in the labour market.

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The role of the language teachers and coaches The language teachers of CUBEN teach Swedish and work with coaches and companies. They are flexible and able to adapt. For Cuben, the modus operandi for the special job classes is to integrate informal learning with material from the labour market into formal language learning.

The coaches at Cuben come from different backgrounds: hotel management, the world of football (incl. experience in the work with Youth). Some are refugees themselves, which helps them understand other refugees better. The role of the coaches is to inform students in language classes about Cuben’s special sessions and connections to the labour market, in particular in regard to the hotel industry (contacts with some 14 hotels in Göteborg). Coaches are open-minded, tolerant and flexible. They never say NO. The coaches are aware that students can make mistakes in the orientation phase. They then help them find another traineeship. In this respect, they act as guidance counsellors. Teachers and coaches work together intensively.

Students may change hotels during their traineeship and find something more appropriate at another hotel if a certain situation does not work out. Coaches and/or teachers visit the trainees at least once a week to ensure that everything is going well and to possibly prepare for new sessions.

Usually students are already at an A1 to B1 language level in Swedish when they begin their classes for professional purposes. Students can be at various language levels in a class as they pursue the same goal together. This does not pose a problem since class work is based on helping one another. In fact, students have to understand that they are part of a team. Coaches encourage students to constantly collaborate in order to achieve better results.

Cuben keeps track of former students, which is an important tool in order to show present students what they can achieve.

Course content is harmonised according to the demand of the labour market in Göteborg.

Traineeship Traineeships are organised a long time in advance. Hotel managers, for instance, tell Cuben who they will need in the near future and Cuben organises sessions accordingly. Students then start the traineeship, working 2–3 days/week and attending school for 2–3 days/week. The traineeships last 3–15 weeks. During this time, the hotel manager or someone equivalent can determine if they want to keep the trainee or offer her/him another job within the hotel. Hotels offer a wide range of job possibilities such as accounting, cleaning, technical support, kindergarten …

Hotels like Scandic provide internal training within the Scandic business school if the company decides to keep the student. Most of the time, hotels are a stepping stone into the labour market. Students know that traineeships provide a glimpse into Sweden’s labour market. 90 % of students who want a job in the hotel industry get it; 70 % of students find jobs in other fields.

Languages Hotel workers do not have to speak Swedish fluently. English is sufficient in the beginning. However, students should go on to learn Swedish as this will make them more comfortable in Sweden. Learning Swedish is mandatory for some traineeships (e. g. nurse assistant). The better trainees speak Swedish, the greater the range of available jobs. How to proceed? The plan now is to propagate the idea since it has worked so well, which will be accomplished through the Erasmus+ TALENTS project. The project has the following objectives: • Develop Cuben’s toolbox • Find companies/structures like hotels in different countries that are willing to invest • Create written records on how to run a lesson according to job types (until now, lesson plans for coaches have been given orally without curricula). In fact, working by instinct has proven to be a successful approach.

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• Assess teaching based on informal learning • Invite Cuben to give crash courses to European teachers and coaches • Italian university partners will establish a general process with instructions.

3. »New Amigos« The game New Amigos received the European Language Label and has been successfully implemented in Norway for some years, which may result in more countries using the game as a bridge between refugees and locals. Rationale: Everyone is a resource on account of their native language, and New Amigos is the key for refugees and locals to share this value with each other on an equal footing and become friends in the process. The game requires no previous knowledge and takes the players from zero to conversational language fluency (level B1). The purpose of the game is to teach language fluency and close the gap between zero language proficiency and conversational fluency. Too many language learning methods focus on perfection rather than function and, therefore, many students drop out long before they reach the conversational level. Zipf’s law states that understanding the 100 most frequently spoken words of a language means understanding 50 % of the language so it should not take long to reach a level at which students can participate in conversation. New Amigos starts with the most important words and phrases with built-in repetition. It has three levels so beginners can play with more advanced speakers. Thus, everyone has an equal chance of winning the game. Language A speakers can learn language B;

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language B speakers can learn language A or language A and B speakers can play together to learn from each other. The game has been successfully used in schools all over Germany in school competitions supported by 15 ministers and should work equally well in schools in France. The Norwegian-Arabic version of the game was launched in Norway in September, and refugees and locals now meet in language cafes in libraries all over Norway on a weekly basis. For more details on New Amigos go to: http://siu.no/eng/For-the-media/News/award-fornorwegian-arabic-language-game

Funding Opportunities in the Erasmus+ Adult Education Programme

Adult education institutions that see the bigger picture and thus wish to integrate European contexts in their work can submit project applications within the programme Erasmus+ Adult Education. Erasmus+ is clearly oriented towards the educational-political priorities of Strategy Europe 2020 and the goals of the strategic framework for European cooperation in the area of general and vocational education – ET 2020. This article outlines both funding opportunities »KA1 – Mobility in adult education« and »KA2 – Strategic partnerships«.

Karin Hirschmüller

Maria Madalena Bragança Fontes-Sailler

National Agency Erasmus+ Education

She studied business administration at the Vienna University of Economics and Business and has worked in the adult education and cross-sectional department at OeAD GmbH, National Agency Erasmus+ Education since 2009. She also works for Euroguidance (European networking for guidance) and as a project supporter for Erasmus+ strategic partnerships in adult education. Prior to this, she was active in adult education, among other things in the dialogue between Roma and non-Roma people and in the area of anti-discrimination at the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights.

She began her work at OeAD 18 years ago. As a native Portuguese, she completed her study of philosophy at the University of Porto and subsequently taught philosophy for two years at an academic high school in Portugal. She then completed her post-graduate joint master studies in European Tourism Management at universities in England and Germany. Fontes-Sailler was active for many years in the international school, university and adult education sector and lived in Israel, Russia and Belgium for seven years as well as in Austria and Portugal.

Contact karin.hirschmueller@oead.at | www.bildung.erasmusplus.at

Contact madalena.fontes-sailler@oead.at | www.bildung.erasmusplus.at

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KA1 – Mobility in adult education This funding track allows an organisation to send employees into other European countries to participate in previously determined continuing education offers. The employees, e. g., attend workshops and continuing education courses, gain insights into other institutions in the form of job shadowing or receive teaching assignments at a guest organisation. The essential factor is that these activities are closely connected to the so-called European Development Plan and learning outcomes are integrated in the organisation after the stay abroad. The following graphic illustrates the core aspects of a KA1 application: Requirement analysis for the institution

European Development Plan

Organisational plan for quality development and internationalisation

Measures for the fulfilment of the plan: mobilities

Conference

Effects on personnel, learners and organisation

Teaching assignment at host institution

Integration of expertise gained into the organisation

Continuing education course

Institutional requirements

Mobilities

Job shadowing

Submission as a consortium Multiple Austrian organisations that deal with similar topics can also submit a joint consortium application. Particularly interesting: A joint application reduces the administration expenditure for each institution, which is especially beneficial for organisations that only want to send out a few employees. This possibility also indirectly promotes regional cooperation between institutions that follow the same vision.

KA2 – Strategic partnerships KA1 Project

The conception of the project begins with a needs analysis of one’s own institution in regard to quality development and internationalisation (e. g. pertaining to the European dimension in one’s own activity, personnel competences, new teaching methods or instruments or also training and learning processes). The European Development Plan is based on these determined needs and describes the goals that the company has laid out for the promoti-

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onal time frame and the measures (mobilities in the form of stays abroad) that it is implementing to achieve this. Experiences and learning results made by the employees due to mobilities are integrated into one’s own institution, e. g. through workshops for colleagues, the usage of learned methods in one’s own work area or by starting new initiatives. Stays abroad within the context of a successful KA1 project will thus be beneficial for individual participants as well as for the organisation as a whole.

In a strategic partnership, multiple European institutions enter into intense cooperation over a time period of one to three years in order to reach certain goals. It is critically important to develop project content that has a lasting effect, which could refer to materials and manuals that will be required in the next years or learning results that better prepare the institutions for prospective developments. The institutions can choose from two types of strategic partnerships. The »project supporting exchanges of best practices« focusses on the exchange of specific topics, methods, tools etc. with other countries. For example, best-practice examples are researched and evaluated according to defined quality criteria; transferability is examined, and a collection of these examples is prepared on the basis of this.

In contrast, the Âťproject supporting innovationÂŤ develops entirely new materials, which could refer to a seminar curriculum, manuals with teaching materials or also method books. In any case, this type of project refers to products whose development requires more work days; the quality and innovative characteristics of these products provide an essential gain for the adult education landscape. The budget consists of individual, modularly combined cost categories for both project types. The financial settlement is performed for the most part via unit costs, which alleviates administration expenditures.

Further information regarding the submission of applications: > www.bildung.erasmusplus.at

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EPALE

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EPALE – What Is in It for You? https://ec.europa.eu/epale There are plenty of benefits in joining the EPALE community.

Join a diverse adult learning family EPALE aims to build a unified adult learning community on a national and European level. When you join EPALE you can communicate with different adult learning actors, such as trainers, policymakers and volunteers. Network with similar-minded individuals As a member of EPALE you can discuss ideas and share information with other people in your country or in Europe working in your sector. The platform is perfect for finding partners or sharing experiences and ideas related to your adult learning project! Step outside your professional circle EPALE offers something new to the adult learning sector – it gives you the opportunity to easily get in touch with European adult learning professionals from outside your usual professional circle – policy makers, bloggers, researchers, volunteers, tutors, trainers and more.

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Reach a wider audience You may be a blogger who wants to share an opinion on an adult learning-related topic; a researcher who has written a paper on a new methodology; a policy maker with an intriguing proposal; or a trainer who would like to share best practice, an event, a news article or a resource that their peers would be interested in. EPALE can give you immediate exposure not only in Europe but also across the world. Access a rich database of resources EPALE members can access over 1000 high-quality resources related to adult learning. Our community makes sure this rich data base is constantly growing. Stay up-to-date EPALE will keep you informed about the latest news and developments in the sector, in your country and across Europe.

How to get involved? To take advantage of all the features EPALE has to offer you just need to register on the platform.

……

Create your EPALE profile Make it easier to network and connect with your peers and other members on the platform by completing your profile and including as much information as possible. Let the community know about your professional experience and interests, or current projects.

Engage in discussions EPALE has five broad thematic areas which encourage peer-to-peer cooperation, with forums, commenting, rating, and polling. The thematic pages are a space to provide information and an area where like-minded users can come together.

Share your thoughts If you are passionate about blogging, we would love to hear your thoughts on different adult learning topics. With just a few clicks you can propose your blog post for publication. Just visit EPALE’s blog section to get started.

Keep the community updated Found an interesting resource? Learnt about a new methodology or an upcoming event on adult learning? Sharing that information on EPALE is easy and straightforward. Within minutes you can post new content on the platform and spread the word amongst your peers. Visit EPALE’s news, resource or event section to find out more.

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