REFUGEES WELCOME INFORMATION

„How can I support?“

Questions and answers to some important aspects regarding

support and work with refugees

Refugees Welcome Information

Please be aware that this is just a brief overview and cannot possibly answer every question in detail. If you have any feedback at all please do not hesitate to contact us.

About us:

"Refugees Welcome Information" is a group of people who provide information for refugees and their supporters on a blog. Our blog has different categories, for example „Language“, „Legal advice“ or „Health“. Our goal is to provide people with information so they can lead a self-determined and free life.

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REFUGEES WELCOME INFORMATION

Refugees Welcome Information

„I don't speak the language, how am I supposed to communicate?“

We get this question a lot and it is indeed justified, as language is a very important key to working with people. Therefore we have a few suggestions that might be helpful.

Our partner "Refugees Phrase Book" has a big selection of languages that are available for downloading and printing. The phrase book contains a lot of important words and sentences that make communication easier. It is available in more than 20 languages and is divided into different topics that might be relevant to refugees. There is also the Piktobuch, which depicts individual words.

In some cases a dictionary is not enough, though. In those cases it is important to have an interpreter available or look for a person within a group that speaks English or other languages and might be able to translate. Especially for appointments with authorities it is vitally important to have someone who knows the person in question and can translate important decisions or situations. Refugees are entitled to an interpreter when it comes to their asylum procedure.

For you as a supporter it is important to speak slowly and clearly and respect wishes and criticism from people. There is no problem with speaking slowly or repeating some things and sometimes it improves communication. Please make sure you use proper grammar and don't behave condescendingly when someone does not speak a language perfectly.

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Refugees Welcome Information

„Where can I help?“ A lot of people ask this question as it is often unclear where to ask whether and where their help is needed. In almost every big city there are groups, that work with refugees, for example „Refugees Welcome“ groups or initiatives that plan activities. It is important to know those groups and join their meetings. It may feel weird at the beginning, but these meetings are useful to get to know people and ask how you can help. Sometimes it might be a good idea to go to reception centres or youth clubs and ask whether and where help is needed. Cultural centres and family centres could also be helpful contact points. There are also political groups, that show solidarity and offer support options. Just ask in your city or community.

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Refugees Welcome Information

„The culture is totally different, I'm scared of making mistakes!“

A lot of supporters have that fear, but if you show some self-reflection and collect a bit of information there is no need to worry. Most cultural differences are just a product of prejudice and stereotypes. There are quite a few different statements that can in most cases be eliminated by talking to people. Asking questions and talking to people is the first step towards avoiding mistakes. It is important to question and reflect your own assumptions and stereotypes at all times. Your goal must be sensitisation regarding culture and your own position. We want to emphasize that most supporters are part of the majority society and therefore have a different position within society as refugees. It is therefore very important to reflect this position and your consequential privileges and act accordingly. To ensure this exchange with other supporters is crucial. It is also vital to broaden your knowledge about racism, discrimination and cultural conventions as this is the only way to ensure practical solidarity. Make use of available education and try to sensitise yourself for conflicts and problems as well as sucess and positive things. Solidarity never works top down but only on equal grounds.

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Refugees Welcome Information

„Know and respect your and other people’s limits!“

Working with refugees might show you your limits sometimes. Respect those limits and try to reflect what you can give and how much of it. It is important to take breaks and get some distance at times. You should always make time to just be with yourself. Can I still do this? How far can I go? How good is my work? These could be the questions you should ask yourself. It is always important to take other people’s wishes and suggestions seriously and implement them if possible. Be aware that you are working with people. People have perceptions, hopes, dreams, problems, ideas, power, ressources. Try to be aware of that at all times while communicating and always be aware of your own position.

„Try to create a reliable framework!“

In our experience, a reliable framework is important. The most important points are relationship work, responsibility and longevity. This should not deter you from working with people, but you should ask yourself whether you are able to offer a confiding and reliable framework for a longer period of time. Everyday life and reliability are an important part of working with people, as the relationship is a basis of trust and a good feeling for everyone involved. Only support where your support is wanted. Don't be condescending. Work with people, not for people. Be a part of it and develop ideas with people, not for them.

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Refugees Welcome Information

„Inform yourself as well as possible!“ Life is often shaped by legal requirements and complicated cicumstances for refugees. Get information about the asylum law and other official aspects refugees are probably facing. It is important to know a few basic terms like asylum, toleration, deportation, residential obligation and others regarding an ongoing asylum process. It would be best, if you could also answer at least some questions concerning these terms. If you need a professional or if you are unsure regarding some of the questions you can find advice centres throughout Germany here: legal advice.

„Reflect yourself and contribute politically.“ We strongly believe that working with people always requires self-reflection and review of your own actions. You should continually question yourself and your actions and try to improve what you are doing. Also you should try to make a connection between your own work and political cirumstances. We believe there is a connection, as the social mood as well as political decisions regarding the behaviour towards refugees influence the entire context.

Besides welcoming and practical solidarity (for example Alarmphone or "Welcome to Europe") there is also racism and institutional discrimination as well as exclusion. The asylum tigthening and right-wing propaganda from CSU, Pegida and others are just some examples. Europes foreign affairs and the legal exclusion through asylum law have to be part of this criticism as well!

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Refugees Welcome Information

„Which one of the refugees should I help?“ We don't think that question should be asked at all. Support where it is needed. Sometimes people talk about „proper“ and „improper“ refugees and „economic refugees“. We condemn this classification as it is not our decision who is eligible to flee his*her country and who isn't. Every refugee should get the support they need and want. Therefore, support where it is wanted. Don't judge people or their reasons to flee their country. Start a conversation.

„What's left now?“ Pracitical solidarity and political education should be the goal of your actions. If you want to get more information check out our Blog or get information in local groups or human rights organisations. Get in touch with other people and take action as best as you can. Working with refugees is necessarily political.

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Solidarity has to become practical and political.

Against exclusion and isolation.

Solidarity with all refugees.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/welcome_infopad

Blog: http://refugeeswelcomepad.wordpress.com

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Mail: refugeeswelcomeinfo[@]riseup.net

Hashtag: #refugeeswelcomeinfo

Refugees Welcome Information

Glossary

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Asylum

Asylum means a residence permit for a period of three years. In some cases a settlement permit follows after that. The asylum process is regulated in the Asylum Procedure Act (AsylVfG).

Allocation

The arriving refugees are being allocated throughout Germany using the „Königssteiner Schlüssel“, a method of allocation.

Central facility for accomodation (german: ZUE)

After accomodation in a reception center refugees are often taken to a ZUE. They stay there for a few weeks and are then taken to the municipality of the relevant state.

Refugees Welcome Information

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Deportation

Deportation is the request to return to the country somebody came from. Often violence is being used to deport refugees. This political action strongly dissents equality and equal treatment.

Discrimination

Discrimination means vilification of a certain group of people. Discrimination occurs in all parts of society, for example in schools and police operations, which is also called institutional discrimination. As manifold as the parts it occurs in are the reasons for discrimination. Some people are for example being discriminated for their skin colour, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or disabilities.

Dublin-Regulation

Responsible for a refugee is the country where ever they are first registered within the EU. When someone is deported they could be send back to the country within the EU where they were first registered.

Refugees Welcome Information

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Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF)

This is an authority of the Ministry of Interal Affairs (Bundesministerium), which is responsible for the processing of asylum application as well as the organisation of reception centres. It is also responsible for deportation of refugees.

Einbürgerung (in Germany)

„Einbürgerung“ means getting the German citizenship. One has to apply for it, which costs around 100 Euro per Person. Naturalisation is tied to strict requirements, such as a legal residence permit or a longer stay in Germany.

„Economic refugee“

This term denominates a person leaving their country due to existence-threatening economical conditions.

Refugees Welcome Information

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Illegal Stay

A person is considered illegal when they don't have valid papers and therefore no right of residency.

Majority Society

Majority society is that part of society that defines the cultural standard through their numerical dominance.

Privileges

Advantage resulting from own social position. The results are unequal conditions.

Prejudices

Prejudices are methods of thinking, that are based on wrong and rigid generalisations. Prejudices can be expressed or just felt. They can be directed towards a group or an individual because it is a member of said group.

Refugees Welcome Information

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Residential obligation

Refugees are not allowed to leave their assigned urban district, county or state without legal permission.

Safe country of origin People who flee from a allegedly safe country have no legal right to asylum. The Asylum Procedure Act considers for example Serbia, Albania and Kongo as safe countries of origin. Also, all EU countries are considered safe countries.

Reception Centres (german: EAE)

Reception centres are a branch of the BAMF. Refugees are being registered there. Allocation to a certain camp takes place in due consideration of the calculated acception rate for a certain state and the refugees origin (see ‚Allocation’).

Refugees Welcome Information

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Toleration (Duldung)

Toleration means the temporary suspension of deportation. Toleration is regulated by the Asylum Procedure Act (german: Asylverfahrensgesetz).

Stereotypes

When comparing the terms of „stereotype“ and „prejudice“, prejudices are rather unconscious mindsets and attributions. Stereotypes on the other hand are conscious perceptual judgements. This comparison should under no circumstances lead to relativization of prejudices as opposed to stereotypes.

REFUGEES WELCOME INFORMATION