Project Aim:

The project aimed to empower refugees—especially those living in isolation and facing discrimination—by creating safe spaces for dialogue, sharing personal experiences, and developing strategies for self-organization.

Activities Implemented

3 moderated group workshops held in Bad Belzig, Teltow, and Potsdam

• Exchange sessions with newly arrived refugees to discuss barriers to work, education, and inclusion
• Special focus groups with refugees with disabilities, highlighting the gap between formal recognition and real-life support
• Case discussions of serious discrimination experiences, including one from a participant in private housing
• Networking meeting with refugee-led initiatives to develop ideas for their own community actions

Key Insights

Participants expressed strong motivation to take on active roles in their communities but lacked access to resources, recognition, and support. The project showed that sustainable empowerment requires trust, access to space, and long term backing.

Outcomes

• Strengthened peer connections among refugees
• Increased awareness of institutional challenges
• First steps toward independent refugee-led initiatives
• Raised visibility of refugee voices and needs

One attendee shared:
“I thought I was alone—until I met people who understood me.”

Supported by: Gemeinschaftsfonds Zukunftswege Ost