In fall 2016 we provided apartments for around 60 former refugees in our residential complex in Berlin-Zehlendorf. In order to help these new tenants to feel like home and help them integrate in the existing neighborhood, we opened the “Welcome Office” .

Key facts:

• Office ours: Daily from 9am to 6pm

• Run by two experts in the socio-educational field that provide advice and counselling every day (two 50% part-time positions)

• Supported by volunteers (community management)

• The rooms are provides by the Hilfswerk-Siedlung Gmbh (HWS)

• The experts running the office belong to the organization “Berliner Stadtmission (Berlin City Mission)

• The overall costs are covered by HWS, including the salary of the two experts in charge

Activities:

1. neighbourly cohabitation

- coffee afternoons for all and for women only

- discussion groups for various topics

- joint celebrations

- games night

2. Education, culture and sports

- daily homework support by volunteers and former refugees that used to be teachers

- one-on-one coaching for children that need special support

- Weekly kids-day with different sports and musical activities or excursions

- Computer classes

- language partnerships

- guitar classes

- language classes (several times a week)

- counselling with official procederes and accompaniment visiting public authorities

3. Democracy and teaching of values

4. Health counselling and accompaniment to doctors