ZusammenReden (TalkingTogether)

The overall goal of this project is to create meeting spaces that promote exchange between all social groups in order to minimize potential for social conflict. 

A good coexistence for everyone can only succeed if people approach one another. “ZusammenReden“ created a space for such encounters, in which people could talk to one another, learn from one another and break down prejudices. “ZusammenReden“ has shown that even deep rifts can be overcome in a dialogue at eye level, in direct conversation between people. 

 As part of the project “ZusammenReden” they created topic-specific workshops at schools. In the years 2009-2018 they also offered people in Lower Austrian municipalities and in Vienna districts a space to exchange knowledge, to work out various possible solutions on topics of integration and good coexistence.  

Year(s): 2009-2018

Target group(s): school staff, educators, people from different socio-cultural backgrounds

Website or other online channels: https://www.caritas-wien.at/hilfe-angebote/asyl-integration/miteinander/zusammenreden/ueber-zusammenreden/

Methodology

They developed a variety of methods.

Integration talks:

Public events, which are thematically tailored to the current needs in the respective communities and districts, increase awareness and knowledge about issues relevant to migration. A general social climate is promoted through dialogue and exchange, which perceives diversity as an enrichment and integration as an opportunity.

School Workshops:

In the context of interactive workshops with pupils at vocational schools and polytechnic schools, participatory methods promote knowledge and critical reflection on the topics of migration, flight, integration and diversity.

Teacher trainings:

Workshops for teachers. These provided inputs and the “tools” to work independently on topics related to diversity in the classroom.

Intercultural trainings:

 Tools for successful communication are conveyed through interactive methods. The aim is to sensitize the participants to the diversity in their environment and to promote their security in dealing with intercultural encounters.  

Type of product

Online resource Course / Training

Brief description of the outcomes

Here you can find the online Tool Box for Intercultural Competence:

Tool Box: Intercultural Competence

The aim of the intercultural competence training is to encourage the participants to reflect on their own cultural characteristics and identities and to understand the concept of intercultural competence. In addition, possible communication channels are practiced as part of an exercise based on challenging intercultural situations. The training is not a culture-specific, but a culture-general training. It is not the aim of the training to convey general instructions and lists of do's and don'ts. Solving individual conflicts also requires more than just such training; it requires appropriate expertise in conflict counseling and conflict resolution and, above all, time.

The PDF document they created include theoretical background of culture and intercultural competence:

• Definition of culture
• The diversity model
• Cultural standards and cultural dimensions
• Intercultural competence

The theoretical input is followed by a part of exercises and methods including:

• Guessing game (possible introductory exercise)
• Pen game
• Identity molecule
• Continuation exercise "hot air balloon"
• Albatross Island

 

 Here you can find the online Brochure about the summary of the last 10 Years (2009-2018) of the project:

Brochure: 10 Years ZusammenReden  

Impact on target groups / Transferability potential

Their goal was to create meeting spaces that promote exchange between all social groups and therefore minimize potential for social conflict.

The dialogue project “ZusammenReden” has brought together a wide variety of people in numerous communities and schools in Lower Austria and Vienna since 2009. They tried to make different viewpoints visible and audible and to promote a respectful culture of discussion based on well-founded information.

The transferability potential is given because a Tool Box has been put together with different options to provide knowledge about intercultural competence.

 Everyone can download the PDF Document with the relevant information and use the tools to implement in their trainings.  

Promoter of the initiative: Caritas

Country: Austria

Languages available: German

Website or other online channels: https://www.caritas-wien.at