#06 - Begegnungscafe Babelsberg w/ Volunteer Katharina - A Place to Meet and Time to Talk

This week you'll hear from Katharina, a volunteer with the Begegnungscafe Babelsberg.

We discuss what it's like to be a volunteer in Geramny and Katharina draws on her experience of helping at refugee integration organizations in several German Bundesländer (States of Germany).

We hear about the struggles of community integration, some of the successful approaches, and why this organization has been successful in bringing together around 100 locals and refugees each week.

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Chapters

• 2:18 Introduction of today's Guest, Katharina
• 3:03 Introducing Begegnungscafe Babelsberg
• 3:54 Describing the people who come
• 5:15 Effects of coronavirus
• 6:28 What is a normal meeting of the Begegnungscafe like?
• 11:17 Factors that have made this organization successful.
• 15:00 Discussion on the challenges and lessons learned.
• 18:56 Barriers for refugees and opinions on migration.
• 26:45 Misconceptions about refugees, understanding reasons for migration, and the need for trauma care.
• 31:52 Effective programming for refugees: language courses, meeting places, mobility, buddy programs, help from neighbors.
• 40:44 Concluding remarks: foreign credentials, educational programs.
• 43:26 Outro from Zak: get in touch, how to learn more.