Empowerment and promotion of socio-political engagement in the GKZ

The wave of migration brought about by the financial crisis still presents us with new challenges. New migrants need our support or initial orientation in integration into urban society, in particular due to language barriers. Migrants of the first, second and third generation need support for the social participation and preservation of cultural identity in the foreign world. In the communities of Greek Muslims & Roma, multiple discrimination and marginalisation remains very problematic. The need for support is therefore particularly high among these groups. The image of Greece in the country has deteriorated since the beginning of the European economic crisis. For those Berliners who are interested in our country, we want to paint a different picture through cultural, social & political activities.

  1. Project objectives

Our project "Empowerment and promotion of socio-political engagement in the GKZ" uses the experience gained to support the integration of persons of Greek origin in the integration into the host society. The GKZ is the point of contact for all the needs and concerns of the Greeks in Berlin and thus functions as a socio-cultural centre and platform for the democratic formation of the community's will.

Empowerment of migrants of Greek origin

  • General social counselling (telephone and personal) to remove barriers to access to the education, health and social care system and labour market integration, e.g. Support for administrative procedures and correspondence with public authorities in Germany and Greece, in search of work and housing, information on freedom of movement, registration, health & social security, bank account opening, self-employment, start-up of a business, Pension matters u. v. m.
  • Orientation "at the first steps" in Berlin and mediation of domestic structures and cultural conditions
  • Teaching institutions for learning the German language, further education, training and study at Berlin universities and colleges
  • Referral advice to specialists, organisations or counselling centres on social services, recognition of foreign professional qualifications, legal advice and tax and/or Financial matters
  • Info-Events on the following topics:
  • Labour law
  • Recognition of foreign professional qualifications
  • Accommodation
  • Health care system in Germany
  • Safety of senior citizens in cooperation with the LKA Berlin Department of Prevention – Senior Safety
  • Support qualification of trainees and federal volunteers (approx. 5 places annually)
  • Help for self-help
  • Regular table for Greek-speaking migrants
  • Healthy ageing in a stranger
  • Maintaining and promoting the Greek language and culture through the educational and cultural programme of the 15 associations and 21 groups of the GKZ
  • Maintaining a library
  • Promoting social engagement and political participation
  • Events on current-political topics
  • Roundtable with other migrant self-organisations on democracy
  • Maintenance and extension of the network of volunteers through regular meetings to evaluate and plan the activities of its four subgroups, accompaniment, translation, psychosocial support, culture
  • Participation advisory councils, bodies, conferences and network meetings on integration policy issues to represent the interests of the Greek Community
  • Elections and general meetings of the associations of the GKZ  and the parties
  • Anti-racist film festival "Out of the Night" with panel discussions
  • Contact point in Steglitz-Zehlendorf of the register for the recording of far-right and discriminatory incidents: inclusion of reports in the GKZ for forwarding
  • Event in cooperation with the Register for the Recording of Far-Right and Discriminatory Incidents in Steglitz-Zehlendorf on the subject of Discrimination
  • Cross-origin cooperation and networking
  • Cooperation with the umbrella associations OEK – Association of Greek Municipalities, BAGIV – Federal Association of Immigrant Associations in Germany And VIA –  Association for Intercultural Work Regional Association Berlin- Brandenburg e.V.  and participation in the Federal Conference of the migrant organisation
  • Cooperation with Club Dialog e. V., Welcome Alliance for Refugees in Steglitz-Zehlendorf, Mittelhof e. V., NIS – Network Integration Southwest e. V. , BW – Bildungswelt GmbH, Grenzgänger Berlin Netzwerk Migration in Europa e.V., Register office for the recording of extreme right-wing and discriminatory incidents in Steglitz-Zehlendorf, Caritasverband für der Erzbistum Berlin e.V., Kita FILIA, Initiative Mittelstraße, Chess company Lasker Steglitz-Wilmersdorf e.V.
  • Coordination of the 15 Greek associations of the GKZ, support in their Public relations and organisation of (joint) events
  • Networking and exchange with the Greek Embassy in Berlin, in particular the Consular Department, the Senate Administration for Integration, Labour and Social Affairs, the Agency for Employment, the Steglitz-Zehlendorf district office, the Advisory Board for Integration and migration in Steglitz-Zehlendorf
  • Strengthening and expanding networking with the district actors, as well as Cooperation on specific topics
  • Exchange meeting coordination of cooperation with the only two Greek-speaking counselling centres in Berlin, the DGB Work and Life e.V. and the to Spiti association
  1. Target groups
  • People of Greek origin in Berlin-Brandenburg

The Number of Greeks registered in Berlin is 21,210 people registered, approx. 25.000 together with those who also hold German nationality and 1,300 people in Brandenburg.

  • New migrants from Greece

The new generation of migrants, very different social layers. On the one hand, there are (highly) qualified academics and well-trained skilled workers who have a significant potential for knowledge and skills. They speak several languages and bring with them a high degree of integration capacity. This target group needs help to find their way around the administrative structures and to improve their language skills and to expand or extend the learn the German language in order to have a professional activity in accordance with their qualifications. The successful Labour market integration counteracts the shortage of skilled workers. On the other hand On the side comes another group of immigrants without vocational training. The most, even if they speak good English, often cannot speak German and need help with the first orientation.

  • Migrants of Greek origin (1. 2. & 3. Generation)

The the first generation of migrants consists mainly of Guest workers who have come to Berlin since the 1960s. Many still do not have sufficient knowledge of the German language and continue to need integration support. For them, this is Greek Cultural Centre is an important meeting place for social contacts maintain the relationship to the homeland and the cultural identity of the to prevent. Most of them are retired in the meantime. The second and third generation are their children and grandchildren.

  • Greek Muslims and Roma

Greek Muslims, mainly from Western Thrace, and Roma from all over the World Greece is a particularly sensitive target group, as for them the linguistic barrier is particularly high (some are illiterate or insufficient school education) and, in some cases, the family structures and cultural and/ religious circumstances their participation in to make more difficult. The main problems of many Greek Roma are the housing situation, discrimination due to a lack of education and the difficult access to the labour market.

  • people with a migrant background from Cyprus as well as southern & Eastern European states

Greek-speaking South-Eastern Europeans, Such as. from Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, who lived in Greece for years and do not have a comprehensive support centre for their countries of origin in Berlin. the advisory and support services of HGB e.V. in the right way. People coming from Cyprus have been arrested because of their close ties to Greece has a special position and is actively involved in the GKZ.

  • Berliners who are committed to Greek culture and Interesting language

Promoting cultural events in the GKZ intercultural dialogue between people from different backgrounds and make it possible to get to know Greek culture, language and Hospitality.

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