Be welcome

"We are where people need us."

This is the guiding principle of the Evangelischer Verein für Innere Mission in Nassau (EVIM). The "Be Welcome" sponsorship program for refugees, launched in November 2015, is also committed to this idea and was made possible thanks to many years of experience in the field of volunteer work.

With our program, we now support refugees and migrant workers in settling in Germany by finding committed mentors who volunteer to accompany these people on part of their journey. In the process, both mentors and their "tandem partners" enjoy interesting encounters, learn from each other, and gain new experiences.

When matching tandems, we place particular emphasis on bringing together people with similar interests and ideas about mentoring. That's why we invite all interested parties to a personal interview so that we can get to know them and make a suitable match for a mentoring relationship.

Whether families with children, couples, single people, or single parents: people are all different, and so are the sponsorships and how they are structured. Possible options include:

• Joint leisure activities
• Support in everyday life, e.g., accompanying the child to doctor's appointments and visits to government offices
• Support with school matters, e.g., with children's homework or language course assignments
• Guidance in finding a training place and starting a career
• Using and practicing language skills in everyday life and during joint activities

Intercultural encounters and the exchange of experiences between all participants play an important role in all activities. The timing and content of the sponsorship will be discussed individually between you and your "tandem" during the introductory meeting.

Despite all your commitment, there are sometimes questions and obstacles that you, as a sponsor, should not have to deal with alone. We offer you various options for support and guidance:

• An educational coordinator is available as your direct contact person, advising and supporting you with any questions or problems you may have.
• There is the opportunity for regular exchange with other mentors.
• Regular information on a wide range of topics via email
• Information on internal and external free training courses
• Participation in EVIM activities and events

The following basic requirements must be met in order for volunteer work with refugees and migrant workers to be successful. If you would like to get involved and volunteer with "Be welcome," you should share this self-image.

Openness and tolerance
It is important to us to perceive and respect each individual with their personal characteristics and values. It is important to us to be sensitive to cultural differences and to treat refugees and migrant workers with interest, acceptance, and tolerance.

Meeting on equal terms
We meet refugees on equal terms. Respect and mutual openness to each other's cultures is the basis for any relationship of give and take.

Trust and confidentiality For
us, trust is the foundation of our interactions. This also means that our counterparts can be sure that we will not disclose confidential information.

Photography
Every person has the right to their own image. We only take photographs with express permission and do not publish any photos. We do not post pictures of refugees on the internet or social networks without permission, as this could potentially endanger the safety of people with a refugee background.

Please also refer to our guidelines for mentors and the EVIM guidelines, which you can find in the "Information material for download" section.

Flyer: Be welcome (PDF)