(updated on January 26, 2018)

Initial Project Description as of September 2017


The project's primary objective is to foster the integration of refugees into the working world. In order to reach this end, the project is designed to provide a forum for interaction between refugees, executives of several well-known companies in the Bonn area, students of the Alanus University in Alfter, volunteers that work at the association called Ausbildung statt Abschiebung, and researchers employed at the Deutsche Institut für Erwachsenenbildung.
From a scientific point of view, we are trying to gain insights into both problems hindering as well as benefits resulting from the integration of refugees into the German labor market; in particular, we want to heighten general awareness of the difficulties involved in the process of integration. We would like to draw attention not only to the refugees, but also to the recruitment process and to existing measures to prepare refugees for their application process. In concrete terms, we intend to familiarize three smaller groups of refugees with the application process in Germany by helping them to realistically assess their own competences for the labor market, prepare their application documents accordingly and familiarize them with parts of the application process through role-playing. We will work together with the association Ausbildung statt Abschiebung  - in short, AsA – and draw from their programs designed to help refugees find employment. We will also work together with the Deutsche Institut für Erwachsenenbildung: the role-plays will take place and be recorded on the premises there. After a computer-aided analysis of the students of the "phase" (Philosophy, Arts and Social Entrepreneurship1) the results are presented on the DIE website.
Role-playing analyses are largely carried out using phenomenological and hermeneutic methods.

 

What the project aims to achieve


The fact that this project brings together business, science, education, young students and refugees means that it promises to have a strong disseminator effect.


First off, a group of 15 refugees will be made familiar with the application procedure and will draft their own application documents in digital form during the project. The Alanus students – by way of their involvement in workshops and role plays – will gain a thorough understanding of the refugee’s situation in Germany and become familiar with the local labor market and application procedures currently in vogue. Through the direct interaction, managers will gain an understanding of both the hurdles facing refugees but also possible benefits resulting from successful integration. These findings will be passed on to the business community and will certainly bring about changes in the way some executives deal with refugees. Since some of our educational measures will be evaluated in co-operation with Ausbildung statt Abschiebung (AsA) and the Deutsche Institut für Erwachsenenbildung, we will be able to provide food for thought regarding the effectiveness of these educational measures. This should not only provide important feedback for the association AsA, but will be reflected in further research undertaken by the Deutsche Institut für Erwachsenenbildung.

 

 

 

The Kick-Off Event with Managers on the 20th of September, 2017

 Rerpesentative from the following regional companies did representations on the kind of positions they have and what their application process looks like: Deutschen Post,  Care Concept,  Fahrrad Hangelar Mitte,  Hotel zur Post,  Kartonagenfabrik Andreas Gemein,  B&R Maschienenbau and the Stadt Bonn.

 

The Kick-Off Event with the Refugees on the 27th of September, 2017

 

 The Association Ausbildung statt Abschiebung was represented at the meeting, and they were also quite helpful in establishing contacts to many refugees.

 

 Application training on October 12, 2018

 

 

Practicing the Role Plays on October 26, 2017

 

 

First Academic Discussion with the Deutsches Institut für Erwachsenenbildung

 

 

Actual Role Plays at the Deutsches Institut für Erwachsenenbildung