At the end of April, we held a workshop with 14 young war refugees from Ukraine. The aim of the meeting was for the young people to actively participate in the program content and to express their ideas and needs.
It is a sunny Thursday afternoon at the end of April. An unusual group has gathered in the pavilion of the Gartenstadt restaurant in Münchenstein - 14 young people between the ages of 16 and 21, 4 counselors from terre des hommes schweiz and two translators. The latter are essential, as some of the young people do not speak English. Only a few weeks ago, they lived in their home country, Ukraine. War and destruction have driven them to flee to the West. A journey full of uncertainty and without a destination.
In view of these circumstances, it was all the more impressive to see the motivation with which the young refugees took part in the meeting: "We encountered open, curious and outgoing young people that afternoon. Only very few were shy and didn't want to talk, the vast majority were full of energy. They really enjoyed being able to exchange ideas with each other in Ukrainian," reports Catherine Brunold, MePower project coordinator at terre des hommes switzerland.
By young people for young people
Participatory involvement is the core idea of the MePower project: The young people were able to exchange and network about their feelings, fears and perspectives through creative work and lively discussions. In addition, they learn more about their rights and opportunities as asylum seekers in Switzerland through the MePower project.
The positive feedback from the participants is motivating and creates anticipation for the next regulars' table. "The young people were impressed by the participatory work, and many of them would like to actively help organize the project. This makes solution-oriented work fun. My heart sank!" adds Catherine Brunold.
Grab Furniture & Support MePower
Since in the middle of June move to the kHaus in Kleinbasel, we sell our no longer needed office furniture on tutti.ch. With your purchase you support our project MePower for refugee youth from Ukraine. Through this link you will find all the advertisements.
And if you do not have a need for new furniture at the moment, you can also directly support the project "MePower Ukraine". with a donation support. Many thanks!
The MePower project of terre des hommes switzerland supports young people with a refugee background in learning about their strengths and opportunities. It also creates a supportive network among peers that enables them to develop new perspectives. More about the MePower project.
