As of: February 15, 2024, 7:00 a.m
By: Tobias Gmach
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The latest offer from the Berger Helferkreis: People from different nationalities speak German to each other in a relaxed manner in the language café.
We have two rules: only German is spoken and no corrections are made.
It's about overcoming the inhibition threshold.
Iradj Teymurian, founder of the Asylum and Integration Helper Group in Berg © Helferkreis
The Berger Helferkreis is asking for financial help in order to be able to finance language and sports courses for refugees.
The volunteers would also like to welcome one or two locals to the new language café.
Berg – Many committed people, many different projects and, above all, continuity: The asylum and integration helper group in the municipality of Berg is a model example of its kind. But even it gets problems sometimes.
The volunteers have not made a major appeal for donations for several years because the support came naturally - but now they are asking for financial help.
On the one hand, so that the helper group can relieve Ukrainians of the fees for German courses, and on the other hand, so that children of refugees can be offered sports.
Meanwhile, the asylum helpers would be happy to receive other support for the new language café - personnel.
Iradj Teymurian, who founded the helper group in 2013 and is still very involved at the age of 77, explains the background to Starnberger Merkur.
Several Ukrainian war refugees who live in Berg have now completed B1 German courses and are now aiming for the advanced B2 level.
However, the job center no longer covers the costs.
“Some need the courses for their career advancement,” says Teymurian.
“For certain employers they are a requirement.” And covering the costs with citizens’ money is difficult.
The helper group founder also emphasizes that the volunteers don't care why the Ukrainians want to reach the B2 level.
“If you want to learn German well, we will support you and support you wherever we can.” However, the group of helpers will not cover all of the fees.
Teymurian's general belief: "The first step must come from the refugees, then I take the next five with them."
New offer: Language café every Friday from 5 p.m
Because the adult education center does not have enough (large) premises, its teachers come to the Protestant community's Katharina von Bora House in Berg for the certified German courses.
For about a year now, however, the group of helpers has had to contribute to the increased heating costs - another reason for the request for donations.
And the next one: The helper group organizes sports activities for children of refugees twice a week.
“The educator has to be paid,” says Teymurian.
For the time being, members cover the costs themselves on a monthly basis.
The volunteers have newly established the weekly language café, which takes place every Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Etztal residential center.
The concept: Just start talking, get to know each other and get a foothold in the language.
“We have two rules: only German is spoken and no corrections are made.
It’s about overcoming the inhibition threshold,” says Teymurian.
In the language café you always learn interesting things: For example, a Sudanese man, when asked about the biggest festival in his country, said January 1st was Independence Day.
However, Teymurian would like other locals, apart from the asylum seekers, to also stop by the Etztal residential center on Fridays.
“The refugees from the container accommodation in particular have too little contact with the population.”
The municipality of Berg finances an asylum counselor who helps refugees with matters such as dealing with authorities.
The municipality provided 35,000 euros for this last year.
In addition, she pays rent and additional costs of around 13,000 euros per year for a room in the container village that the group of helpers can use.
The donation account
of the helper circle runs through the Evangelical Lutheran Church Community of Berg, intended purpose “Asylum Helper Circle”, Volksbank Raiffeisenbank Starnberg-Herrsching-Landsberg eG, IBAN: DE11700932000004712986, BIC: GENODEF1STH.
You can register for the language café by sending an email to mail@asyl-in-berg.de.
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