Wind
- Brückenwind is an association that since 2017 takes a critical look at volunteering and activist support work by white Europeans, especially for refugees and people in the asylum system.
- We are fundamentally convinced that volunteering offers a wide range of opportunities and is an important expression of human cohesion and solidarity. However, because we know from our own experience how quickly unequal access and privileges are reflected even in "well-intentioned" projects, we would like to draw attention to the dangers of possible dependency and power relations in volunteer work.
- By critically monitoring volunteer work and the motivations, needs and consequences for all those involved, we aim to promote both a sense of responsibility and a critical reflection on one's own position in society - and above all among (potential) volunteers.
- We are currently working mostly through our online seminar and workshops with volunteers who are mainly involved in projects with and for refugees at Europe's (external) borders. We believe that this form of volunteer work is a necessary commitment to civil society. At the same time, social power relations and inequalities are emerging here in particular, which we would like to critically analyse. Our content is also applicable to volunteering in many other contexts in Germany and other countries.
For Volunteers
Online support for volunteers
The Online Seminar wants to enable volunteers to critically and reflexively deal with their expectations and experience regarding their volunteering stay and provide crucial information, as well as valuable tips along the way. Through this online support, we want to help you to understand your own positioning as a volunteer and provide you with important orientation, information and suggestions.
Workshops
In our workshops, we would like to draw attention to various critical aspects of international volunteering. We deal with volunteering in the context of (forced) migration and so-called development cooperation, as well as related issues and problems. These include racism and Eurocentrism, paternalism and the "aid" narrative, white saviourism and voluntourism. We believe that by addressing these issues directly, we can contribute to a fairer and more open society. Our workshops are designed to encourage open dialogue, self-reflection and a deeper understanding of issues that strengthen different perspectives.
Our work takes place in mutual exchange, is receptive to ideas and suggestions and therefore remains open in its outcome. It should be accessible to anyone who is interested, i.e. we want to organise the topics in such a way that everyone can understand them and join in the discussion.
If you are interested in workshops, please contact kontakt@brueckenwind.org
Join us
You think it is important to critically engage with structural and social power relations?
You want to get politically and pedagogically involved and like to discuss social issues?
You want to contribute your energies, ideas and social visions to a team of volunteers?
Then feel free to contact us!
How do we work?
- Each of us invests different amounts of time and work into our association, depending on our current situation and capacities. However, a certain degree of continuous commitment is a matter of course for us.
- We live in many different cities across Germany and therefore work mainly online in different teams. But we also try to meet regularly for mutual exchange.
- At the moment, we all speak German and therefore also work together in German - but no knowledge of German does not have to be an exclusion criterion if you are interested to join us.
Become a member
- We are always happy to welcome new members from all parts of society!
- It is not important to us whether you have already dealt with international volunteering in depth or are simply interested in doing so together with us in the future!
- Anyone who enjoys working together in projects, events, educational programmes or social media can join us.
- If you would like to get involved with us, please email us at kontakt@brueckenwind.org. Write us a few words about yourself, your motivation why you want to get involved, and maybe even if you already have ideas about how you would like to contribute.
