01.03.2006, Stuttgart
Forming teams against frustration: training course for unemployed migrants
Nothing is more frustrating for unemployed persons than sending out countless unsuccessful applications. They loose their self-confidence and regard their skills and talents as useless. Academie Silberburg, a training institution from Stuttgart and a partner of the DP zip., wants to counter that despondency. They offer training courses for individuals with German and foreign passports that aim at helping them to rediscover their resources and to form networks. Small teams should assist and motivate each other after the course which last one to one and a half days.
During the training courses “Appreciative Inquiry” is used as one of the methods. With this method the focus does not lie on problems and shortcomings of the participants. The participants are rather seen as creative and competent individuals, says Dr. Heinz Hinz, an educational scientist working a Silberburg. In mutual interviews the participants can discover and experience their own skills. They practice to put their skills and and competencies into words and use them goal directed in their job search. This is a method which is according to Dr Hinz is especially suited for employment seeking migrants.
The participants should learn to free themselves from the frustration often accompanying unemployment and thus become active. Part of the course is the formation of teams, consisting of four to six persons which continue meeting after the end of the course to support each others. The members of the teams can report there what they have undertaken for the achievement of their goals. The team than can give feedback on the actions and encourage further steps to be taken by the team member.
This article was originally published in German in the magazine "Interkultur Stuttgart", March 2006
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