«The aim is to share a piece of everyday life»
Ms Imhof, the Swiss Red Cross is looking for volunteers to help foreign-language children, teenagers and young adults integrate into the «Amongst Us» programme. How does it work?
The project is aimed at individuals and families who would like to open their home to a young guest and share a part of their everyday life with them for two to three hours a week. For example, by cooking, doing handicrafts or shopping together.
The aim is an uncomplicated get-together that familiarises the foreign-language participants with life in Switzerland and gives them the opportunity to improve their German language skills.
What criteria must hosts fulfil?
Having the time and interest to host a foreign-language child or young person is the most important prerequisite. Especially at the beginning, it is crucial that the visits can take place regularly and that hosts keep time free for them.
Apart from being of legal age, volunteers do not have to fulfil any special criteria. We clarify all requests carefully and provide support to hosts during the assignment.
Some families also help their visitor with homework, job applications or correspondence. A volunteer placement lasts a minimum of six months and a maximum of four years.
Information on the volunteer projects of the Swiss Red Cross:
- Zurich: www.srk-zuerich.ch/gastgeberin-oder-gastgeber-werden
- Schaffhausen: www.srk-schaffhausen.ch/soziale-integration
- Baselland: www.srk-baselland.ch/soziales-und-integration
- Basel-Stadt: www.srk-basel.ch/freizeitgotte-goetti
- Aargau: www.srk-aargau.ch/mentoring
- Solothurn: www.srk-solothurn.ch/mentoring-fuer-minderjaehrige
What background do these children and young people have?
Some children were born in Switzerland but did not have much opportunity to learn German in the first few years of their lives.
The majority are unaccompanied adolescents and young adults who have fled and have already gained a foothold in this country, are attending school or doing an apprenticeship.
As young people who have left family and friends behind, they need to establish reliable social relationships outside of school and work.
