Together for integration: cooperation with the Tiefenau collective accommodation centre

Between 200 and 300 refugees currently live in the Tiefenau collective accommodation centre in Bern - soon there will be even more, as residents from the temporary Viererfeld accommodation centre will be added. The accommodation, a former hospital, already offers various integration programmes such as a choir, a German café and soon also a second-hand shop and a writing room.

Thanks to the close collaboration between SPORTEGRATION and Steve, the coordinator for integration programmes, two sports courses have also been established at the accommodation: a running training course and a polysport programme. But the success of the sports programmes is not just down to organisation and planning - it is down to the people who get involved and invest their time.

Steve, Jonas and Zahra - the driving forces behind the cooperation

Steve is our main contact person for the sports courses and a central figure in the cooperation. In addition to his work for the Tiefenau collective accommodation centre, he is also a social worker for the Salvation Army. His role goes far beyond the sports courses: he helps us to network with volunteers, supports us in the search for new locations, organises the necessary equipment for the training sessions and actively promotes the courses locally. His commitment impressively demonstrates how important committed individuals are for successful integration. Only 15% of his salary is covered by the state, the rest is financed by the church or the Salvation Army - an example of how much is possible through personal initiative and private support.

However, sustainable cooperation depends not only on strong coordination, but also on the commitment of local people. Jonas is representative of the many volunteers who are involved in our programme. He motivates and mobilises other volunteers and works with them to ensure that the courses run smoothly. Equally valuable is the commitment of Zahra, a resident of the collective accommodation centre. She is passionately committed to ensuring that more and more people within the accommodation find their way to our sports courses and become part of the SPORTEGRATION community.

Integration as a communal task

A central goal of the Tiefenau collective accommodation is not only to connect refugees with each other, but also to actively involve the neighbourhood and the civilian population in the integration process. A networking meeting organised by Steve led to numerous committed people from the neighbourhood coming forward to make their contribution. This voluntary commitment shows that integration becomes more efficient when society is actively involved. #togetherwearebetter

Would you like to get involved in integration?

You can be part of this movement too! If you would like to volunteer with SPORTEGRATION, register here: Become a volunteer.