After following the Unmonastery idea from the background and simultaneously getting closer to move into my new apartment in Neukölln I finally concluded that my first idea back in Strasbourg seems to make total sense. The Schillerkiez is a great challenge on different levels and since I will be living there as a neighbour my personal interest of getting in touch with the people and become part of the community is natural. So my plan is to start a project there.
My idea is to basically unite all the little pieces of my personal skills toolbox, which should be extended by the participants of the neighbourhood, and to start an exchange on several levels with the people. I see a place of learning, making and building and becoming economically resilient as well as personal exchange, meeting and getting to know each other. So for example if I taught people how to make rings or other jewellery they then could teach each other, build their own jewellery, make stuff to sell or offer courses themselves and while doing all of this the community grows closer, people trust in each other.
first ideas for a project:
Local circumstances
SITUATION
The so called Schillerkiez in the south east of Berlin has become very famous in the last two years since the airport Tempelhof was closed. The neighbourhood has been a problematic spot eversince and known for its violence, poverty, unemployment, lack of education and migrational background. Yet the first signs of gentrification are no more to be denied, artists, cafés, galleries and real estate speculation continue to increase as well as the hatred of the “old inhabitants”. I started to get involved in it supposedly being on the side of the gentrifiers by buying an apartment. I became a target for hostility and started to ask myself how I could contribute to my new neighbourhood in a sustainable way that softens the frontiers and gives those who feel threatened of having to leave the chance to improve their situation, to enable themselves and to participate in growing a neighbourhood that is a functioning, diverse community. As an escapee from monocultural Prenzlauer Berg I don’t want to see this neighbourhood turn into the same boring dead stage of saturated status anxiety.
INITIATIVES IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD
“Schilleria” - Café for girls and young women, basically the only place in the neighbourhood where muslim girls can go without company and spend time with each other.
“Schillerpalais” - A place for art and action that helps to build community
“QuartiersManagement” - Office from the senate for local support, project funding (insufficient)
“Urban Gardening” - community gardening project on the Tempelhofer field.
PROBLEMS
– lack of continuous funding for social projects and initiatives (Schillerpalais)
– QuartiersManagement is too bureacratic, asks for big reports but doesn’t pay the people, funding is only for the project itself, it is expected by the people to work on a honorary basis.(!)
– Difficulty to motivate young people to take part in project, e.g. a play about the neighbourhood…
Project
BASIC GOAL
AWARENESS IS THE KEY TO CHANGE.
selfempowerment by education, sharing, exchange and community building
reduction of violence and prejudices, increase of interaction, tolerance, open atmosphere
CONCEPT
Reach out to the people by appraoching the women and girls at first.
Teach them craft and knowledge that empowers them. The emphasis is on the connection, on what is shared. Being a woman means having a genderspecific socialisation and shared values. This straddles from the role in a family over women-only topics to what is defined as feminine and thus beautiful. All this comes down in making jewellery.
STRUCTURE
SHORT TERM
– Involve people in putting together the initiative so they feel ownership in the approach and can be community activists to engage more people.
– Build a trustworthy network with local women teach crafts and skills that are fun and offer them a chance of economic independency.
– Integrate them into the teaching process (jewellery, sewing, knitting…).
workshop module 1: Can we…?
warm up, playful, not involved in the problem, with girls, outside, nature if accessible, street art, communication
goal: change of perspective, meeting new people, playing outside of the framework of skills,
workshop module 2. How to…?
skills workshops e.g. craft, computer, humanities…, people teach each other with what they know
MID TERM
– Reach out for the men in the neighbourhood once they are curious what their sisters and daughters are doing there.
workshop module 1: Can we…?
warm up, playful, not involved in the problem, outside, nature if accessible, street art, communication
goal: change of perspective, meeting new people, playing outside of the framework of skills,
workshop module 2. How to…?
skills workshops e.g. craft, computer, humanities…, people teach each other with what they know
workshop module 3. What if…?
build project groups for certain ideas that involve the neighbours, their new skills and how they can make a living from it.
LONG TERM
– establish a label like “Made with love and joy from empowered citizens” and sell the products of the community
– build a methodology that can be adapted to other places
workshop module 4. How did you…?
The community becomes independent and self sufficient and can help itself and continues to teach the people and work on integration.
The insights and learnings from the project are put together in a manual of methodology.
LOCATION
short term/first stage: use present initiatives and collaborate
long term: premise with rooms according to the needs
room1: workshop (jewellery, wood, machines),
room2: office/computer
room3: seminars, yoga…,
room4: grouproom, exhibitions, entrée
LOCAL SUPPORT
Create Berlin, IDZ, Goetze Goldschmiedebedarf (for jewellery workshops), Modulor, other material suppliers and companies that produce locally