in East Germany

The project EmPa of RAA Brandenburg honours and supports immigrant community activism in the five East German „Länder“ (federal states). Through training programs and network development designed to promote immigrant participation in social and political life, EmPa seeks to nurture a more inclusive civil society in East Germany.

The three-year program is thematically structured as follows:

In 2009, EmPa offered a series of leadership development workshops for immigrant non-profit organizations. Workshop topics ranged from anti-discrimination law and immigration legislation to public relations, techniques of communication and mediation, project management, and fundraising. Regional conferences organized by the participants (in cooperation with the local Integration Commisioners) provided an opportunity for immigrant organizations in East Germany to gain more visibility, communicate their positions to a broader public, practice newly acquired skills and build new local networks. For a list of participants in the 2009 program, please click here.

The 2010 series of EmPa seminars is thematically focused on immigrants' civic engagement in faith-based communities. The workshops are designed to support the organizational development of immigrant faith-based initiatives and enhance their capacity to provide a range of social services to community members. Workshop topics include youth projects, legal issues, project management, public relations, and anti-discrimination strategies. Through this program, EmPa aims to contribute towards a culture of interfaith dialogue and a recognition of religious plurality in Germany.

The 2011 program of EmPa is structured around leadership development workshops for immigrant youth in East Germany. Weekend seminars and a 4-day excursion will give participants the opportunity to meet activists in different social and political fields. It will also provide them with a safe space to reflect on identity, belonging and experiences of everyday racism from the perspective of their own generation.

All training programs are designed in coordination with immigrant organisations and are periodically subjected to quality assessment exercises by the program participants.

Participants
Participation in the EmPa programs is open to immigrants from non-EU countries who are based in East Germany and are active in immigrant community networks.

Funding and Cooperation
EmPa is a project of RAA Brandenburg. It is financed by the European Integration Fund and the regional government of Brandenburg.
Our cooperation partners include the Immigration Commissioners in the regions of Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia as well as the National Network for Civil Society (Bundesnetzwerk Bürgerschaftliches Engagement).

Contact
For more information, please contact the Project Coordinator Dr. Esra Erdem.