German-Israeli Professional Exchange: When Stories collide - Creating space for dialogue and mutual learning in difficult times

The central focus of the exchange is how we can address difficult and polarising topics in youth work and what stance we, as youth workers, should take when dealing with them.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict also has a significant impact on German society. In schools, youth centres and summer camps, youth workers are repeatedly confronted with challenging situations in which young people make derogatory remarks about other groups and show little willingness to engage with different perspectives.

Together with a group from Israel, we want to exchange experiences, explore different perspectives and discuss how constructive and meaningful youth work can be sustained, even in challenging times.

Antisemitism and anti-Muslim hostility shape the debate surrounding the conflict. Through this project, we aim to equip people who have to navigate the impact of these debates in their everyday professional lives with new methods and approaches, while providing them with space to reflect on their own positions and develop strategies for dealing with challenging situations.

Learning Objectives

• Facilitate challenging dialogue spaces that embrace ambiguity and make room for different perspectives.
• Explore and apply new methods for working with sensitive and polarising topics in youth work.
• Reflect on their own perspectives, assumptions and biases, and develop a professional approach to navigating challenging situations.
• Exchange experiences with youth work professionals from Israel and Germany, gain insights into different perspectives, and develop new approaches for their own practice.
• Understand how social media and narratives shape perceptions and emotions, and explore ways to critically engage young people with these influences.

Programme

Five full working days, plus an arrival day and a departure day.

• Arrival on Thursday December 10th 
• Departure on Wednesday December 16th 

Working Methods:

• reflexive, dialogical, subjectoriented approach, that builds on the experiences and perspectives of the participants
• interactive methods for diversity-conscious youth work
• full-day workshop on the “Brave Space” approach, facilitated by Gesellschaft im Wandel
• social media and narrative analysis: Examining how social media, algorithms and simplified narratives shape perceptions, emotions and prejudices of ourselves and the young people that we work with
• peer learning and exchange of experiences: Sharing professional experiences, discussing challenges in youth work and exploring approaches to Jewish-Muslim cooperation through expert inputs and meetings with educational organisations.
• small-group discussions and practice transfer: Reflecting on key experiences and insights, and exploring how these can be applied to participants’ own youth work.

Accommodation and food

The seminar will take place at a modern seminar and retreat centre near Wiesbaden. Accommodation can vary. Participants will stay in single or double room, with shared bathroom facilities (max. two people per bathroom).

The event is self-catered, meaning that the group will organise and prepare their own meals. However, lunch or dinner will often be provided at restaurants or canteens during visits to partner institutions.