Stephan Dengler

How did you get involved with ArrivalAid ?

This has 2 stages: I started at the end of 2015. A group of helpers was formed in Laim. There were, and still are, two accommodations where we did different things. The group of helpers was organized by the Laim Parish Association. They always gave lectures there. And then there was a lecture about asylum procedures and asylum law. I had no idea about all that stuff. Zero. And in the lecture someone talked about the asylum procedure and said the sentence: “I don’t want to be alone at the Anhörung .” So if it concerned me, I wouldn’t want to have to go through it alone. And that stuck with me. But nothing has happened yet. That was mid-2016.

And then a colleague from the group of helpers said that she was part of the first or second round of training at ArrivalAid and that's when I heard for the first time: Ah, there's something there. And through contact with the refugees who were already there, the idea arose: This could be something that is important.

And together with the sentence: “I don't want to be alone there.” That stayed with me for over a quarter of a year, until at some point the advertisement came, we're doing another round of training, apply. And that was it. Then I said: Yes, okay, I'll try that.

How long have you been with ArrivalAid ?

My training as Anhörung companion was in February 2017.

Were you specifically looking for volunteer work?

No. Personal friendships with people from other countries made it clear to me the unique situation of someone who doesn't belong here. And that doesn't leave me unmoved. These are friends of ours who live in France and are originally from Morocco/Tunisia. A family. They are now French with passports and so on. And there are always moments in which it is made clear to them: “You are a stranger here. You don't belong here." For me, it's that kindergarten game: "You're not allowed to play in the sandbox with us." And I can't get over that. And that actually made me say: I want to do something for the refugees. I would like to show a friendly face here.

Do you have an experience that you particularly remember as part of your commitment to ArrivalAid ?

I had an experience preparing for a lawsuit. There was a young man from Somalia. And he came to prepare the lawsuit and had the Anhörung without any preparation. The Anhörung therefore went quite wrong and was also legally untenable. This came out in conversation with him. Because the Anhörung was in German. At the time of the Anhörung , however, his German was very poor. It was not possible to clarify why there was no translator. In any case, he told us at the time: The Anhörung went badly because I spoke German poorly and, for example, I didn't know the difference between “died” and “murdered”. And then it was clear: Okay, that must have gone really wrong.

And then the young man actually had wounds on his body from militia attacks. So he was able to prove that what he said was true because he had stab wounds on his side. And then we told him that he should explain and show it again in the lawsuit. He was also super integrated, had a large support group of friends, worked, did training, etc., actually a dream. During the trial he was given protective status. The judge didn't think about it for long and made a decision straight away. That was a nice experience.

Experience number 2: A lot of the Anhörung preparation involves lone fighting. This is often the case because of course you deal with individual people. You can't advise one person with 10 people. But individually. The others who travel individually are e.g. B. the interpreters from TranslAid . And what I do from time to time is that when the TranslAid people have a training session, we play Anhörung preparation. And then I get to know a lot of people from half the world who are doing this training and who are taking part in ArrivalAid / TranslAid . And I think that's beautiful. To see that so many, with completely different backgrounds, that we are all working together - I say very pathetically - towards a better world.

Did you consciously choose ArrivalAid ?

I didn't consciously decide on ArrivalAid beforehand. At that time, they were simply the only ones who offered Anhörung preparation and training. What I found and still find impressive was the approach. ArrivalAid tries to raise the helpers to a very professional and broad level. There was a psychologist who reported on the different cultures, there was someone from the Refugee Law Clinic who tried to broaden the legal framework. “What is a state? How is it constituted? Why does this whole world of laws even exist?” And that broadens your horizons. And I think that's great. That ArrivalAid tries to train the volunteers as well as possible and at the same time defines boundaries: you are not a lawyer, you do not provide legal advice. And this also includes offering regular supervision. Because you have to learn to isolate yourself. You really have to brutally cope with the most violent stories. This gets better and better over time. But there are also topics that pass through this protective cover. And then you need a group with whom you can discuss this.

Is a protective cover a prerequisite for volunteer work in refugee aid?

When you start volunteering, you have an open heart. You are friendly and want to help other people you love. That is nice. That's one side of the medal.

And you actually get to know the other side of the coin while you're doing it, which is ugly. People don't come here because it's so beautiful where they come from, but because it's terrible. And I hear stories that leave me speechless. I don't even understand what's happening. People are shot, beaten, beaten, tortured, kidnapped. It is a range of impossibilities that were unimaginable for me as a “normal” Central European. I get to know something completely new, something I didn't know, I didn't know the details.

And everyone has to discover for themselves: How do I develop protection? And such protection must also be maintained. You really have to take care of yourself - I know it's a stupid word - and pay attention. I think you can learn that. Every firefighter, police officer, emergency doctor, hospital nurse and geriatric nurse has to learn this. They also see misery and hardship and still have to work. And that's the crazy thing: As a volunteer, you have to professionalize yourself in one area. Because if you just go in there with an open heart, you'll drown.

How often do you get involved with ArrivalAid ?

Approximately 2 times 3 hours per month. And then there's a bit of stuff I do at home in the office or on the side, but it's hard to put a finger on it. That's sometimes more, sometimes less.

That's also the advantage of ArrivalAid : you can decide completely for yourself: I do this much or that much. I do more or less. I make 1 appointment a month or one every 2 months. Even a crazy person can make an appointment every week, although I personally strongly advise against it because you'll overload yourself. That's too much of a good thing.

Why are you involved?

At the end of the day, it's also a good deal of gratitude. The life lottery allowed us to be born here in Germany by chance. And the others drew different cards. And I don't think it's such a bad thing that those who are better off help those who are worse off a little. That's what I would want for myself when I'm in a bad or difficult situation. And even more so when you have children, for your children. What would I want to happen to my child if they had to leave the country for some reason? I think that's also part of the motivation.