The Hessian state program WIR was launched ten years ago. The city of Offenbach has been involved from the very beginning. The state program WIR is one of the pillars for implementing integration policy in Hesse. The state and local authorities celebrated its tenth anniversary with a symposium that focused on the successes of WIR as well as an exchange on future needs for sustainable integration work.
A look back
In 2009, Offenbach becomes one of six "model regions for integration" in Hesse. Instead of implementing different concepts side by side, the aim is to develop common guiding principles. Based on the integration work in the model regions, the state wants to find out which concepts work locally and can serve as a blueprint for other Hessian municipalities. The findings gathered from 2010 to 2013 will ultimately be incorporated into the new WIR program, which has been expanded to cover the whole of Hesse.
Over the years, many different areas and people - both full-time employees and volunteers - have brought the program to life and made it what it is today. For example, the Offenbach city administration has had a WIR coordination office since 2014. A second coordinator followed in 2021. Today, both positions work as a so-called diversity center to implement WIR in Offenbach. The diversity-to-go workshop series is one of the coordination team's newer projects at the Diversity Center. It gives people who are professionally involved in integration issues tips on diversity-oriented work. In this context, workshops have dealt with topics such as how events can be planned for everyone in urban society, how communication can be improved in counseling situations and how daycare center employees can address the topic in a playful way.
The integration pilot team at the volunteer center is another example of the success of WIR in Offenbach. Supported by the program, the guides have already helped countless people to arrive in the city.
What else is meant by implementation?
WE is based on the conviction that mutual respect and esteem are the foundation for good coexistence. It is important to recognize a person's individuality while at the same time giving everyone the same opportunities to participate. Consequently, the aim is not to make things the same, but to see and develop the potential of diversity.
In practice, this means organizing events such as storytelling cafés or discussion groups where people can meet and understand each other. Creating offers of support and information. The planning of dialog formats in which the city's population and politicians come together to exchange ideas, such as the Integration Competence Team. Providing impetus for change processes within the administration. Last but not least, WIR in Offenbach has always been supported by committed associations that, for example, helped young people to find a career or ran German courses.
In addition to the wide range of measures, this incomplete list also illustrates the cross-sectional nature of integration work.
10 years of WIR - that means a decade full of projects and events of all kinds. What works will be kept. Otherwise, it means going back to the drawing board, repositioning ourselves and reacting to changes. A decade of building networks and forging partnerships. A lot has been achieved and there is still a lot to do.