Teams United Work Cafè

In winter 2023/24, Germany’s largest economic institute, DIW Berlin, conducted a large-scale study asking refugees what help they need on their path to integration. 40 percent stated that they lacked help with labor market integration. This is by far the largest call for help in all areas of refugee integration, and the existing agencies that refugees turn to for help with labor market integration cannot even come close to reducing this enormous deficit. New initiatives and fresh ideas are needed. 

The Teams United Work Café is just that. At the same time, it is a tried-and-tested and very successful strategy for getting refugees into training and work. Young refugees are invited to two coffee house discussions, at the end of which the volunteer consultants present a roadmap on how to start a career in Germany. Our ultimate goal is to service 100 young people in the age between 16 and 25 years old, every year. The donations will be used to cover the hospitality expenses for the work cafè sessions, the travel allowance of the volunteers consultants, expenses allowances for external consultants.

Here's the structure of the work café.

1st step – first contact
Teams United volunteers visit the refugee camps to get in firsthand contact with young adults that need services.

2nd step – first talk
A member from the Teams United volunteer team accompanies the pupil to a first session with a volunteer consultant in a coffee house atmosphere that is as far away from the intimidating and often negative experiences in public offices as possible, offering a friendly environment to speak, sharing tea, cake, cookies. The volunteer consultants learn about the experiences and skills of the young adult. 

3rd step – roadmap
A phisical roadmap is presented and given to the young adult.

5th step – follow-up and tracking of impact measurements.