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Seminars and quality development

For many years, ZEBRA has been offering seminars and organisational consultancy in the context of migration and diversity. Our expertise is based on years of practical and content-related work. Our offers consist of classic diversity trainings, topic-specific lectures and seminars as well as institution-related consulting and organisational development. We invite you to work with us for the cohesion and strength of our society and your organisation!

In our seminars on intercultural and diversity-oriented competence, we work primarily with a “culturally sensitive” approach, i.e. the self-reflection of the participants is an important aspect. Migrants are a very heterogeneous group with different aspects characterizing their milieus of origin. Therefore, any attempt to explain individual “migrant cultures” would be an inadmissible simplification. Diversity dimensions such as ethnicity, gender, socio-economic background, sexual orientation or disability, but also residence status are characteristic of the diversity of migrant groups in Austria. These dimensions decisively shape patterns of thought, perception and behaviour. Therefore, we promote a culturally sensitive approach to the topic of “culture” in our seminars and self-reflection processes on one’s own “culture” and one’s own patterns of thinking and behaving. Nevertheless, we do not exclude the so-called “culture-specific” approaches and their methods. It can be relevant to have “knowledge” about values, norms and patterns of action in a society or in a particular country. However, this “knowledge” should be seen as interpretive knowledge that provides clues as to how one may act in a certain way, and not as factual knowledge.

Which seminars and training courses do we offer?

Basic knowledge of the legal, social and societal framework in the immigration society

This seminar provides basic knowledge of the legal, social and societal situation in the immigration society. It focuses on an introduction to laws and legal provisions that affect migrants (provisions of immigration law such as the Settlement Act – Niederlassungsgesetz, Residence Act –  Aufenthaltsgesetz, Employment of Foreigners Act –  Ausländerbeschäftigungsgesetz, Asylum Act – Asylgesetz, etc.) and on an analysis of the living situation of migrants in Austria.

This seminar provides a first insight into the topic of flight and asylum in Austria by clarifying important terms and definitions and presenting current facts and figures.

In the seminar, participants can then either be sensitised to the topic of flight and asylum with a subsequent reflection on common prejudices and opinions, or discuss the living conditions of asylum seekers and the asylum procedure in Austria (e.g. basic care, daily allowance, employment opportunities).

The aim of the seminar is to provide an introduction to the topic of “unaccompanied minor refugees” (UMR, in German: UMF, Unbegleitete, minderjährige Flüchtlinge) in Austria. In addition to current facts and figures on the topic of unaccompanied minor refugees, the special circumstances leading to flight of refugee minors and their living situation in Austria will be discussed. Furthermore, the everyday situation of UMR in Austria is discussed: In this regard, accommodation and custody play a major role.

In addition, the following questions are dealt with:

  • How does the asylum procedure and age assessment work with UMR?
  • What about access to education for unaccompanied minor refugees?
  • When is family reunification possible and what needs to be considered when minors reach the age of majority?

This seminar aims at an introduction to intercultural counselling, expansion of the concept of culture, concepts of belonging and identity, sensitisation regarding one’s own patterns of thought and perception, and intercultural communication.

Encountering and dealing with fellow citizens and clients from different countries of origin can be exciting and enriching and at the same time it presents us with a number of challenges.

The ability to “communicate interculturally” is becoming more important than ever in times of diverse migration and refugee flows, especially in the psychosocial work environment. By means of self-reflection and with the help of practical examples, we will approach the topic of “intercultural communication” and try to address it through concrete questions and possibilities for action.

The concept of culture will be addressed as well as the basics of human communication in order to be able to grasp what is special about intercultural communication.

This seminar strengthens the ability to deal with irritations, foreignness, fear, ambiguity and contradictions in unfamiliar situations and envisages a joint development of appropriate and individually adapted intervention strategies and techniques.

Reflection on the practice of intercultural counselling and possibilities to implement it in the context of professional intercultural and diversity-oriented psychosocial counselling.

Diverse migration and refugee flows and the accompanying changes in Austrian society also pose a multitude of challenges for the staff of psychosocial institutions.

For those affected, migration and flight almost always mean a confrontation with an exceptional psychological and physical situation that often cannot be resolved even after the life situation in Austria has apparently stabilised.

The affected people seek help and support and have become regular clients in many psychosocial institutions. But how can counselling or therapy succeed when there are not only language communication problems, but also differences in cultural understanding?

This seminar approaches this question through self-reflection and case studies in order to replace stereotypes and clichés with culturally sensitive knowledge and to develop adequate possibilities for action.

In addition, the role of mother-tongue counsellors and interpreters as well as the development and impact of traumatisation will be addressed.

This seminar is about reflecting on the experience of traumatic events and the manifold after-effects.

  • What is trauma and when do we speak of post-traumatic stress disorder as a diagnosis?
  • What happens in the brain and what are the treatment options?

Working with traumatised clients presents counsellors and caregivers with special challenges.

On the one hand, there is a need for meeting those affected with the right understanding and for strategies to be able to support them in everyday life and in crisis situations.

On the other hand, people who deal with traumatised people in a professional context, have to pay close attention to their own state of mind in order to remain capable of acting and to protect themselves from being overwhelmed and from feelings of powerlessness and the phenomenon of secondary traumatisation.

Building on case studies and self-reflection, helpful strategies for dealing with those affected will be developed and ways and means of psychological hygiene will be highlighted.

This seminar provides a basic introduction to the systematics of Austrian migration law. Participants will get an overview of the most important material laws and their contents. The seminar is therefore suitable for all persons who are interested in the legal aspects of the topic of migration and would like to learn more about the legal framework in this area.

Concrete contents are:

  • Niederlassungs- und Aufenthaltsgesetz (Settlement and Residence Act)
  • Ausländerbeschäftigungsgesetz (Employment of Foreign Nationals Act)
  • Staatsbürgerschaftsgesetz (Citizenship Act)
  • Asylgesetz (Asylum Act)
  • Grundversorgung, Steiermärkisches Betreuungsgesetz (Basic care, Styrian Care Act)

We are happy to offer you tailor-made seminar packages, which we plan individually with you in advance!

References

Diversity-oriented training and quality development for Styrian district authorities

Within the project Diversitätsorientierte Fortbildungen und Qualitätsentwicklungen für steiermärkische Bezirkshauptmannschaften (Diversity-oriented training and quality development for Styrian district authorities), a total of eleven seminar series on dealing with diversity were offered and held for the employees of Styrian district authorities until the end of February 2016. In addition, professional support was provided for a diversity-related quality development process for a district authority over a period of several months.

Diversity-oriented capacity building for psychosocial counselling facilities

From January 2013 to December 2014, ZEBRA implemented the project Diversitätsorientierter Kompetenzaufbau für psychosoziale Beratungseinrichtungen (Diversity-oriented capacity building for psychosocial counselling facilities) for the Province of Styria – Department of Integration in cooperation with the Departments of Social Affairs and Health. The Charter and the associated state-wide initiatives form the socio-political framework for this project.

The project consisted of two parts:

  • The training program Vielfalt im Beratungskontext (Diversity in the Counselling) sensitised staff members of more than 80 psychosocial counselling facilities throughout Styria to work with diverse client structures. 17 seminar series encouraged them to act in a diversity-oriented way.
  • Diversitätsorientierte Öffnung von psychosozialen Beratungsstellen (Diversity-oriented opening of psychosocial counselling centres): Guidance for three institutions in transitions towards greater diversity: PSN Psychosoziale Netzwerk Gmbh, b.a.s. [betrifft abhängigkeit und sucht] Steirische Gesellschaft für Suchtfragen and Verein Avalon.

Further references

Seminars and workshops for specific professional groups for 

  • Volkshilfe Steiermark
  • Österreichisches Rotes Kreuz
  • Renner Institut Steiermark
  • Steiermärkische
  • Krankenanstaltengesellschaft (KAGes)
  • AUVA
  • Produktionsschulen
  • SOS Kinderdorf
  • Lebenshilfe Graz
  • Diakonie
  • Ärzte ohne Grenzen
  • GVV Steiermark
  • Joballianz/Bundessozialamt
  • Update Training
  • Pro Humanis
  • Pronegg & Schleich Soziale Dienste
  • u. a.

Contact

ZEBRA-Interkulturelles Beratungs- und Therapiezentrum

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