Focused schooling and community involvement in Neuss, Rhine-District
A Fresh Take on Parent Involvement: The Intercultural Project Heroes
At the heart of the Intercultural Project Heroes' mission lies the emphasis on parental involvement. Their goal? To ensure parents are actively engaged in shaping their children's futures. They firmly believe that equal opportunities for all can only thrive when families and professionals collaborate.
Last year, they introduced the "Together Strong" parent portfolio, translating it into over 16 languages. This groundbreaking resource has found favor among families, schools, professionals, and educational institutions alike. It serves as a powerful tool for supporting parents hailing from various cultural and social backgrounds. Last but not least, Ulla Platen, the Deputy Mayor of Neuss for Youth, Education, and Culture, penned a foreword highlighting the importance of this project. Institutions like the Neuss Transitional Home on Berghäuschensweg also gained from this initiative.
Move forward to this year, and the Intercultural Project Heroes have got something new up their sleeves - the monthly Parents' Café. Open to all parents utilizing their diverse services, this meet-up brings together parents from different social backgrounds to share ideas, learn from one another, and devise ways to support their children's development.
The first Parents' Café was a resounding success, gathering rave reviews from the attending parents, who expressed their desire for regular gatherings to continue providing their children with optimal opportunities.
Mechtild Swertz, the former principal of a Neuss elementary school and chairperson of the association, commended the Intercultural Project Heroes: "Their approach sets a benchmark for building bridges between school, family, and community. Such initiatives play a pivotal role in creating equal opportunities for all children." Umut Ali Öksüez, a long-standing pedagogue and the Intercultural Project Heroes' chairperson, emphasized, "Parental cooperation is close to our hearts. By uniting parents, children, and professionals, we strive for lasting success. The Parents' Café is a crucial step towards fostering trust and exchange."
In short, the Intercultural Project Heroes continue to lead the charge for respect, democratic education, equality, and successful integration. They look forward to supporting families and children in the best possible ways and creating new opportunities together.
Insights on Parents' Cafés
Intercultural projects generally strive to promote unity, respect, and cooperation among people from various cultural backgrounds. A Parents' Café within such a project could offer parents opportunities to:
- Swap Stories: Parents can share their cultural traditions, values, and experiences, fostering cross-cultural understanding and empathy.
- Establish a Network: By coming together, parents can forge a supportive network, benefiting both them and their children.
- Access Resources: Such cafés might provide access to educational resources, workshops, or support groups aiding parents in navigating cultural complexities.
The benefits for parents and children include:
- Cultural Immersion: Parents and children can delve into various cultures, enriching their personal and family experiences.
- Social Support: Parents gain a network of peers who understand the challenges and joys of raising children in a multicultural environment.
- Inclusive Environment: Children thrive in an environment that values diversity, fostering empathy and understanding of different cultures.
- The monthly Parents' Café hosted by the Intercultural Project Heroes offers a platform for parents to engage in mutual learning and personal growth, as they share experiences, exchange ideas, and collaborate on strategies to support their children's education-and-self-development and personal-growth.
- By participating in the Parents' Café, parents from various cultural backgrounds are creating an other opportunity to promote unity, respect, and cooperation among themselves, ultimately benefiting their children's future by immersing them in a culturally diverse, inclusive environment.
