Together we make a difference

The Welcome Alliance is an alliance of civil society organisations, foundations, state institutions and companies initiated by ProjectTogether. Our goal is to create humane, needs-oriented and sustainable integration and participation processes for all newly immigrated people in Germany.
Our mission

Shaping Germany as a country of immigration: humane, diverse and inclusive.

Franziska Giffey, Oleksandra Bienert & Svitlana Petrovskaya at "Lighthouse Ukraine", 2022 in Berlin

© David Fischer
The Welcome Alliance strengthens the commitment of citizens and the work of civil society organisations in the areas of refuge, integration and participation. Networking with partners from the state and the economy is essential for this: With the methodologies and approaches created by ProjectTogether, people from different sectors meet and take joint action. The members of the Welcome Alliance are active in several fields of impact, develop co-creative solutions and put them into practice. Focusing on the needs and living situations of those affected.
Leuchtturm Ukraine in Berlin, 2022

© Sophia Pschiuk
Backround

From the Alliance4Ukraine to the Welcome Alliance

"At the end of February 2022, the full-scale Russian attack on Ukraine began. Our ProjectTogether team, like many others, is wondering: How can we provide effective help now? Our answer: By bringing together already existing aid projects and organisations that have needs for support, with those organisations that can support.

A video conference which we organised together with partners brought together 80 participants ... Our resume at the end of the year: Over 30 digital matching calls, 450 organisations in the Alliance and our own fund that provides unbureaucratic support.

Meanwhile, the arrival of over one million people from Ukraine to Germany lets the state and civil society face structural challenges - which do not only affect refugees from Ukraine. That is why our ProjectTogether team is expanding the target group to include all people that have newly arrived in Germany. Regardless of their origin. Which is why we chose a new name for our mission: The Welcome Alliance."

The Welcome Alliance in figures

1000000
Approved funds for organisations that provide aid
1000000
Approved funds for organisations that provide aid
0
Organised communal professional exchanges
0
People at Lighthouse Ukraine events
What we do

We create impact in five fields

Together we identify challenges, develop co-creative projects and implement solutions.
Education & Labour Market
How can we support newly arrived immigrants to access education and the labor market in a quick, fair and sustainable way? How can we facilitate processes and promote cross-sectoral cooperation between actors?
Political participation
Housing
A home is more than a place to sleep. How can we guarantee stable, protected and dignified housing conditions as a basis for safe arrival and integration?
Information & Counselling
How can we provide newly arrived immigrants with fast, reliable and barrier-free access to all relevant information, including legal information, which is necessary for the ability to act autonomously?
Encounter & Engagement
How do strengthen the commitment of citizens and anchor the responsibility for successful integration in society as a whole?
Mental health
How do we ensure the expansion of and access to psychosocial support services for newly arrived immigrants and volunteers?
1 / 4
vernika_radko-2022-04-11-202901_010
1 / 4
DSC05162
1 / 4
20230126_samuelgroesch_alliance4ukraine_XL9A1042
1 / 4
_DSC4326
How we create impact

Cooperation that focuses on implementing solutions and shared values

Effective change requires spaces for co-creation, trust and openness at an eye to eye cooperations. Unusual partnerships, new networks and living ecosystems instead of competition, silo thinking and linearity.

Our values

We are committed to diversity, equal opportunities and the elimination of barriers. We promote the social and political participation for all people - as well as the mutual sense of togetherness in solidarity. For us, participation is an essential part of empowerment and personal development.
Systemic changes require a long-term cooperation between different actors who pursue jointly defined goals. We bring together actors from federal, state and municipal levels and create cross-sectoral networks that bring together all relevant perspectives.
Systemic approaches are needed to dismantle discriminatory structures in society. Effective solutions require perseverance and wide participation. That is why, in addition to trust and cooperation at eye level, we rely on the power of our network. With which we set ambitious goals and with which we pursue these goals with determination.

Our methods

We develop solutions and methods in a cooperative process with a variety of actors from all relevant sectors. We identify solutions, match them with offers, test, implement and scale them. Want to learn more? About Open Social Innovation at ProjectTogether.
We develop, sustain and scale innovative solutions through collaboration between civil society and the state. Want to learn more? About public-civic partnerships at ProjectTogether.
We develop lacking solutions of high social relevance. Want to learn more? About Public Goods Building at ProjectTogether.

We pool social venture capital to fund collaborations. This includes supporting organisations in need with fundraising. Want to learn more? About Collective Funding at ProjectTogether.

The Welcome Alliance Advisor Board currently includes:
Derviş Hızarcı, Nalan Sipar, Düzen Tekkal, Ali Can und Diar Khal. Read the Advisor's quotes below on the website.

Advisory Board

Focusing on the perspective of affected people

The Welcome Alliance Advice Board represents the network as ambassadors, gets involved in exchange and meeting formats, and advises the team and network partners in concrete implementation projects. Their expertise distinguishes them and have experienced the challenges of arriving in Germany. Our Welcome Alliance Advisors' personal and professional backgrounds are valuable and important for our work so that we can work together in a way that focuses on our target groups. For a systemic change towards humane, needs-oriented and sustainable arrival and integration processes, diverse perspectives are called for.
Team

We look forward to meeting you

ProjectTogether coordinates the activities of the Welcome Alliance. The team includes:

Lisa Klein

Project Manager Welcome Alliance

Catalin Hartwig

Strategy Lead

Luise Garleff

Communications Manager

Henrike Schlottmann

Managing Director ProjectTogether

Ehab Badwi

Project Manager Welcome Alliance

Sebastian Heinrichs

Team & Project Lead

Previous
Next
Community

A selection of partners

Khabit Ebob-Enow (Tubman Network) at the "Lighthouse Ukraine" event in Berlin, 2022
Join us

Do you want to become a member of the Welcome Alliance?

As a member of the Welcome Alliance, you gain access to the community, can attend our events and take part in collective action projects. Membership is free of charge. Sign up via the form.
FAQ

Frequently Asked
Questions

  • All members of society, regardless of origin or nationality, have access to education, the labour market, political participation, medical and legal care, leisure and cultural opportunities. We are committed to equal opportunities and justice.
  • Actors from the state, civil society and the economy collaborate across sectors to provide social resources for people arriving in Germany.
  • Human differences and cultural diversity are valued and their expression supported.
  • A common understanding of social coexistence is developed and the sense of belonging is strengthened.
  • Disadvantage, exclusion and discrimination are actively addressed and compensated for as far as possible.
  • Integration should always be considered in connection with areas such as education, employment, social insurance and cultural exchange.
We are aware that successful integration is only possible through sustainable processes and cooperation. Therefore, it is important for us to support refugees and migrants not only during their immediate arrival, but also in the long term. Creating equitable opportunities for participation is not linear, but rather a holistic process based on reciprocity. Our activities are focused on the needs of the people arriving. The Welcome Alliance is currently working on challenges in the areas of Counselling & Information, Education & Labour Market, Housing, Mental Health, Encounter & Engagement, Digitalisation & Bureaucracy Reduction.
  • Working together: As a member, you are part of a diverse community that shapes social change. Together we develop a vision, identify challenges, set clear goals and bring solutions to action.
  • Partnerships and funding opportunities: We support you in finding suitable partners from civil society, government or business. Also, we offer a possibility of funding through the Welcome Alliance Fund - especially for cross-sectoral cooperation.
  • Exchange and collaboration: On the Welcome Alliance Community Platform you can exchange ideas with all members and register for events. ProjectTogether accompanies the projects with one-to-one networking and workshops. Members can use the ProjectTogether Community Space in Berlin-Mitte for self-organised events. Together we create spaces of mutual learning and use synergies.
  • Active participation: A community can only act effectively if its members invest time and energy. You should be able to devote at least 2 hours per month if you want to be an active part of the Welcome Alliance.
    Reliability: Please be realistic about your involvement in a project.
  • Cohesion before individual interests: We always pursue our goals in the interest of all members. Act in the spirit of the common mission, especially when speaking for the Welcome Alliance, and respect our values. Competition and rivalry have no place in the Welcome Alliance.
  • Respect and awareness of discrimination: The challenges we face in the Welcome Alliance are based in very sensitive areas. Pay attention to fairness and respectful language. We want to provide a safe and non-violent environment for all. We do not tolerate discrimination or harassment of any form. All community members are asked to abide by the Code of Conduct.
Contact

You have questions or want to work with us?

Use our contact form or simply send us an e-mail.
We look forward to hearing from you!

welcome-alliance@projecttogether.org

Initiators

The Welcome Alliance is a mission of ProjectTogether.

ProjectTogether is a non-profit organisation that drives social transformation. For this purpose, ProjectTogether creates mission-oriented processes and coordinates hundreds of actors in the collaborative development of solutions for urgent challenges. Partners from society, politics and business test instruments and methods for a transformative society, such as open social innovation, citizen participation, reallabs and collective funding.
Scroll to Top