Free practical handbook with methods, exercises and project ideas for schools and youth work that sensitize children and young people from 9 years of age to diversity
2014
developed by the IZ within the project “Vielfalt Glokal! Understanding migration, living diversity, shaping development”, funded by the Austrian Development Agency
Diversity is what distinguishes us humans: Each of us is unique in our feelings, our appearance, our values, our abilities and needs. At present, the internationalization of business, politics and culture means that relationships between people from different cultural contexts have become the norm in public and everyday life. Our living together in the “global village” is often challenged by the differences that each individual citizen of the earth brings with him/her. On the one hand, the interplay of this diversity can lead to misunderstandings due to a lack of understanding of the “foreign”, on the other hand, diversity holds the potential for a deep enrichment of our society and reality of life.
Children and young people are also confronted with (cultural) diversity in their everyday lives, whether in kindergarten, school, youth centers or clubs. Appreciating diversity and understanding it as a resource is an important learning process that should take place both in school and in extracurricular educational work. Working together, playing together or planning and implementing joint activities gives children and young people the chance to develop both technical as well as social and intercultural skills. Cooperation and collaboration help to overcome prejudices and make diversity the norm. Similarities and similarities come to the fore and differences become less important.
Alice Scridon
“Today, (cultural) diversity is also the norm for children and young people: intercultural encounters take place, for example, in kindergartens, schools, leisure centers, afternoon care, sports clubs or music schools.”
Alice Scridon
This brochure would like to present methods and project ideas to educators* and all those who work with children and young people. These methods and project ideas enable a sensitive examination of “diversity”, promote mutual respect and tolerance and encourage “peaceful coexistence”. It contains concrete, easy-to-implement exercises that are thematically diverse and prepared for different age groups. The methodological examples are supplemented by introductory articles by experts and selected practical examples. The IZ wishes you informative reading and hopes that the brochure will whet your appetite for many intercultural projects. Take part and show children and young people the opportunities that diversity offers!