Social and cultural networking

The Equilibre Association promotes social and cultural networking among refugee women by providing them with individual support on their educational and career paths. Mentoring and collaborative learning create new social connections and provide orientation in everyday Swiss life. This promotes sustainable integration not only professionally but also socially.

Projects:

Mentoring

The mentoring project of the Association Equilibre is aimed at adult refugees over the age of 26 and provides targeted support with social and professional integration in Switzerland. It focuses on a personal and trusting relationship between a mentor and the person being supported (mentee). They spend two to four hours together per week practicing German and mathematics, gaining orientation in everyday life, and overcoming administrative or practical challenges – for example, filling out forms, attending doctor's appointments, or moving house.

Mentoring is closely linked to various educational models, such as work placements, gap years with part-time work, or pre-apprenticeships that combine practical work with classroom instruction. Mentors accompany their mentees through these educational paths and contribute to ensuring that learning is relevant to everyday life, personalized, and sustainable. This not only fosters learning progress but also builds sustainable social relationships that promote mutual understanding and social participation.

Become a mentor – and make a difference

Mentors provide individual support to adult refugees on their journeys into everyday life, education, and careers. Requirements include good German and math skills, openness to other cultures, and the ability to communicate clearly and maintain personal boundaries. The engagement ideally lasts six to 12 months, with a weekly commitment of two to four hours. Regular exchange meetings provide opportunities to share experiences, learn from one another, and highlight the enriching aspects of mentoring.

Somatic Experiencing SE

The Somatic Experiencing project of the Equilibre Association offers refugee adults over the age of 26 a body-oriented method for processing trauma and chronic stress. Based on the SE method developed by Peter A. Levine, the project aims to restore the natural self-regulation of the nervous system without the need to verbally process stressful experiences.

The SE method focuses on the perception and processing of bodily sensations to gently release trapped survival energy from traumatic experiences. This is achieved through techniques such as titration (a measured approach to stressful sensations) and pendulation (alternating between tension and relaxation), which stabilize the nervous system and strengthen resilience.

The project offers SE sessions to help participants process traumatic experiences and improve their self-regulation skills. This program is particularly aimed at individuals traumatized by displacement, violence, or other stressful life events. By promoting body awareness and inner stability, the project contributes to the sustainable integration and mental health of participants.

Intercultural theatre and video film project "Being a Woman in Different Cultures" for refugee women and Swiss women

Year of creation: 2021 Implementation: 2022

Goal: To build self-confidence and playfully discover new forms of expression. Content: In weekly meetings, the women work together with Madlen Arnold on theater pedagogy, getting to know each other better and spending time together. Under the direction of video film artist Sarah Hugentobler, the group produces individual film scenes. The project culminated in a film-based theater evening on the stage of the Theater Uri in Altdorf on November 11, 2022.

Theatre and video film project

Split
The two artists Madlen Arnold and Sarah Hugentobler aim to use the medium of acting and film to contribute to the understanding of "being a woman in different cultures" in Switzerland and in the cultures of origin of refugee women. The participating women are free to express themselves during the sessions. At the conclusion of the intensive, theatrical work, each woman creates a video that is unique to her.
The Equilibre Association was immediately enthusiastic about Madlen Arnold's idea of conducting an intercultural theater and video project with refugee women and Swiss women. They are convinced of the benefits of this theater and film project for refugee women and Swiss women.
Participation in the project is an invitation for both Swiss and refugee women to overcome inner inhibitions and let go of restrictive dogmas. It is an invitation to experience their own vitality and expression uncensored. The women practice trusting in their own courage and letting go of inhibiting fears. They have the opportunity to reinvent themselves and give space to their personalities, to present themselves in a staged way. The theatrical approach invites the women to become aware of themselves and give free rein to their inner creativity. Participation in the project is intended to enable the women to develop good self-confidence and a certain distance from external judgments.
We were all very excited to see what impact this fantastic project would have on the participants. The celebratory closing evening on stage at Theater Uri was a thoroughly successful event for all participants, the audience, and everyone involved, with many emotional, interesting, and even amusing moments. Here's a glimpse into the film theater project "We.Here."
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