Finding ways together is our motto. We volunteer to offer our help and support, our assistance and guidance—on your way to integration. We value interculturality in community life, and we enjoy volunteering.

Our voluntary and free services are open to people from all countries regardless of their origin, gender, beliefs and religion, no matter how old you are and what language you speak.

The integration assistance volunteers [Integrationsbegleiter] of the Diakonisches Werk Heidelberg (the social welfare organisation of the Protestant church in Heidelberg) are people of various ages, backgrounds and cultures. We want to welcome people with open arms and create an inclusive and co-operative environment. Diversity, mutual respect and unbiased mutual assistance are an integral part of our approach. Our activities as integration assistance volunteers are preceded and supported by information and training events. Additionally, our large team regularly shares and exchanges their vast experience, and our staff continually support us. It goes without saying that your queries and issues will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Generally speaking, our volunteer work deals with the opportunities life in a community—life in Heidelberg—has to offer. It covers aspects such as: children and family, school and work, leisure and volunteering, housing, language, health and mobility, cultural life and social care—basically, all aspects of everyday life where you might wish you had help and assistance.

We will accompany you to advice service centres and authorities, to doctors, child care facilities, schools and a range of other agencies, and we will help with your queries. It does not matter whether it's language barriers or understanding how things are done, or forms that need to be completed or, indeed, obstacles of some other kind: We will be by your side.

We are excellently connected, both in Heidelberg and in the surrounding Rhine-Neckar Region, to a large number of information, expert advice and support services for refugees and immigrants. Whether you need direct help and support, referral to other services, information or someone to accompany you to an appointment—we are there for you, ready to use our experience. Our broad range of knowledge of languages and cultures will help you make contact and find your bearings.

We will also help you with correspondence with the authorities—in short: We support both sides, migrants as much as public sector agencies and organisations, on the way to intercultural openness and genuine integration and inclusion.