“Wir helfen” – a lasting success

With our project Wir helfen (We help) we have created a volunteer-run, open consultation hour for all people with a migration background in Leipzig – three times a week, for two hours each session. The aim was to offer accessible, uncomplicated support on a peer-to-peer level to people in need of assistance with acute everyday problems and questions. Our volunteers helped with specific issues such as understanding letters from authorities or filling out forms.

In practice, Wir helfen exceeded our original expectations and quickly became a complete success. We had initially planned for 111 appointments and ended up carrying out 115. And instead of the expected 888 participants, we welcomed a total of 1.286 people. We are particularly glad about the fact that the participants came to us almost exclusively through personal recommendations from friends and acquaintances, which is not only a strong sign of the urgent need for the project, but also of the trust people place in us.

Our expectations were also exceeded in terms of the engagement of our volunteers: we initially expected 222 volunteer participants, but in the end there were a total of 309! We owe the high quality and continuity of our support to their dedication.

The positive impact of Wir helfen is also reflected in a follow-up survey with 37 participants. The vast majority described the atmosphere at the meetings as open and cooperative and said they felt more empowered and better equipped to address their challenges afterwards. Thirty-three participants said they would recommend Wir helfen to others. This feedback confirms what we already sensed during the course of the project: Wir helfen not only provided low-threshold assistance, but also built trust and encouraged people.

Despite exceeding its goals, receiving positive feedback, and meeting a noticeable need, Wir helfen will not receive further funding for now. Given its effectiveness and high demand, this is very unfortunate, but it also highlights a challenge: the project has shown how important accessible support services are for people with a migration background and how much civic engagement can achieve.

We would like to thank all the volunteers who made this project possible and all those who placed their trust in us by using our services!