M*IA – Mädchen im Austausch [Girls in exchange]
In 2021 and 2022, cultures interactive e.V., funded by the Landeskommission Berlin gegen Gewalt, conducted a needs assessment on issues affecting girls and young women in the field of youth work and prevention in the context of Islamist radicalization. With regard to the findings elaborated there, the association has been implementing the M*IA project since the beginning of 2023 with the following goals:
Strengthening gender-reflective and girl-specific prevention in Berlin
Concepts of pedagogical work for girls are developed for individual and group offerings that address their life worlds, experiences of discrimination, needs for religiosity and spirituality, experiences in family and society, gender role concepts and expectations for their own future. Individual and group trainings can be offered in Berlin. The offers take place on an outreach basis and according to need in cooperation with youth facilities and schools.
Competence development of Berlin professionals on the topic of girls/young women and Islamist radicalization
On June 12 and 13, 2023, a two-day training course will be held for participants from youth work, the general social services (Allgemeiner Sozialer Dienst) and schools, which will provide information on gender-specific motives for turning to Islam, girl-specific life-world and biographical topics, as well as pedagogical approaches and offers of prevention.
A further two-day training course on the same range of topics is aimed at employees of the police and security authorities. In this context, more attention is paid to the consequences of discrimination experienced by girls who are Muslim and to the constructive assistance that the police can provide in order to counteract experiences of social discrimination and frustration. Finally, experienced situations of discrimination and the feeling of not receiving any support from the police as Muslims are named as possible factors for turning to radical Islamist contexts.
Strengthening of networking in the area of girl-oriented and gender-reflective prevention
Regular networking meetings with actors from schools, youth and girls' work, police and administration should help to promote awareness of this phenomenon throughout Berlin and support the application and further development of needs-oriented and girl-oriented prevention services.
Duration
January 2023 until December 2023
