Workshops

>>> our current open workshop program can be found on: https://awa-stern.info/workshop-programm-winter-fruehling-2024/

The workshops are available in German, on request we can also offer the workshops in English.

Awareness Basics for Shift Workers (11-hour workshop + 3-hour trial shift in 3 sessions)
Awareness for Event Organizers and Spaces (5-hour workshop + individual agreement for further collaboration)
Awareness Basics for Everyday Life (4-hour workshop)
Awareness in Queer Contexts (4-hour workshop)
… Safety? Emancipatory Safety! (5-hour workshop)
Gender Diversity and Awareness Work (4-6 hours, depending on prior knowledge)
Building Your Own Awareness and Support Structure (multiple sessions)
Construction Site and Awareness / Anti-Sexist Construction Site (3-5 hours, event-based setup)
Anti-Discrimination in Practice – Basics Workshop for Security Personnel (5 hours)

As well as customized workshops, training courses and seminars that are tailored to the needs of each group.

Costs

We scale the costs for workshops according to duration and context. We differentiate between funded & institutionalized projects/ groups/ initiatives, independent groups and solidarity-based or primarily voluntary & non-monetary projects/ groups/ initiatives

Contact & preparation

We need at least 6 weeks’ notice to be able to organize an educational program. However, you can get in touch and we will see together what is possible.

e-mail to: bildung@awa-stern.info

We always organize workshops according to the needs of the people requesting them – here are several examples

Awareness Basics für Schichtpersonen (11h in zwei Teilen + 3h Schnupperschicht)

In the first part of the workshop (6 hours), the focus is on understanding awareness and specifically awareness work, its backgrounds and principles, as well as sensitizing participants to various forms of boundary violations, violence, and discrimination. Participants are trained to support people with different support needs in a victim-centered manner and in accordance with the principles of awareness.

Furthermore, initial practical knowledge and important know-how are provided on what it means to be part of an offered awareness structure (at events) and what minimum standards must be met. There is also an initial discussion on the role understanding, boundaries, and possibilities of awareness work, preparing participants for their first shifts in an awareness team.

The trial shift (3 hours) involves participating in an event. The person is part of an awareness team and can thus get a taste of the practice.

In the second part of the basic workshop (5 hours), the focus is on more in-depth aspects and advanced practical training for awareness shifts. On one hand, the distinction from other forms of support becomes clearer, there is increased focus on communication skills and teamwork, and self-reflection and the limits of the action power of an awareness person are discussed. Through scenario training, not only can practical exercises be done together, but there can also be an exchange on various situations and settings, and more can be learned about the challenges, opportunities, but also limitations of the theoretical foundations of awareness work.

Participating in the training qualifies individuals to work in awareness teams and provides a good initial introduction to this activity. However, it should be ensured that the majority of the team has more experience, so the team is not solely composed of individuals who have just completed basic training.

Awareness für Veranstalter_innen und Räume – 5h + individuelle Vereinbarung für weitergehende Zusammenarbeit

The workshop provides foundational knowledge about awareness work. We examine the underlying principles such as consent, definition power, and impartiality to understand what constitutes awareness offerings, enabling participants to experience them as actual and competent support. We identify the forms of violence and discrimination that occur in the context of events and then present how an awareness team and associated concepts can function and have an impact within an event. This includes discussing the steps that need to be clarified in advance with awareness teams and what simple measures can already be taken to make events and spaces more open and safer for many.

Building on this basic workshop (Part 1), there is the opportunity for individual arrangements for an advanced workshop (Part 2) or for specific consultation and/or support to develop and implement the specific needs of an event or space.

Awareness Basics für den Alltag 4h

The goal of this workshop is to provide an introduction and foundational knowledge about awareness work. In the “Awareness Basics for Everyday Life” workshop, all participants will be brought to the same level of knowledge, and together we will explore where and how these basics can be applied in everyday life.

The workshop offers a first small introduction to the topic and provides insight into the terms and theoretical concepts related to awareness. During the workshop, common terminologies will be introduced and explained. Concepts such as definition power, impartiality, and support work will be discussed, as well as the meanings of terms like ‘perpetrator’ and ‘affected person,’ or what triggers are.

It involves a critical examination of sexist behavior, discrimination, the power of language, the restriction of individuals’ freedom, and solidarity in celebrations. We’ll address questions such as how we can effectively support in situations of observed misconduct without being experts ourselves, or what we can do if we ourselves are affected by discrimination and/or violence.
With awareness work, we create a framework that can counteract these restrictive behaviors and help create a solidarity-conscious space together.

We will collectively explore what this means for us in practice, in our social circles, at parties, in clubs and associations, etc. This includes practical organization of support and assistance work.

No prior knowledge on the subject is required for the workshop.

Awareness in queeren Kontexten 4h

This workshop focuses on how awareness and support structures can be implemented in queer spaces and at events. It is aimed at individuals planning queer or FLINTA* (femme, lesbian, intersex, non-binary, trans, and other marginalized genders) events, those interested in establishing awareness and support structures in queer spaces, or those seeking to make events and spaces more queer-friendly.

The content of this workshop includes:

Practical theory
Discussion of possible scenarios
Group conversations and open discussions addressing the following questions:
What barriers do queer people encounter in spaces and events?
What does the term FLINTA* mean, and which individuals are included or excluded?
What do queer people and queer spaces need?
What can awareness and support look like in queer and/or queer-friendly spaces, what should be considered, and what is needed?

… Sicherheit? Emanzipatorische Sicherheit! Workshop 5h (Deutsch & Englisch)

When we speak of awareness, we often talk about creating a secure framework for shared cooperation, community, and society. Yet, the concept of security is an ambivalent one. Security is regularly used and thought of in the context of surveillance, control, and repressive action. Security is a term that has been widely used and coined by right-wing extremists in recent years. For us, however, borders, cameras, or controls in public spaces are nothing that makes the city safer.
In contrast to this, we think it is important to set a counter-concept and to ask what constitutes security and the city, how a safe city can look like. For us, safety means feeling good together, care-city, and with each other. But how can we approach this other, emancipatory security?

In the workshop, we will examine the meaning of the term ”safety”, and in small groups, we will shed light on different aspects of the topic. Using practical examples such as the narrative that “the night is an unsafe place” or self-governed places are defined as “danger zones”, we will consider how counter-narratives and our own examples can be used to convey a different approach to safety. Finally, we present each other with sketches of examples that allow for a different counter-narration to the concept. … safety? Emancipatory safety!