Network for Democracy and Courage

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The Network for Democracy and Courage e. V. (NDC) is a nationwide network that is supported by young people and is committed to promoting democracy and against inhuman thinking.

overview

The main field of activity of the NDC is the training of young people as multipliers and the implementation of project days, seminars, training and advice at schools, vocational schools, educational institutions and many other groups. The NDC has existed since 1999 and is active in twelve federal states as well as in France .

history

The project was first realized in the Semperkreis as a loose association of various youth organizations in Saxony . These included the DGB-Jugend , the Junge Linke.PDS , the Jusos , SJD - Die Falken , the Grüne Jugend and the Naturfreundejugend . In addition, numerous individuals participated from the start.

Since February 1, 1999 the project days "Show Courage for Democracy" , which represent the main educational offer of the NDC. In a first seminar, 30 interested young people worked on three different anti-racist project days. During the first test phase in April 1999, 55 project days were carried out and tested at various Saxon schools. In the meantime, many other partners and educational concepts have been added. The NDC concept has established itself in Baden-Württemberg , Berlin , Brandenburg , Hesse , Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania , North Rhine-Westphalia , Rhineland-Palatinate , Saarland , Saxony-Anhalt , Saxony , Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia .

Ralf Hron has been chairman of the Network for Democracy and Courage eV since 2016. The Bundestag members Monika Lazar (B90 / Greens) and Susann Rüthrich (SPD) were elected as deputy chairmen.

aims

The network for democracy and courage wants to promote and strengthen the development of civil society structures and democratic culture. With its educational concepts, it pursues the goals:

  • speak out clearly against inhuman opinions
  • Provide information, impart knowledge
  • the courage to encourage and invite
  • Promote solidarity with those affected by discrimination
  • encourage young people to become involved in democracy
  • Strengthen and promote social skills and open and fair cooperation

Working method

Young volunteer multipliers, the so-called teamers , receive a one-week methodical-didactic and content-related training (team training) at the NDC. They can then hold project days in schools, training facilities and youth facilities. By the end of 2016, 3,341 young multipliers had been taught the content of the project days, knowledge of methodology and moderation and the common basic understanding. The volunteer teamers are learners of content-related, methodological and psychosocial processes in political education and at the same time bring their various experiences to the project.

The quality standards are based on knowledge of educational science , social pedagogy and psychology and the didactic and methodological skills of those involved. Regular reflection as well as further training in terms of content and method are fundamental working methods. From the beginning, great importance was attached to the evaluation of the concepts. The concepts are regularly updated and revised on the basis of the systematic self-evaluation of each project day. The quality and lasting impact of the NDC's educational work is positively confirmed in external reports.

Until 2013, the network repeatedly placed a pink banner in the fight against neo-Nazism with the inscription “No sex with Nazis! - Show courage! ”A. This banner adorned various buildings for various campaigns across Germany. It was always set up where neo-Nazis and / or their followers tried to publicly advertise an inhuman cause. But the pink banner was also used at demonstrations and larger events to get in touch with the local people and to discuss existing exclusions or devaluation mechanisms on site.

Project days

The project days are carried out in all school types from the 5th grade, training institutions and youth institutions. Together with the young people, various aspects of democracy , co-determination , racism , xenophobia , violence , Europe , media , youth culture , sexism , homophobia and neo-Nazism are examined. Contradictions are pointed out and thought-provoking in order to counter common prejudices. Instead of the abstract transfer of knowledge, the project days focus on practical participation. The methodology of the project days is designed to include the living environment of the young people. The concepts last six school hours and can thus be easily integrated into everyday school life. Since the network was founded, more than 409,500 students have been reached nationwide in more than 18,579 project days (as of December 31, 2016).

Competencies of the NDC

The project days are carried out across the board at a wide variety of educational institutions. This creates a pool of knowledge about the reality at (vocational) schools. The youth for youth approach is an important part of the NDC educational work, as is working in mixed-gender teams with varied interactive methods. These elements make it possible to address the living environments of the participating young people in the project days and to increase their willingness to deal with the topics of the project days. The participation-oriented work of the NDC promotes social skills such as empathy , and democracy should become a tangible experience with new topics and methods.

With the project days, the Network for Democracy and Courage tries to strengthen the courage to anti-racism in an everyday culture influenced by right-wing thinking . The goal is to challenge civil courage in each and every individual and to support countercultures to inhuman and discriminatory thinking and acting. The network is a common platform for action. It bundles many people and organizations and their diverse know-how, ideas and experience as the potential and competence of the NDC. Synergy effects arise through intensive cooperation.

Awards

  • 2001 : 2nd prize from the Otto Brenner Foundation for courageous behavior, exemplary commitment and steadfastness in dealing with racism.
  • 2001 : On the occasion of the award of the Walter Mertineit Prize, the German UNESCO Commission honored the Network for Democracy and Courage with special recognition for its exemplary initiative to promote democracy, tolerance and cosmopolitanism in extracurricular youth work.
  • 2003 : Willi Bleicher Prize from IG Metall Baden-Württemberg for the democratic commitment of the NDC in Mannheim
  • 2005 : The Saxon Ministry of Culture awarded the NDC's teamer qualification with the 2005 Innovation Award for Continuing Education.
  • 2005 : Heinz Westphal Prize of the Federal Youth Association
  • 2007 : Award of the “Ehrensache” award by the state of Rhineland-Palatinate and SWR television to the network for democracy and courage in Rhineland-Palatinate
  • 2007 : Sponsor of the federal campaign "Citizens initiate sustainability" of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research
  • 2009 : The NDC in Thuringia receives the "Active for Democracy and Tolerance 2009" award from the Alliance for Democracy and Tolerance for its commitment in Thuringia.
  • 2010 : Award of the state network offices Saxony and Saarland with the prize "Active for Democracy and Tolerance 2010" for the projects with training institutions and sports clubs
  • 2011 : Award of the Kassandra project of the Netzwerk für Demokratie und Courage eV in the competition "Active for Democracy and Tolerance 2011". The Advisory Board of the Alliance for Democracy and Tolerance (BfDT) rated the project as exemplary and recognized it with prize money.
  • 2012 : The Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the Vodafone Foundation Germany awarded the NDC project “Show Courage for Democracy” as part of the nationwide competition “Ideas for the Republic of Education”.
  • 2012 : The network for democracy and courage in Rhineland-Palatinate receives the "Prize for exemplary intercultural cooperation" from the state of Rhineland-Palatinate.
  • 2013 : Award for the NDC with the "Show your face!" of the city of Darmstadt. The prevention work was recognized with a "high level of content".
  • 2013 : The Network for Democracy and Courage Saar eV is one of six winners of the 2013 Honorary Award. The NDC received the award in the "Committed Youth" category.
  • 2014 : The Network for Democracy and Courage Saar e. V. receives the Georg Bernard badge from the IG Metall district in the center.
  • 2015 : The NDC receives the Gustav Heinemann Citizen Prize 2015 from the SPD.
  • 2016 : The NDC in Saxony receives a recognition award for the project “In Good Society” at the Saxon Promotion Prize for Democracy 2016.
  • 2019 : Buber-Rosenzweig-Medal together with the Kreuzberg Initiative against Antisemitism (KiGA), Berlin

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Network for Democracy and Courage eV: The Courage Story - History - Network for Democracy and Courage eV September 16, 2010, accessed on January 30, 2018 (German).
  2. ↑ Network for Democracy and Courage eV: Who we are - About us - Network for Democracy and Courage eV December 20, 2009, accessed on January 30, 2018 (German).
  3. ↑ Network for Democracy and Courage eV: Report on the work of the NDC - External Evaluations - Network for Democracy and Courage eV December 17, 2009, accessed on January 30, 2018 (German).
  4. ↑ Network for Democracy and Courage eV: Children and Young People - Network for Democracy and Courage eV July 21, 2015, accessed on January 31, 2018 (German).
  5. ↑ Otto Brenner Prize - Journalist Prize: Thorough research instead of ordered truths. Accessed January 30, 2018 .
  6. ↑ "Netzwerk Courage" wins the Willi Bleicher Prize 2003 | IG Metall Baden-Württemberg. Accessed January 30, 2018 .
  7. ↑ Home | A matter of honor. Accessed January 30, 2018 (German).
  8. ↑ Network for Democracy and Courage eV: NDC awarded in the competition "Active for Democracy and Tolerance 2011" - Federation - Network for Democracy and Courage eV February 8, 2012, accessed on January 30, 2018 (German).
  9. ↑ Show courage for democracy. Accessed January 30, 2018 .
  10. ↑ Network for Democracy and Courage eV: PRESS RELEASE: NDC receives award for exemplary intercultural cooperation - Rheinl.-Palatinate - Network for Democracy and Courage eV September 20, 2012, accessed on January 30, 2018 (German).
  11. ↑ Network for Democracy and Courage eV: PRESS ABOUT US: NDC will "show your face!" Prize awarded by the City of Darmstadt - Hessen - Network for Democracy and Courage eV June 7, 2013, accessed on January 30, 2018 (German).
  12. ↑ Pro honorary office | Pro volunteer. Accessed January 30, 2018 (German).
  13. ↑ Network for Democracy and Courage eV: Press release: NDC Saar receives Georg Bernard plaque from IG Metall district Mitte - Saarland - Network for Democracy and Courage eV May 13, 2014, accessed on January 30, 2018 (German).
  14. ↑ prices. Accessed January 30, 2018 .
  15. ↑ intern: Der Förderpreis 2016. Retrieved on January 30, 2018 (German).
  16. ↑ The winners. German Coordination Council, accessed on June 14, 2019 .