Internationals in Südwestfalen
Are you an international professional living and working in Südwestfalen?
We are looking for people who know what it really feels like: what works, what doesn’t and what should change.
We would love to hear from you.
Who knows better what life in Südwestfalen is like for international workers than those who have already moved here?
This question is the starting point for our project „Internationals in Südwestfalen“ at Hochschule Hamm-Lippstadt. Instead of talking from a distance about how to attract international skilled workers to the region, we flip the perspective: those who are already living and working here get to speak for themselves as the actual experts on what makes Südwestfalen attractive and where everyday life still trips you up.
That’s why we are actively looking for participants from all over Südwestfalen – especially those working here as skilled professionals. It doesn’t matter which country you came from, which Kreis or town you live in, how long you have been in Germany, or which industry you work in.
There are just two simple criteria:
you came to Germany from abroad as an adult
(as in, not born in Germany and not moved here as a child with your family)
you currently live and study / work in Südwestfalen
What expects you is a casual conversation on equal terms. We would like to ask you about your immigration story (e.g. choosing a country and applying from abroad), your professional life (e.g. looking for a job and daily interactions with colleagues), your social life (e.g. finding friends and establishing contacts), and how you experience your city and the region as a whole.
How has immigration changed you? What was the most surprising thing to discover in German everyday life? How long did it take you to find a job? How comfortable do you feel with your German speaking skills? These are just some of the questions that we would like to explore with you.
And if you have been wanting to get it off your chest how you still can’t quite crack the Mülltrennung system, or how you keep forgetting about the Brückentage and showing up to an empty office — go right ahead, we’re listening.
Where?
Online - we will send you a link
When?
We discuss a time and date convenient for you
How long?
The exact duration depends on how much you are willing to share, but we plan to have at least 30 minutes
In what languages?
Currently it is possible in German, English and Russian
We are especially interested to hear from you if you are an international skilled worker, international worker, or an Azubi.
These conversations will help us understand how we can make Südwestfalen more welcoming and comfortable place to stay. Your experiences and suggestions will become a foundation for concrete actionable measures for integration and development in the region. We are very interested in any and all ideas and experiences because we believe that diversity matters.
We would be very grateful if you shared your time and your experiences with us — together, we can make your perspective visible and foster a strong sense of community in Südwestfalen.
Interested? Here you can join!
Questions and comments? Get in touch with us!
Frau Prof. Dr. Anke Weber: anke.weber@hshl.de
Frau Ekaterina Senina: ekaterina.senina@hshl.de