Anti-discrimination work by parents on a voluntary basis
To ensure their children have a safe stay in schools and other facilities, parents volunteer as anti-discrimination advisors in schools and leisure facilities in the interest of their children.
They incorporate the perspectives of marginalized groups, connect students with speakers, organize cultural exchange days, create diverse book corners within school libraries, and consistently raise awareness of the limits of discrimination. Their tireless efforts, born out of necessity, are rarely acknowledged, let alone rewarded. They encounter resistance from professionals, as well as from other children, young people, and parents. The topics they address are uncomfortable, highlighting power imbalances and thus demanding a critical examination of one's own privileges. Parents and young people alike regularly report not being taken seriously, being labeled "overly emotional on anti-discrimination issues," and experiencing bullying and rejection due to accusations of discrimination.
Quote
“…When a case of discrimination occurs at a school, a great deal of education and persuasion is required. Before we can even address a case, there are lengthy discussions about what constitutes discrimination. However, if we all had an awareness of this, we could resolve the problem more quickly. This requires anti-discrimination professional development measures for teachers and school administrators, as well as for all administrative staff in the education system, including managers….”
Derviş Hızarcı
Anti-discrimination officer of the Berlin Senate Department for Education, Youth and Family in one Interview on his resignation
background
To ensure inclusion, we need regular professional development for staff and events for parents and children. This is an additional burden that neither the institutions nor individual parents can manage. There is a staff shortage and a severe lack of resources in schools and recreational facilities. Basic services can due to teachers-, School place shortage This cannot be guaranteed at all times.
The parents in the association's network estimate their voluntary commitment at 3 to 9 hours per week per child and discrimination incident, including all communication: email correspondence, telephone calls, conversations in the schoolyard with teaching staff and other parents, parent meetings with and without children in schools, offices and counseling centers.
This fact has so far received little or no consideration in studies on diversity in voluntary work in Germany.
The GNGB team wants to find out how extensive the commitment of parents in particular is and how many resources need to be generated in order to actually guarantee equal access to education and participation in social life.
Therefore, the team decided to conduct a study. The study has the following objectives:
- Determining the average amount of time parents spend when their children experience discrimination in institutions and organizations,
- The extent of voluntary parental involvement from marginalized groups in anti-discrimination work in institutions and organizations will be surveyed.
implementation
The study will be conducted from August 1st, 2024 to March 1st, 2025 and subsequently evaluated.
Participation takes approximately 15 minutes. The questions may be triggering. If some of your children have likely experienced discrimination, please select the option that you have encountered most frequently.
For clarification: When we speak of the young person(s), we mean the children and young people who live in your household.
The study collects anonymized data; please do not enter any names in the answer fields.
In March 2025, the team will analyze the study and publish the results on the association's website. Participants will be informed of the results via email.
We hope that many of you will participate in the study.
Responsible parties
The study is being conducted on a voluntary basis by Beatriz Molina Diaz and Sonja Prinz. The GNGB team is providing support through collaboration.
Beatriz Molina Diaz is a social worker and works as a volunteer at Global New Generation.
Sonja Prinz is a mother of Black children and works as a volunteer on the board of the association, as well as a project manager for transcultural education projects and as a freelance anti-discrimination trainer.
Click here for the study
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