The following mission statement was developed through a participatory process involving employees, association members and the executive board of Distanz e.V. On the one hand, we are committed to living these values within the team and the organisation. On the other hand, the mission statement serves as a guide for our actions in shaping all external communication, particularly in the design of measures and cooperation partnerships.
For good work, it is important that all employees enjoy working at Distanz e.V. and experience it as a meaningful shared activity that allows for personal development and recognises individual differences. Solidarity within the team is reflected in the recognition of individual life situations and needs, which are taken into account when shaping everyday work, as well as in addressing conflicts constructively as a team.
The foundation of our work and our motivation for action within the Intervention Programm in a radicalisation process and beyond is our orientation towards the Charter of Human Rights. These values are not outlined in detail below, but they overlap in many ways with the ten core values of Distanz e.V.
A society in which all people can feel comfortable must be guided by children’s rights, youth rights and human rights. Through our work, we contribute to the well-being of society. Our goal is to make social coexistence less discriminatory. In the long term, we aim to deprive far-right groups of new recruits and to strengthen the self-efficacy of young people away from devaluation and violence. Recognition and appreciation guide our actions—internally within our team and externally in our work with young people, professionals and institutions.
The following values are of equal importance and complement one another.
Innovation
Thinking ahead innovatively
We see ourselves as a learning and creative non-profit organisation guided by established standards of social work as well as political and cultural education. In the practical design of our services, we apply a careful combination of professional expertise and action-oriented approaches.
Responsibility
Acting responsibly
We aim to engage patiently with processes and to carry out our work conscientiously. In doing so, we pay attention to the resources and limits of everyone involved and carefully consider the various consequences of our decisions. This enables us to support people responsibly and purposefully in sustainably mastering their challenges independently.
Professionalism
Reflecting professionalism
We critically reflect on our work by discussing and (externally) evaluating our professional standards. We view criticism as a positive impulse for further developing our services, our skills and ourselves. At the core of our professionalism is our clear, human-rights-based stance.
Cooperation
Practising cooperation on equal terms
Our employees regard (pedagogical) professionals as experts in their respective fields and institutions. We strive to continuously develop and share our own expertise in a cooperative manner. By learning from one another, we focus on shared goals and find solutions to challenges in everyday professional practice. In this way, we contribute—within the team and together with others—to the development of our own structures, those of other institutions, and the broader professional discourse.
Participation
Encouraging co-creation
For us, enabling participation in processes requires a high level of transparency, information sharing and assumption of responsibility within clearly defined roles. This makes our values, approaches and practical implementation in each field of action comprehensible and enables participation—both internally and in external measures. In this way, we can involve young people, professionals and cooperation partners in the implementation of our measures in a needs-oriented manner.
Recognition
Strengthening personal responsibility through reflection
For us, reflection means critically questioning oneself and others and consciously examining attitudes and actions. This creates an awareness that enables solution-oriented understanding, while also recognising when limits are reached and understanding for others ends. This forms the basis for responsible, respectful and constructive cooperation both internally and externally.
Awareness
Strengthening personal responsibility through reflection
For us, reflection means critically questioning oneself and others and consciously examining attitudes and actions. This creates an awareness that enables solution-oriented understanding, while also recognising when limits are reached and understanding for others ends. This forms the basis for responsible, respectful and constructive cooperation both internally and externally.
Empathy
Being empathetic
Empathy develops through conscious listening, openness and necessary distance. Taking emotions seriously and working with them involves an effort to understand and empathise. This results in a foundation of trust, mindful interaction and targeted practical as well as emotional support.
Solidarity and Critique
Providing supportive and critical guidance
Through critical interventions, we support people in moving away from paths of devaluation and generalisation and in reducing discriminatory and violent actions. As a civil society organisation, we also see it as our responsibility to support youth welfare services in integrating prevention and intervention measures of the Intervention Programm in a radicalisation process as a cross-cutting task. We consider it important to stand in solidarity with other organisations—especially when, from our perspective, meaningful work is being called into question.
Joy
Celebrating successes with joy
For us, joy means maintaining enthusiasm, passion and humour in our work. We allow ourselves to appropriately celebrate positive developments and impacts, even though we often work on challenging and serious topics.