heks

HEKS Regional Office Bern supports the integration of socially disadvantaged people into society. The projects and assistance of the Bern Regional Office aim towards a society that accommodates diversity and fosters social coherence.

Limited language skills are often big obstacles to integration and to an active participation in civil, political and social life. With language training or with the course «Integration into Swiss Life and Working Life» we assist people in their everyday life in Switzerland and support them in contact with public authorities and service agencies. Thus they better comprehend their situation and learn to appraise their perspectives and options more realistically.

But also Swiss citizens threatened by social, occupational or legal isolation depend on our assistance. We support youths and young adults without an apprenticeship (or an interrupted one) on their way (back) to a professional life. On the other hand, women with a migrational background can tend our garden together and communicate with each other in German. Adults seeking employment are offered specific support for their reintegration into professional life.

Together with other aid agencies we organise public events: Symposiums concerning the issue of «Integration», panel discussions or events on the Swiss Day of the Refugee. This we do in order to tell the public about the situation of the refugees. With other festivities and also the participation at church services we help foster intercultural bridges.

The work of our professional staff orientates itself on the needs of the target groups. Thereby we closely work together with the protestant church, the Swiss Refugee Council and local partner organisations. Although the social, economic and political situations are in constant change our projects are tried and tested and well established in the whole Bern region. One thing has not changed though: Our projects are still a dire necessity.