Note
Since the middle of 2021, weltwärts exchanges have no longer taken place under the umbrella of weltwärts. Youth Exchange for Sustainable Development has since been offered through the African-German Youth Office.
Pilot partnership between weltwärts exchange projects and Chat der Welten
Chat service simplifies communication between project partners in numerous phases
We are currently working with the Engagement Global CHAT der WELTEN programme to establish how to maximise the benefits of chats between partners collaborating on a weltwärts exchange project. The service could be used in a number of virtual cooperation project phases.
CHAT der WELTEN combines global learning and digital media. The service enables children and young people from Germany to communicate directly with peers in the Global South and experts around the globe. The chat partners learn from and with each other, increasing their global awareness as well as their general, language and media skills.
The purpose of the pilot project with CHAT der WELTEN is to test how the programme’s expertise and methods could be applied to weltwärts youth exchange projects so as to integrate them systematically in the long term and make them available to all participating organisations. The service is mainly to be used in the non-visit phases, during which the youth groups in the Global North and South maintain contact with each other and discuss the project by virtual means.
The two South African organisations Bridging Gaps e.V. and Karos and Kambro are using the chat service on their current project concerning SDG 10 (Reduced inequalities). For example, the German and South African groups have used it to introduce themselves to each other, to get a general introduction to the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs) and to discuss their chosen goal, SDG 10. However, the medium has other uses. In the preparatory phase, for instance, it can be used to discuss project plans or, later on in the project, it can be used for reflection or follow-up work on subject matter covered on the project.