Over 50 third-country nationals and immigrants are continously taking part in the MIT training courses, the “MIT Trainings”, running until the end of July 2021. The training consists of a total of eight modules with a total of 36 teaching units. Four groups meet regularly:

  • the so-called “Wednesday group”, which always meets on Wednesday evenings for two to three hours,
  • the so-called “Saturday group”, which meets every Saturday morning,
  • the so-called “Farah group”, which always comes to practice on Sundays in the morning,
  • the so-called “Faisal group”, which compactly works through two weekends, each full day for the modules.
  • .

Due to the Covid 19 pandemic, the start of the training courses had initially been delayed. All participants had a desire to meet in presence. Therefore, the MIT team at INTEGRA had hoped for an improvement in the pandemic situation starting in the fall of 2020. When there were signs of a slight improvement before Christmas 2020, the first training in presence start took place. In 2021, the team initially waited to see how things would develop in the spring, but then decided to conduct the training online. The initial skepticism of the participants was quickly overcome. All modules had been didactically adapted for online training. The possibilities of the online platform Zoom with screen sharing, whiteboard, chat, break-out rooms, surveys, playing films and showing reactions were used to the full. As the pandemic situation began to improve in June 2021, the groups also met in presence. Attention is paid to the observance of all distance and hygiene rules. Thanks to the good networking of INTEGRA in Filderstadt, it was possible to use a cycling hall, the large exercise room of the German Red Cross and the Schillersaal of the neighboring Schillerschule (VHS) for MIT. Since the participants already knew each other online, the personal encounter, the direct exchange of ideas and initiatives took on a special significance. To make the meetings pleasant in presence, the team of INTEGRA provided small buffets with drinks, fruits and in between freshly baked pizza or fresh pretzels. The feedback from the participants has been consistently positive. Initial ideas for founding associations, visiting local council meetings or the state parliament have already been developed. After a successful examination at the end of the modules, all participants receive a certificate that corresponds to the European Qualification Reference Framework.