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Introduction

At KulturNest, we believe it is our responsibility to provide opportunities for a wide range of people. This includes vulnerable groups who should be treated just like anyone else. There are just a few aspects to bear in mind for some dignified, trustworthy and respectful interactions. These aspects depend on the individual or group in question. In this resource, we have gathered the most important aspects for working with refugees. 


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1. Formal Background: Definitions of migrants and refugees

Public discourse tends to conflate the terms 'migrant' and 'refugee'. As a background to our guidelines, we would like to clarify the difference between the two terms. We have used the definitions provided by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). This shows that 'migrant' is an umbrella term for people who have moved from their region of origin, thereby emphasizing the legal aspect. The term 'refugee' is defined under international law, whereas 'migrant' is not.


 


A. Definition of 'migrant'

'Traditionally, the word ‘migrant' has been used to designate people who move by choice rather than to escape conflict or persecution, usually across an international border (‘ international migrants'), for instance to join family members already abroad, to search for a livelihood, or for a range of other purposes. The term is increasingly used as an umbrella term to refer to any person who moves away from their usual place of residence, whether internally or across a border, and regardless of whether the movement is ‘forced' or voluntary.'

Source: UNHCR Emergency Handbook 'Migrant definition' 
 https://emergency.unhcr.org/protection/legal-framework/migrant-definition referenced on Sep, 29, 2025



B. Definition of 'refugee'
'The primary and universal definition of a refugee that applies to States is contained in Article 1(A)(2) of the 1951 Convention, as amended by its 1967 Protocol, defining a refugee as someone who:

owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.'
Source: UNHCR Emergency Handbook 'Refugee definition' 
 https://emergency.unhcr.org/protection/legal-framework/refugee-definition
referenced on Sep, 29, 2025




2. The everyday life of a refugee in Germany


A person seeking asylum in Germany faces an uncertain daily existence. Having just arrived from their home country after a long, exhausting and often traumatic journey, they must begin a new life. For the first weeks, months or even years, this is an imposed way of life. It is not a life of their own choosing.

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Take Berlin, for example: anyone who arrives here goes to the arrival centre. There, they undergo infection screening and identity and security checks. A decision is then made as to whether the asylum seeker will stay in Berlin or be sent to another German state. Staying at the arrival centre can last from a few days to a few weeks.

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Once a decision has been made regarding their future stay, the individual is accommodated in an initial reception centre, with no input from the asylum seekers. This applies to appointments at the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, requirements such as attending language or integration courses, and follow-up medical appointments for infection screening, for both the individual and any accompanying children.

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The daily routine in an initial reception centre is largely determined by others, from mealtimes to laundry room appointments. The experiences asylum seekers have had in their home country and during their flight, the confusing processes surrounding the asylum application and their new life in a home full of strangers can all shake their self- image. This is an important consideration when working with refugees. From the outset, it is very difficult to appreciate the importance of voluntary offers from social or cultural organisations because there are already enough mandatory appointments in the life of someone who has just arrived in Germany. If you are an employee of an organisation and do not have direct contact with the people to whom you would like to make an offer, you should seek contact with people with whom you may already have an initial relationship of trust.

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These are typically employees of the initial accommodation facility, including social workers, social care workers, volunteer coordinators and managers. Talking to them is the best way to find out which individuals or groups within the facility might be interested in your offer. And: When presenting your offer to the residents in the second step, it may be helpful to be able to refer to your conversations with the facility's employees.

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For the aforementioned reasons, even if you have 10 registrations for your offer, only two to four people may actually show up in the end. This could be because a mandatory appointment has come up, a child is sick, or your appointment has simply been forgotten in the chaos of everyday life. This is something you have to accept.

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Further information: 

'The stages of the asylum procedure' by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees https://www.bamf.de/EN/Themen/AsylFluechtlingsschutz/AblaufAsylverfahrens/ ablaufasylverfahrens-node.html

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3. Working with refugees: 7 ways towards shared dignity

I. Basic attitude: dignity 

Dignity is the cosmos in which you and the people you are working with exist. It is the unique beauty of every human being.

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II. Basic attitude: trust 


Trust is the goal of your work. It is the essence of the situation that most refugees find themselves in. This trust has two aspects: one is to make it clear that you, as an organisation's employee, are trustworthy. The second is to confirm that you view your counterpart as a trustworthy human being.

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III. Basic attitude: respect 

The third aspect of your basic attitude consists of your communication skills. It will make a difference to your counterpart if you pay attention to all aspects of your communication, such as the words you use, your body language and the volume and tone of your voice.

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IV. Awareness of your position of authority


Even if this is not immediately obvious to you, you are in a position of power over the refugees you are working with. Therefore, it is helpful to recognise this authority.

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V. Awareness of living conditions gap

The way people spend their lives in forced exile often differs from the lives of people who have chosen their destination. When working with people in forced exile, it is important to familiarise yourself with refugees' everyday lives. See also: 3. The everyday life of a refugee in Germany

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VI. Professional distance 

While developing a certain closeness with refugees is important, it is also crucial to maintain a professional distance. This distance acknowledges your position of authority and the differences in everyday life, as well as the importance of respect in communication.

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VII. Presence


Every human being is precious and unique. While it is important to maintain professional distance with refugees in a work context, it is vital to prioritise spending time with them. In many cases, your sheer presence can make a real difference. Be wise with interfering actively.

Final remark



For many people, their first encounter with individuals from groups they have never encountered before is a life-changing experience. This is almost always positive. Their horizons are broadened through contact with people whose customs, rituals and ways of interacting with one another were previously hidden from them or only known through the media.

 

We invite you to have this experience.

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Remember that the fact a person was forced to flee their home country is just one of many factors that contribute to their identity. Other aspects include gender, sexual orientation, skin colour, religion, country of origin, native language, favourite football club, taste in music, favourite food and pet preference.

 

Almost everything unites or separates you from this person.

But does it matter in the end?

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Christoph Braun

Director, AWO Mitte

November 2025