“Hand in Hand. Kindergarten without racism”

The aim of the project is to develop new specific methods and concepts for teaching young children democracy and moral values, therefore creating a pedagogical environment free from prejudice. These methods and concepts are developed as a positive strategy aimed at preventing racism, anti-semitism, xenophobia and right wing extremism. Educators and parents should develop awareness and increase their qualifications in conveying democratic values, especially in relation to plurality. This is achieved through further educational training and programs based on the methods and concepts developed in the project and by supporting and encouraging parents to get involved in the work, in parent groups. Furthermore, in a second step, the project is to be spread (to other kindergartens) through promotional campaigns.

The prototype project “Hand in Hand. Kita ohne Rassismus” (Hand in Hand. Kindergarten without racism) is divided into three sub-projects: the training program for educators, the project for parents and the promotion-campaign. The prototype-project comprises three kindergartens in Halle (Saale) and a group of experts from the fields of pedagogics, politics, administration and non-profit organizations.

One of the practical aims the project wants to achieve is to conceive, develop and implement specific training programs for educators, which basically seek to prevent racism and the exclusion of people due to their ethnicity. The concept of the training program is based on the results of the current scientific debate about the reasons and conditions of right wing extremism. Of central importance for this concept is also the question of the general conditions and pedagogical work in the kindergarten are needed to successfully strengthen the children`s understanding of democracy and social values. In addition to this, and in order to create a practical basis, the trainers of the expert-group carried out a series of studies in the three prototype-kindergartens in Halle. The concept-development is inspired by the analysis and evaluation the trainers made.

The project for parents is mainly intended to intensify the educational work between parents and educators and to strengthen parent participation in the daily work of the kindergarten. This project is based on an active and qualified discussion about the following topics; moral values, democracy, plurality and why understanding of these ideas can be enforced in a way that prevents the future development of right wing extremism and racism. The trainers introduce the topics and methodology of the prototype project to the parents and create a seminar concept. The parent group then independently implements these seminars in the kindergartens.

The aim of the campaign project is to spread the ideals and the concept, developed within the prototype project, to all kindergartens in the region of Sachsen-Anhalt. Kindergartens are therefore called upon to take part in the project. Educators, parents and the organizations running the kindergartens shall declare their willingness to work in accordance with democracy, moral values and plurality and in so doing to fight against racism and right wing extremism. This declaration shall be realized in three concrete projects, to prevent racism and support plurality.

Expected results and outcomes:

• to establish the methods and publish a methodology handbook
• further use and extend the training programs developed in the prototype project
• long term establishment of the parent project. The established parent group should achieve a level of independence, that allows them to keep working on their own.
• extending of the campaign within Sachsen-Anhalt and Germany