Über den Tellerrand e.V.

About us

About us
“Beyond the Locality” (Über den Tellerrand) was founded in April 2014. Since then, the association has campaigned for a community of refugees and residents in which everyone can contribute their own individual skills. In a network that already connects over 1500 people in more than 25 cities, refugees have access to language, housing and jobs. Exchanges between refugees and residents on an equal footing lead to growing respect, esteem and friendships.

Our vision
We believe in a society that everyone can actively shape, and in which all people are equal members.

Our mission
We empower people with and without refugee experience by raising
• the awareness of opportunities to shape society,
• the ability to build intercultural communities,
• the opportunity to build networks between committed people, working together to promote a society in which every person is an equal member.

Beyond the Locality promotes an open and equitable society with the following programs:
• Champion Program: In our Champion Program, we empower people to initiate encounter projects. Through coaching and the provision of infrastructure and resources we enable people to play an active role. Building a strong community fosters mutual learning and sustainable engagement.
• Satellite Program: With the approach of encouraging the creation of friendship networks, Beyond the Locality has inspired people throughout Europe. With its Satellite Program, Beyond the Locality has fostered the creation of intercultural communities outside of Berlin. Structured guidelines and work plans, in combination with our consulting services, facilitate the development of a new location.
• Kitchen on the Run: Kitchen on the Run is our mobile European Ambassador. The travelling kitchen container connects refugees and residents across all borders, because integration is a pan-European task for us. We see the container as an incubator, which can be used wherever the initial impetus for the integration of refugees and residents is still lacking. As a neutral meeting point it offers space and the right atmosphere for encounters at eye level and makes it easy for people to approach each other
• Job Buddy Program: Our Job Buddy Program helps newcomers overcome hurdles to entering the job market. To do this we form one-to-one sponsorships between experienced employees and refugees. Specifically, the sponsors support the orientation in the job market, the preparation of application documents and the preparation for job interviews.
• Building Bridges: Two sponsors with and without a migration background support incoming workers to make their start in Germany easier.
• Inselgarten: In 2016, our small intercultural island garden was built in the Schöneberg neighbourhood of Rote Insel. Neighbours, together with people both with and without the experience of fleeing take care of the cultivation, and of course both benefit from the profitable harvest.

Linn Kaldinski is honorary and community manager of the association Über den Tellerrand for Berlin.

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.