"I worked as an English language tutor at the OLIve Project from April to June 2018. It was a great opportunity for me, as I could get in touch with people from different countries who had different cultural backgrounds. To me, teaching represents a great satisfaction as I think it increases the personal growth of an individual; it enhances creativity; and critical thinking is strengthened. Therefore, the classroom becomes an effective place for open discussions. During my activity at the OLIve project, me and other tutors focused on different topics - according to the lessons taught before as well - and we took the lead for further discussions, involving all the students who were free to express their opinion and provide us with concrete examples. To me, it was a great moment for gathering and a great opportunity to exchange ideas and different points of view. The topics discussed were for instance freedom of speech, the concept of democracy and the effective use of technologies to spread awareness about specific phenomena. We met every Saturday and the discussion was led in English. English is considered a "lingua franca" and it is therefore used to communicate also among people coming from countries where English is not the first language. Therefore, I think it is important that English is offered at the "OLIve Projekt". Another good reason why English should be offered in the future as well at "OLIve" is that some students are shy and they do not feel ready to talk in German, so using the English language may be helpful for them to convey their thoughts and ideas."

- Olimpia P. Brichese

“Please continue. I think it is a great programme to support the students in their academic development and give them a start and an insight on academic educational programms in Europe.”

“How educated and how amazing the students are, they just need some tools and experience to help them along the way”

“Resilience and narrow survival experiences do not just harden people. It can also make them more open.”

“Keep it up. This is great for integration and for humanity.”

“As asylum-seekers, people have to deal with so many fundamental challenges in life that academic tasks start looking like a luxury many cannot afford to invest in. OLIVE tried to remedy that and for this I am grateful to have been part of the project.”

“The most rewarding experience for me was contributing to a program that offers hope to people who have been through a lot.”

“The program not only benefits the participants but also society by helping refugees and asylum seeking persons integrate into the European way of life.”

“As a teacher I became once more aware of the importance of empathy - as an atmospheric factor of interest, participation, activation.”

“These programs are an important contribution to providing access to the university for people in a difficult situation.”

“It is a great/vital and helpful program/helping refugees and preparing them for future life in Europe. All of us teacher/students must support this kind of program.”

“The OLIVE experience strengthened again my belief, that we are at core all the same, we all struggle for safety, love, affection, recognition.”

“When talking about refugees and asylum seeking people, I have the feeling that people tend to judge from rather the macro-perspective. It is VERY important to make these people VISIBLE into our society, to get to know the humans and not the "refugee group". In doing so, I think we can give these people the dignity and recognition back, which most of them have the feeling they lost on the way. This is why, such programs are very important. In both ways: for the participants but also for the tutors, since this exchange is very valuable in my eyes.”