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Friendship at first sight: How a club builds bridges
Friendship in Aspern: How Gernot and Daniel promote social contacts and integration through the Swaf association.
Friendship at first sight: How a club builds bridges
In the carousel of life, there are sometimes unplanned friendships that blossom especially in difficult times. This is what happened to Gernot Florian and Daniel Madaniyan, who met in Seestadt Aspern during the lockdown. While many people had to stay at home, the two used the allowed walks to build their friendship. Florian, a houseworker at Schönbrunn Palace, and Madaniyan, a service technician for plastic welding machines, soon connected more than just coincidences, they discovered the power of social interaction.
The two men met through the “Start with a friend” (Swaf) association, whose main focus is on integrating people with refugee experience and promoting social contacts. “The goal of Swaf is to support social contact and participation for newcomers,” says Florian, who became aware of the association in 2019 through an article in the “Presse”. In fact, Madaniyan, who came to Vienna alone in 2016, has a desire to meet new people, which also led him to Swaf.
A special connection
The weekly walks through Vienna have now become an integral part of the two friends' lives. Despite the distance between their homes, they meet regularly to chat and share their love of dark beer. “Through Florian I not only improved my German, but also learned a lot about Austrian peculiarities,” reveals Madaniyan. It's amazing how patient conversations and shared interests can build bridges.
Swaf specifically determines the interests and hobbies of its participants in order to find suitable tandem partners and has already brought together around 300 such couples. In addition to the meetings, the association offers free activities such as games, yoga and hikes to strengthen the community. In a state-specific format, this social exchange is essential to ensure successful integration.
Challenges and opportunities
Despite Swaf's successes, many refugees face challenges, often stuck in a tension between their skills and the local labor market. A study by the Bosch Foundation describes the dimension of social participation as underestimated. In order to remedy this lack of social contact, the support of volunteers is essential. This social networking is often seen not just as a pleasant “extra”, but as a vital part of the integration process.
The study highlights that there is no one refugee. The different situations in life require tailor-made solutions to enable social participation. “Reliable contacts are important for conveying information and creating real encounters,” the study states. Together with flexible access to work and training, a lot can be achieved here if communities are prepared to break new ground.
Finally, the example of Florian and Madaniyan impressively shows that friendships can blossom in difficult times and that the commitment of associations like Swaf makes an enormous difference in the lives of many people. So there is still hope if people work hand in hand to build cultural bridges.