Munich: This is how street workers work on the Internet – Munich

Half an hour. It doesn’t take long for two worlds to collapse. For a young woman because she suddenly loses her child in the seventh month. For a second young woman because she is worried that she is pregnant – until the positive pregnancy test gives her certainty.

It is in such cases that Sarah Rieger and Anna-Lena Keerl, both 29 years old, stand by young people. To offer help, sometimes just to listen to problems. As digital street workers, they look after young people and young adults between the ages of 14 and 27 on the Internet. Not only with unwanted abortions, but with all kinds of problems. From fears about the future, mental health, questions of sexuality, stress with parents or friends to difficulties at work or in education. In short: Digital street workers help young people to cope with everyday life.

Because the term “street work” is not familiar to everyone, neither in the digital nor in the analogue version, a brief explanation: “Classic street work means addressing young people on the street, supporting them and building relationships,” says Sarah. A bit awkwardly translated into German could perhaps be translated as “street social work”. But instead of in the schoolyard or on the street, she and her colleague Anna-Lena seek out their target group on social media. There, where the living environment of young people has been taking place for years.

But can the concept simply be transferred to the Internet? And what exactly does that look like?

A visit to Anna-Lena and Sarah in their office on Maillingerstrasse, between Maxvorstadt and Neuhausen. Here, where the District Youth Council of Upper Bavaria is based, they offer coffee and Spezi at a large desk in the middle of the room. Gray clouds hang over the sky outside the large glass windows, but that doesn’t spoil the mood inside. You quickly realize why: Anna-Lena and Sarah are what you would describe as bright personalities. They laugh often and honestly with each other, unaffectedly.

A mobile phone is all Sarah and Anna-Lena need for their everyday work

They got to know each other at their previous job in a therapeutic residential community for young people with addictive substance use. Today they are two of a total of twelve digital street workers in Bavaria. The only pilot project of its kind to date started in September 2021.

Sarah – white sneakers, petite physique, nose piercing – has meanwhile made herself comfortable cross-legged on her swivel chair. She now points to her work cell phone, which is on the table. This mobile phone, and sometimes a laptop, is all she and Anna-Lena need for their everyday work. They are also active on social platforms, on Jodel, Instagram, Twitch, TikTok or, for example, Discord.

The advice of the digital street workers is free and anonymous

Discord is an online chat service that was originally used primarily by gamers, but now has more than 250 million active users worldwide. On these platforms, Sarah and Anna-Lena post content to reach young people, they stream videos and answer questions, sometimes they write to specific people. They always make it clear that they work as social workers.

Her goal: to get in touch with young people who may need her help. As digital street workers, they offer their advice free of charge and anonymously. In addition, they are subject to confidentiality, similar to doctors or lawyers.

A second thing is noticeable when you listen to Sarah and Anna-Lena talking about their everyday life: They are a well-rehearsed team. This is important for her work. Especially when it comes to difficult cases. “We talk to each other a lot, also to work through certain things that happen,” says Anna-Lena. The woman with the long blond hair, the black cap on her head and the friendly smile now seems thoughtful.

Difficult cases, for example, when a young person reports anonymously and via chat that he is acutely suicidal. Suddenly he goes offline. What to do? “There you are, not knowing who he is, where he is and who is in the area that could be informed,” says Anna-Lena. Sarah adds, “None of my clients do I know what the person looks like, their name, age, or where they live. If you had a number, you could go to the police and report it, so we have to.” Cases like these are rare exceptional situations, Sarah emphasizes, not the rule.

“There are many young people who are afraid to go to school.”

If you ask the digital street workers what fears and worries young people are particularly concerned about, they give a clear answer: “They are often psychological problems,” says Sarah. The search for a therapy place is difficult for many, since the Corona period social phobias have also increased. “There are a lot of young people who are afraid to go to school because of pressure, stress, people, bullying, the volume or demands that they may not be able to meet. Afraid of failure,” says Sarah.

The many crises – pandemic, climate change, inflation, Ukraine war – burden the younger generation. A quarter of 14 to 29-year-olds in Germany are dissatisfied with their mental health, 16 percent feel helpless, and 10 percent even report suicidal thoughts. This is shown by the current trend study “Youth in Germany” by Simon Schnetzer and Klaus Hurrelmann. What follows directly from this: Rarely has the work of digital street workers like Anna-Lena and Sarah been as important as it is today.

However, it does not always have to be stressful and difficult issues that they deal with. Sometimes it’s also about first love. A boy once asked Anna-Lena how he knew whether he was allowed to kiss a girl or not. As a result, Anna-Lena gave advice that is also suitable for adults: “Just ask her.” After all, the subject of “consent” needs to be learned early on.

Sarah and Anna-Lena don’t want to patronize anyone. On the contrary: “There is a pedagogical approach according to which the client is an expert on himself,” says Sarah. “That means: The person naturally knows better what they need or would do than I do, because I’m not in their shoes. So you work a lot with questions, on the one hand to grasp the overall situation and on the other hand to the person himself To stimulate reflection: What exactly do I actually want? What do I need? What options do I have?”

“It’s nice to help people grow.”

You can tell that their work fulfills them. And they also know exactly why the two digital street workers prefer to work with young people than with adults: “I have hope that things can really change with young people. You can put life on a different track,” says Anna-Lena. Sarah adds: “It’s nice to help people to develop further and to be able to have a positive impact.” For the time being, Sarah is traveling. What comes next? She doesn’t know that yet. But this much is certain: “It will definitely stay with youth work.”

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